THE BRIDE SHE LEFT BEHIND

son's office for twenty minutes,

rvived by her husba

husband have? How ma

zzed. A tex

tonight. Do

rison at his house. Time to see Clara's vi

eded to check on Ash. And I needed t

en I walked in. Quieter. Li

I call

ans

om, the kitchen, up the stairs

ed soft

me

eene was there too, sitting in the chair by the window.

I didn't know

sharp gray eyes. "Riley, dea

e my stomach drop. I sat

t's

ack at me. "How much do you know a

didn't kil

r do you j

reath. "I

nodded slowl

d racing. "What

get us all killed i

d out a small digital recorder. The

t is

oice. From three da

ene pres

lled the room, sh

aleb killed me. I know how that sounds, but it's true. I found out a

dn't b

ound out. He said if I ever tried to take his son away from him, he

ive this to the p

elieve an old housekeeper over a grieving widower?

rding co

I never told anyone. Clara didn't just die in a

reene's arm. "Cl

list

others. She said David that's what she called him had shown her pictur

blurred. "

recording. "That's wh

w long have you

an I'd ever seen he

ge in those final weeks. Saw her become terrified of her own shadow. Sh

did

he housekeeper. But I watched.

id you

g. In secret. Little things at first. Some clothes in a suitcase un

plannin

s going to take h

tening to every word, his f

know?" I

were going to take a trip. A long tri

was

k before

e pressed

medical records showing Clara's 'mental health issues.' The police reports that were never filed. I h

Evelyn's voice had tol

't let him hurt Riley. Don't let him do to her wha

cordin

lence for a

e said quietly, "th

ha

nce in the basement. She left

"To me? But I didn

w who was coming to visit. Clara said if anything happened

to the window. "W

r evidence. In

to get it

head. "It's too danger

late. This i

nd. I've been down there.

do you

re are more boxes. More files. More evidence.

far

abeled 'Jennifer 2015.' Another on

ng to vomit. "How man

counting

men. Seven wive

we have to cal

an? Some boxes in a basement that cou

hat do

d to me. Her voice was

document everything. And then we d

ppear

She has a cabin. No one would

out the

ver to the FBI. They'll have to l

Ash. "What d

to me. "I think Mom w

rst, we get t

odded. "I'll

th Ash. If somet

going to ha

pen, promise me you'll get Ash out

in hers. They were

romi

rd the door, t

id you know to reco

ore she died. She said if anything happened to her

she was go

she'd married. And she knew

basement door,

ne whisper to Ash, "Your mot

em were," A

irs. The darkness below looked like an

th. I had to know how man

if I was goi

light and started

rd Mrs. Greene call

il

d back.

was tight

he window. There's a

ned to ice.

rent car. A

o i

there's a blonde

edi

ke Ash and get o

abou

ng that ev

tairs. Mrs. Greene an

d the front

s voice, swee

home? I'm loo