Chapter 8 The Housekeeper's Tale

I sat in my car outside Dr. Harrison's office for twenty minutes, staring at the newspaper clipping.

*Sarah Mitchell. Survived by her husband, Daniel Thompson.

How many names did my husband have? How many wives had he buried?

My phone buzzed. A text from Caleb.

Working late tonight. Don't wait up.

Perfect. That gave me time to meet Dr. Harrison at his house. Time to see Clara's video. Time to figure out how to stay alive.

But first, I needed to go home. I needed to check on Ash. And I needed to find out what was in that basement.

The house felt different when I walked in. Quieter. Like it was holding its breath.

"Ash? I called out.

No answer.

I walked through the living room, the kitchen, up the stairs. His bedroom door was closed.

I knocked softly. "Ash?

"Come in."

He was sitting on his bed, but he wasn't alone. Mrs. Greene was there too, sitting in the chair by the window. Her hands were folded in her lap, and her face was pale.

"Mrs. Greene? I didn't know you were here."

She looked at me with those sharp gray eyes. "Riley, dear. Sit down. We need to talk."

Something in her tone made my stomach drop. I sat on the edge of Ash's bed.

"What's wrong?

Mrs. Greene glanced at Ash, then back at me. "How much do you know about what really happened to Evelyn?

"I know she didn't kill herself."

"Do you? Or do you just suspect?

I took a breath. "I have proof."

Mrs. Greene nodded slowly. "So do I."

My heart started racing. "What kind of proof?

"The kind that could get us all killed if we're not careful."

She reached into her purse and pulled out a small digital recorder. The kind they used to use for dictation.

"What is that?

"This is Evelyn's voice. From three days before she died."

Mrs. Greene pressed play.

Evelyn's voice filled the room, shaky and desperate.

*"Mrs. Greene, if you're listening to this, then I'm already dead. Caleb killed me. I know how that sounds, but it's true. I found out about Clara. About what he did to her. And I think... I think I'm next.

I couldn't breathe.

I tried to run. I was going to take Ash and leave town. But Caleb found out. He said if I ever tried to take his son away from him, he'd make sure I disappeared in a way that no one would ever question.

"Why didn't you give this to the police? I whispered.

Mrs. Greene's voice was bitter. "You think they'd believe an old housekeeper over a grieving widower? You think they'd care about the word of a dead woman?

The recording continued.

*"Mrs. Greene, there's something else. Something I never told anyone. Clara didn't just die in a fire. She called me. The night before she died.

I grabbed Mrs. Greene's arm. "Clara called Evelyn?

"Keep listening."

Clara was hysterical. She said she'd found out about Sarah. About the others. She said David that's what she called him had shown her pictures. Pictures of all his wives. She said there were more. So many more.

My vision blurred. "How many?"

Mrs. Greene paused the recording. "That's what we need to find out."

"Mrs. Greene, how long have you known about this?"

She looked older than I'd ever seen her. Tired and scared.

"I've worked for this family for fifteen years, Riley. I saw Clara change in those final weeks. Saw her become terrified of her own shadow. She stopped eating. Stopped sleeping. She'd jump every time a door closed."

"What did you do?

"What could I do? I was just the housekeeper. But I watched. I listened. And I remembered."

"What did you remember?

Mrs. Greene leaned forward. "I remembered that Clara started packing. In secret. Little things at first. Some clothes in a suitcase under her bed. Important papers in a folder. Cash hidden in a shoebox."

"She was planning to run.

"With Ash. She was going to take him and disappear."

I looked at Ash. He was listening to every word, his face pale but not surprised.

"Did you know?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Mom told me. She said we were going to take a trip. A long trip. She said Dad couldn't come with us."

"When was this?

"The week before the fire.

Mrs. Greene pressed play again.

*"I made copies of everything. The bank statements showing the insurance money from Sarah's death. The medical records showing Clara's 'mental health issues.' The police reports that were never filed. I hid them all in the basement. Behind the furnace. If something happens to me, Riley needs to find them.

The basement. Just like Evelyn's voice had told me through the walls.

*"Mrs. Greene, promise me something. If I die, don't let him hurt Riley. Don't let him do to her what he did to me. And don't let him keep Ash. Please.

The recording ended.

We sat in silence for a long moment.

"Riley," Mrs. Greene said quietly, "there's something else.

"What?

Clara didn't just leave evidence in the basement. She left a letter. Addressed to you."

My heart stopped. "To me? But I didn't even know her."

She knew about you. Evelyn told her about her sister-in-law who was coming to visit. Clara said if anything happened to her and Evelyn, you'd be next. She wanted to warn you."

I stood up, pacing to the window. "Where is this letter?

"With the other evidence. In the basement."

"We need to get it. Tonight.

Mrs. Greene shook her head. "It's too dangerous. If Caleb comes home

"He's working late. This is our chance."

"Riley, you don't understand. I've been down there. I've seen what he's hidden."

"What do you mean?

Mrs. Greene's voice dropped to a whisper. "There are more boxes. More files. More evidence. This doesn't just go back to Sarah and Clara."

"How far back?

"I don't know. But there's a box labeled 'Jennifer 2015.' Another one labeled 'Michelle 2013.' And more.

I felt like I was going to vomit. "How many women has he killed?"

"I stopped counting at seven."

Seven. Seven women. Seven wives. Seven fires.

"Mrs. Greene, we have to call the police."

"With what? A recording of a dead woman? Some boxes in a basement that could have been planted there by anyone?"

Then what do we do?"

She stood up and walked to me. Her voice was steady and determined.

"We get the evidence. All of it. We document everything. And then we disappear. All three of us. Tonight."

"Disappear where?

"I have a sister in Montana. She has a cabin. No one would think to look for us there."

"What about the evidence?

"We take it with us. We turn it over to the FBI. They'll have to listen when they see what we have."

I looked at Ash. "What do you think?

He stood up and came to me. "I think Mom would want us to run."

"Okay. But first, we get that evidence."

Mrs. Greene nodded. "I'll go with you."

"No. You stay with Ash. If something happens to me

"Nothing's going to happen to you."

"Mrs. Greene, if something does happen, promise me you'll get Ash out of here. Don't let Caleb keep him."

She took my hands in hers. They were cold and shaking.

"I promise."

I started toward the door, then turned back.

"Mrs. Greene? How did you know to record Evelyn that day?

Her face crumpled. "Because Clara asked me to. Before she died. She said if anything happened to her, I should watch Evelyn. Record her. Keep evidence."

"Clara knew she was going to die?"

"Clara knew what kind of man she'd married. And she knew he wouldn't stop with her."

I headed for the basement door, my heart pounding.

Behind me, I heard Mrs. Greene whisper to Ash, "Your mother was a very brave woman."

"Both of them were," Ash replied.

I paused at the top of the basement stairs. The darkness below looked like an open mouth, waiting to swallow me whole.

But I had to know the truth. I had to know how many women Caleb had killed.

I had to know if I was going to be next.

I flicked on the light and started down the stairs.

Halfway down, I heard Mrs. Greene call out from upstairs.

"Riley!

I turned back. "What?

Her voice was tight with fear.

"I just looked out the window. There's a car in the driveway."

My blood turned to ice. "Caleb's car?

"No. A different car. A black sedan."

"Who is it?

"I don't know. But there's a blonde woman getting out."

Meredith.

"Mrs. Greene, take Ash and get out of here. Now."

"What about you?"

"I'm getting that evidence. Go!"

I heard footsteps upstairs. Mrs. Greene and Ash moving quickly.

Then I heard the front door open.

And Meredith's voice, sweet and deadly.

"Hello? Anyone home? I'm looking for Riley."