Chapter 11 - Amelia Comes Home
Richard returned to Connecticut believing Amelia was close.
He was right.
He simply didn’t know how close.
At 11:47 that night, the security camera outside the temporary residence detected movement.
Richard was awake.
He checked the monitor.
A woman stood beyond the gate.
Dark coat.
Hair shorter than Amelia had worn it.
Thin.
Still.
Richard stared at the screen.
The world stopped.
He ran.
Security shouted behind him.
He ignored them.
The gate opened.
The woman looked up.
Richard stopped ten feet away.
Twenty-two months disappeared.
Amelia.
Alive.
For several seconds neither moved.
Richard had imagined this impossible moment since Maine.
He had imagined running to her.
Holding her.
Demanding answers.
Instead, he stood frozen.
Amelia’s eyes filled.
“Richard.”
His knees nearly gave way.
“You’re alive.”
She nodded.
He laughed once.
Then covered his mouth.
“You’re alive.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“No, don’t say that yet.”
Amelia looked toward the house.
“Is she here?”
Richard understood.
“Sophie’s asleep.”
Amelia closed her eyes.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“Is she safe?”
“Yes.”
“Vanessa?”
“Gone.”
“Safe?”
“Yes.”
Amelia breathed.
Richard had never seen someone look relieved and devastated at the same time.
“She thought you were dead,” he said.
Amelia flinched.
“I know.”
“You let her think that.”
“I know.”
“She needed you.”
“I know.”
Anger broke through Richard’s shock.
“Then where were you?”
Amelia took the blow.
“Trying to remember whether you were the man who tried to kill me.”
Richard stared.
She pulled folded papers from her coat.
His forged signatures.
Guardianship drafts.
Corporate transfers.
Vehicle disposal approval.
Everything Thomas had shown her.
“I woke up with pieces of memory.”
She tapped her temple.
“Thomas filled in the missing parts.”
Richard’s voice shook.
“And you believed him.”
“For a while.”
“You knew me.”
“I knew I loved you.”
“Then why?”
“Because the last clear memory I had before the crash was standing in your office and seeing your signature on documents that could take Sophie away from me.”
Richard went silent.
Amelia continued.
“Thomas said you and Vanessa were together.”
“We weren’t.”
“I know that now.”
“He said you wanted control of my family trust.”
“I never cared about it.”
“I know.”
“He said Sophie was safer believing I died.”
Richard’s face twisted.
“And you believed that?”
Amelia’s voice cracked.
“I had a brain injury.”
Silence.
Richard’s anger collapsed into grief.
She touched the scar near her hairline.
“I couldn’t remember Sophie’s birthday for six months.”
Richard looked away.
“I couldn’t remember our wedding.”
Another pause.
“But I remembered being afraid.”
She swallowed.
“Thomas used the fear.”
Richard finally understood.
Vanessa had done the same thing to Sophie.
Fear first.
Then a story explaining why the fear existed.
Once the story took root, control became easy.
“Why did you leave Maine?”
“I saw Vanessa arrested.”
Amelia’s expression hardened.
“I saw Sophie.”
Richard knew which image.
The leaked photograph of Sophie leaving the hospital holding his hand.
“I knew Thomas had lied.”
“So you found the blue bird.”
“Yes.”
“Where is the memory card?”
Amelia reached beneath her coat.
Then froze.
Her face changed.
“What?”
“I had it.”
Richard felt dread.
“What do you mean had?”
“At the train station.”
“What happened?”
“A man followed me.”
“Did he take it?”
“No.”
“Where is it?”
“I mailed it.”
“To who?”
Amelia looked at him.
“Sophie.”
Richard stared.
“To this address?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
Richard turned toward the house.
Mail had arrived that afternoon.
Security had screened it.
He ran inside.
A padded envelope sat unopened on the hall table.
Addressed in Amelia’s handwriting.
SOPHIE HALE.
Richard opened it.
Inside was the stuffed blue bird.
Sophie’s old toy.
Amelia began crying when she saw it.
Richard found the seam.
Opened it.
Empty.
The memory card was gone.
Amelia stared.
“No.”
Richard checked again.
Nothing.
The package had been opened and resealed.
Security chief Alan Moore entered.
“Sir?”
Richard held up the envelope.
“Who screened this?”
Alan looked at the label.
“Corporate security.”
Richard’s blood chilled.
“Which office?”
“Headquarters.”
Richard and Amelia looked at each other.
Thomas had access to Hale systems.
Mark had access.
Charles had access.
Dozens of executives had access.
Richard’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Thomas Bell spoke.
“Good evening, Richard.”
Richard’s grip tightened.
“Where are you?”
Thomas chuckled softly.
“More importantly, where is Amelia?”
Richard looked at his wife.
Thomas continued.
“I assume she finally came home.”
Richard said nothing.
“That’s touching.”
“Give me the memory card.”
Thomas laughed.
“I already have it.”
Richard’s heart dropped.
“Then why call?”
“Because Amelia made copies.”
Amelia’s eyes widened.
May you like
Thomas continued.
“And I need her to tell me where.”
