Or at least, the voice sounded exactly like hers.
I looked around.
"Where are you?""
"Under the stairs.""
I turned toward the far side of the chamber.
A small black speaker had been mounted above the metal table.
"You're watching me?""
A soft laugh came through it.
"Of course I am.""
"Who are you?""
"Would you believe me if I said I was the woman you proposed to?""
I clenched my jaw.
"Why are there two of you?""
"Because Elena made a terrible mistake fourteen months ago.""
I looked at my wife.
She shook her head desperately.
"Tell me the truth," I said.
Vanessa sighed.
"You always were difficult when you wanted answers.""
I moved toward the steel door.
"Open the door!""
"Marcus, you're going to need to calm down.""
I struck the metal with my fist.
"YOU LOCKED MY WIFE UNDER MY HOUSE!""
The speaker went silent.
Then I heard a different voice.
"Mr. Hale, I suggest you stop shouting.""
"Who is this?""
"Someone who has been protecting your interests.""
I looked at the monitor.
A man in a dark suit had entered the pool terrace.
He was carrying a black leather briefcase.
I recognized him immediately.
Graham Whitmore.
My family's attorney.
He had handled the paperwork after Elena disappeared. He had advised me on the insurance claim, the estate documents, and the legal declaration of death.
He had sat beside me at the memorial service.
He had held my shoulder while I cried.
And now he was standing beside the woman who had imprisoned my wife.
"What the hell is Graham doing there?"" I whispered.
Elena began pounding the glass.
I turned toward her.
She pointed at the screen, then at the wall behind me.
There was something taped beneath the metal table.
I crawled through the shallow water and pulled it free.
A small waterproof pouch.
Inside were several photographs, a USB drive, and a folded piece of paper.
I opened the paper.
The handwriting was Elena's.
Marcus, if you're reading this, it means they finally let you find me. Do not trust the woman who calls herself Vanessa. Do not trust Graham. And whatever happens, do not let them take Ava.
My hands began shaking.
I read the note again.
There was another line at the bottom.
Your daughter knows more than anyone realizes.
I looked toward the door.
"Elena, what does that mean?""
She pointed toward the monitor again.
The camera had switched to the living room.
Ava was sitting on the sofa beside Daniel.
A woman entered the room.
It was the second Vanessa.
She knelt in front of Ava.
"Hello, sweetheart.""
Ava immediately backed away.
The woman smiled.
"Don't you remember me?""
Ava shook her head.
"You're not my mommy.""
The woman laughed softly.
"Of course I'm not.""
Then she reached into her handbag and pulled out a small silver bracelet.
Ava stared at it.
I recognized the bracelet.
It had belonged to Elena.
I had given it to her on our fifth wedding anniversary.
The woman held it out.
"Your mother wants you to come with me.""
"Where is Mommy?""
The woman glanced toward the camera.
Then she smiled.
"Somewhere your father won't be able to find her.""
I slammed my fist against the steel door.
"GET AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!""
The speaker crackled.
"Relax, Marcus," Graham said.
"Nobody is going to hurt the child.""
I grabbed the microphone cable and ripped it from the wall.
The sound cut off.
I turned toward Elena.
She was crying silently.
I took the photographs from the pouch.
The first showed Elena standing beside another woman.
They looked identical.
The second showed the two women as children.
The third was a photograph of a hospital record.
I held it closer to the light.
The names were partially faded.
But I could read the heading.
St. Catherine's Women's Hospital.
Below it were two names.
*Elena Marlowe.*
*Rebecca Marlowe.*
I sat back on my heels.
Elena had a twin sister.
A twin sister who had somehow become Vanessa.
But that wasn't the worst part.
I looked at the final photograph.
It showed Graham standing beside a much younger Elena.
They were outside a courthouse.
On the back, Elena had written a date.
Fourteen months earlier.
The day she disappeared.
Beneath the date were six words.
Graham signed my death certificate.
My chest tightened.
I looked toward the monitor.
Graham was now standing in the living room beside Rebecca.
He was holding a document.
Rebecca was speaking to Ava.
I couldn't hear the conversation, but I could see my daughter shaking her head.
Then Graham crouched and placed the document on the coffee table.
He pointed to a signature line.
Rebecca picked up a pen.
She smiled at Ava.
And suddenly, I understood.
They weren't simply trying to get Elena out of the way.