Chapter 2 - THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH
Matthew called his security chief immediately.
"Lock down the property."
There was no hesitation in his voice.
Within fifteen minutes, two security vehicles arrived.
The entire house was searched.
Every room.
Every closet.
Every entrance.
Every window.
Nothing.
No intruder.
No weapon.
No obvious sign of forced entry.
Yet Matthew couldn't shake the feeling that someone had been inside.
He returned to the kitchen.
Grace was sitting on the floor between the twins.
She was reading them a picture book.
Benjamin was leaning against her shoulder.
Caleb had fallen asleep against her leg.
Matthew watched silently.
There was something strangely peaceful about the scene.
Something he hadn't seen in his own home since Jessica left.
"Grace."
She looked up.
"Yes?"
"I need to ask you something."
She closed the book.
"What?"
"Have you seen anyone around the house?"
She hesitated.
Matthew noticed.
"Grace."
She looked toward the children.
"Yesterday."
His eyes narrowed.
"Who?"
"A man."
"What man?"
"I don't know."
"What did he look like?"
"Gray jacket. Baseball cap. Mid-forties, maybe."
"Did he speak to you?"
"No."
"Did he speak to the boys?"
"No."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
Grace looked uncomfortable.
"Because I wasn't sure."
"About what?"
"Whether he was actually watching the house."
Matthew's expression hardened.
"You should have told me."
"I know."
He stood.
"Did he approach you?"
Grace nodded.
"Once."
"When?"
"Tuesday morning."
"What did he say?"
She lowered her voice.
"He asked whether Jessica still lived here."
Matthew's face changed.
"What exactly did you tell him?"
"That I didn't know."
"Why?"
"Because I don't."
Matthew stared at her.
Then something clicked.
"You knew my wife's name before he asked?"
"No."
"Then how did you know he meant Jessica?"
Grace went completely still.
Matthew stepped closer.
"Grace."
She looked away.
"I've seen her."
"Where?"
"Before I started working here."
"Where?"
Grace swallowed.
"At a hotel."
Matthew's heart began pounding.
"What hotel?"
"The Rainier."
Matthew's eyes narrowed.
That hotel was one of his company's preferred corporate properties.
"What was she doing there?"
"I don't know."
"Who was she with?"
Grace hesitated.
"A man."
Matthew stared.
"What man?"
"I don't know his name."
"What did he look like?"
"Expensive suit. Dark hair. Tall."
Matthew felt a strange chill.
"Did Jessica look upset?"
Grace nodded.
"She was crying."
"When?"
"About six weeks ago."
That was before Jessica left.
Matthew suddenly remembered the note.
I can't live like this anymore.
He had assumed she meant him.
Maybe he had been wrong.
"Why didn't you tell me this before?"
Grace's eyes filled with uncertainty.
"Because I was afraid you'd think I was trying to get your attention."
Matthew didn't answer.
She continued.
"People like me don't usually get believed by people like you."
The sentence struck him.
Before he could respond, Benjamin suddenly woke.
"Grace?"
"I'm here."
The boy grabbed her hand.
"Don't go."
Grace's expression softened.
"I won't."
Matthew looked at his son.
Benjamin had never said that to any nanny.
Not once.
Something inside him shifted.
"Grace."
She looked at him.
"Yes?"
"Why did you apply for this job?"
Her face became unreadable.
"Because I needed work."
"That's all?"
"That's all."
Matthew didn't believe her.
But he didn't push.
Not yet.
That night, after the boys were asleep, Matthew went into his office.
He opened the security system.
Then he searched the employee records.
Grace's application was strangely thin.
No references.
No detailed employment history.
Just a phone number and a temporary address.
That was unusual.
He called his assistant.
"Run a background check on Grace."
"Anything specific?"
"Everything."
He ended the call.
Five minutes later, his computer chimed.
A file had arrived.
Matthew opened it.
And his blood ran cold.
Grace's real name wasn't Grace.
It was Grace Morgan.
And she had once worked at the Rainier Hotel.
Matthew stared at the screen.
Then he noticed the date.
She had worked there during the exact period when Jessica had supposedly been preparing to leave him.
He opened the employment records.
Grace had been a housekeeper.
Then she had suddenly resigned.
The same week Jessica disappeared.
Matthew leaned back.
His mind raced.
Could it be coincidence?
He opened the attached photograph.
It showed Grace standing in a hotel uniform.
Beside her stood Jessica.
Both women were smiling.
But someone else was visible in the background.
A tall man in a dark suit.
Matthew zoomed in.
His heart stopped.
He knew that man.
He had met him three times.
His name was Daniel Hart.
His wife's former attorney.
Matthew whispered the name.
"Why were you with my wife?"
Then another thought hit him.
Why had Grace hidden the photograph?
He returned to the kitchen.
The lights were off.
Grace was gone.
He checked upstairs.
She wasn't there.
He found her near the laundry room.
"Grace."
She turned.
Matthew held up the photograph.
Her face went pale.
"Where did you get that?"
"That's my question."
She slowly closed her eyes.
"I didn't want you to know."
"Know what?"
She looked at him.
"The truth about Jessica."
Matthew stepped closer.
"What truth?"
Grace's voice trembled.
"Your wife didn't leave you because she was lonely."
Silence.
"She left because she was afraid."
Matthew's stomach dropped.
"Afraid of whom?"
Grace looked toward the sleeping boys upstairs.
May you like
Then she whispered:
"Your business partner."
