Chapter 13 - THE WOMAN IN THE OLD PHOTOGRAPH
Sable found her mother the next morning.
She wasn't at home.
She was sitting inside an old church outside Cincinnati.
Alone.
Waiting.
When Sable walked inside, her mother didn't look surprised.
“You found it.”
Sable stopped.
“You knew.”
Her mother sighed.
“I always knew you'd eventually find out.”
“Who is Julian Cross?”
Her mother looked toward the altar.
“A mistake.”
“And Elliott?”
“A friend.”
“You lied to me.”
“I protected you.”
“That is what everyone says before admitting they lied.”
Her mother finally looked at her.
“I met Elliott in 1988.”
Sable sat down.
“Why?”
“He was investigating the Callaway family.”
“Why?”
“Because your grandfather had been murdered.”
Sable froze.
“My grandfather died in an accident.”
“No.”
“He was killed.”
Sable felt the air leave her lungs.
Her mother continued.
“Elliott believed the accident had been staged.”
“By whom?”
“The Callaways.”
“Why?”
“Because your grandfather refused to sign away his share.”
Sable stared.
“And you?”
“I was there.”
“You witnessed it?”
“No.”
Her mother closed her eyes.
“I helped them.”
Sable couldn't speak.
Her mother explained.
She had been young.
Terrified.
She believed cooperating would save her family.
Instead, she spent decades carrying guilt.
Elliott discovered the truth.
He blackmailed her at first.
Then he forgave her.
They worked together.
They built the trust.
They planned to restore the original partnership.
But Elliott realized something.
If he transferred everything directly to Sable, the Callaways would attack her.
So he created a second structure.
A succession plan.
One designed for Marlo.
“Why Marlo?”
“Because Elliott believed you would protect her.”
Sable stared.
“He knew I was pregnant?”
“He knew before you did.”
“How?”
“Weston told him.”
Sable looked stunned.
“Weston?”
Her husband had never told her that.
Her mother continued.
“Elliott knew Weston was afraid of his family.”
“So he used our daughter?”
“No.”
“He protected her.”
Sable's eyes filled.
“Then why didn't he tell me?”
“Because he didn't trust the Callaways.”
Sable whispered:
“Not even Weston?”
“Especially Weston.”
That sentence stayed with her.
When Sable returned home, Weston was waiting.
“You went to see your mother.”
“Yes.”
“What did she say?”
Sable looked at him.
“Why didn't you tell me Elliott knew about Marlo before she was born?”
Weston went still.
“I didn't know he knew.”
“He spoke to you.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Three days before he died.”
Sable stared.
“What did he say?”
Weston hesitated.
“He told me that if anything happened to him, I should protect you and Marlo.”
“From whom?”
“I didn't know.”
“You knew enough to be afraid.”
“Yes.”
Sable stepped closer.
“What else?”
Weston's face changed.
“He gave me a key.”
“What key?”
He walked to a drawer.
From beneath old documents, he removed a brass key.
Sable stared.
“You had that for sixteen years?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you use it?”
“Because Elliott told me not to.”
Marlo appeared in the doorway.
“What does it open?”
Weston looked at her.
“A vault.”
“Where?”
“Under the old Callaway headquarters.”
Marlo's eyes widened.
“Then let's go.”
Sable looked at Weston.
May you like
He nodded.
For the first time in sixteen years, the three of them stood together against the same secret.
