The Woman Named Rebecca
Chapter 03 - The Woman Named Rebecca
Claire lied.
She told her father she was driving home.
Instead, she searched the phone number written on the receipt.
It no longer belonged to anyone.
But Daniel suggested another approach.
"Rebecca might have been a friend."
Claire remembered one name from childhood.
Rebecca Sloan.
Her mother's closest college friend.
Claire had not seen her since Margaret's funeral.
According to William, Rebecca had moved away shortly afterward.
Daniel found her online.
Rebecca Sloan was now sixty-one.
She lived less than two hours away.
Claire called.
A woman answered.
"Hello?"
Claire suddenly couldn't speak.
"This is Claire Bennett."
Silence.
Then a sound that seemed almost like someone losing their breath.
"Margaret's Claire?"
Claire closed her eyes.
"Yes."
Rebecca began crying.
"I wondered if you would ever call me."
Claire gripped the phone.
"You knew my mother was leaving my father."
Another silence.
"Yes."
"Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Because your father made sure we couldn't."
Claire looked at Daniel.
"What does that mean?"
Rebecca asked to meet in person.
They chose a quiet roadside restaurant halfway between their towns.
When Rebecca arrived, she carried an old envelope.
She didn't hug Claire immediately.
She simply stared at her.
"You look exactly like her."
Claire's eyes filled.
"Please don't say that unless you're going to tell me the truth."
Rebecca nodded.
She placed the envelope on the table.
"Your mother was planning to leave William."
Claire swallowed.
"Because he was abusive?"
Rebecca looked down.
"Emotionally. Financially. Sometimes physically."
Claire felt sick.
"My father?"
"Your mother hid most of it."
Rebecca explained that William controlled the bank accounts.
Margaret couldn't spend money without explaining why.
When she threatened divorce, he told her Claire would be taken away.
"He told her nobody would believe her."
Claire stared at the envelope.
"What is that?"
"A letter your mother gave me."
"Why didn't you give it to the police?"
"I tried."
Rebecca looked ashamed.
"Your father told them Margaret was depressed and unstable."
Claire's voice became sharp.
"And you believed him?"
"No."
Rebecca pushed the envelope toward her.
"But after the fire, William threatened me."
Claire opened it.
Inside was a letter addressed to Claire.
My beautiful girl,
If you are reading this, something has happened that I couldn't prevent.
Claire stopped.
She couldn't continue.
Daniel read the next line silently.
Then his face changed.
Claire looked at him.
"What?"
Daniel slowly turned the letter around.
Margaret had written:
The necklace is not the most valuable thing your father is afraid I'll take with me.
Claire frowned.
May you like
Below that was another sentence.
The real secret is in the Harrington ledger.
