Chapter 17
McNeil didn’t turn his phone back on until the next day
As soon as the screen lit up, he saw over a dozen missed calls–all from the local police department
“Is this Mr. Langford?” The voice on the other end was clipped and official
McNeil’s reply was cool, almost detached “Yes. What’s this about?”
“In the early hours of this morning, we found the body of a young woman on Westchester Avenue. The ID number is-
The officer rattled off a long string of digits. With every number, McNeil felt his chest tighten, his pulse pounding
unding louder in his ears
“The deceased is Victoria. We discovered her frozen body inside a Ferrari. There are indications she was assaulted and disfigured befor she died Mr Langford, I’m afraid you’ll need to prepare yourself. We’d like you to come down to the station and help with identification” As the officer finished speaking. McNeil felt the blood in his veins turn to ice.
A Ferrat. The ID number. Victoria
“No. That’s–not–possible.”
He rejected it instantly. Victoria would never be reckless enough to drive out in a blizzard, not her. Even if the name and car matched, be still refused to believe it
He didn’t answer the officer right away. After hanging up. he dialed Victoria’s number.
Last night, she’d called him at least ten times, but his phone had been off…
Was she trying to reach him for help??
A surge of adrenaline shot to his head, leaving his vision whited out like a snowstorm. His ears rang so loudly he barely registered Violet’s voice beside him–he couldn’t even tell where she was in the room.
He stood frozen, cold to the bone.
“McNell?” Violet’s voice was steady, calm–the result of a full night’s sleep.
“Is it Victoria? I’m alright, you should go check on her“} {
Last night, she’d whispered a plan to Gwyneth distract the nurse, sneak a mouthful of water laced with syrup, and spit it up convincingly in front of the staff.
Afterward, Gwyneth had phoned McNeil. Everyone knew Victoria would make a scene–she always did–but Violet had Gwyneth looking out for her!
McNeil clutched his phone, numb, dialing back over and over. The call wouldn’t go through. She’d already blocked his number.
Victoria can’t be dead. He refused to believe it 2
Just last night, they’d argued about Violet–how could someone so vibrant just disappear?!!
“I’m going to the station, he managed, his voice shaky, his hand trembling as he grabbed his keys.)
Violet stared, confused.
McNeil tried to steady himself. “The police said they found a woman’s body. They think it might be Victoria… ”
Echo City International Airport
The moment Victoria stopped off the plane, a black Mercedes pulled up smoothly at the curb
A man waited in the back seat–strikingly handsome, cloaked in a deep blue overcoat that lent him an air of quiet authority. His features softened the moment he saw her
He got out to greet her in person. Victoria’s eyes stung with tears at the sight of tim
“Cousin=”
“I thought you weren’t coming until the day after tomorrow. You nearly gave me a heart attack Stein Campbell smiled, signaling the driver to stow Victoria’s luggage in the trunk, then slid into the back seat beside her
Victoria reached for the leather–bound case in his hands is this really my aunt’s last piece?”
Stein opened the portfolio and handed her the catalog. Victoria’s eyes filled with tours as she gazed at the landscape painting inside &
In the corner was her mother’s signature–Edith–pressed in red wax.
Victoria ran her fingers softly over the image, as if touching her mother through the paper.
Stein, seeing her swallowed by grief, gently rubbed her back in comfort. “She’s gone, Victoria. Don’t let it break you. I wish I could do
More
Edith had devoted her life to her art. After she died, Victoria’s father, Simms Miller, had heartlessly sold off every piece his wife had ever loved, scattering them across the country in auction houses.
Victoria had never gone back to her father’s house after that. She’d taken her mother’s sumame, and the rift between her and Simms was so deep that she might as well have published a notice in the paper to officially sever their ties.
