Chapter 3 - Simone's Daughter
Amara did not immediately go downstairs.
For several seconds she couldn't move.
The photograph lay at her feet.
She stared at the younger version of herself standing beside Simone on the mansion steps.
They had been twenty-one and twenty-five.
It had been taken before Walter died.
Before the will.
Before the accusations.
Before Simone disappeared from Amara's life.
Louise bent to pick up the photograph.
Amara stopped her.
“Don't touch it.”
Louise slowly straightened.
“Amara, listen to me.”
“My daughter says there is a child in your basement.”
“There is more to this than you understand.”
“Then start explaining.”
Zaria clung to Amara's arm.
“Mom, she's scared.”
Amara looked toward the staircase.
“Imani?”
No answer.
She stepped down.
Louise moved forward.
“Don't.”
Amara turned.
That single word confirmed everything.
“You knew she was here.”
Louise said nothing.
Amara continued down.
“Imani?”
At the bottom, she saw the mattress.
Food.
Water.
Blanket.
Her stomach turned.
“Jesus.”
Zaria followed despite Amara telling her to stay upstairs.
“She's behind the shelves.”
Louise snapped, “Zaria!”
Amara spun around.
“Do not speak to her.”
The force in her voice silenced Louise.
Zaria led her to the narrow opening.
“Imani?”
A small face appeared between the shelves.
Amara stopped breathing.
The resemblance was immediate.
Not to herself.
To Simone.
The same large eyes.
The same habit of pressing her lips together when frightened.
Amara had watched her sister make that expression a thousand times.
Imani stepped out slowly.
Amara whispered, “Oh my God.”
Imani stared at her.
“Aunt Amara?”
Amara's knees nearly gave way.
Nobody had called her that before.
She knelt.
“I didn't know about you.”
Imani's eyes filled.
“My mom said you might not.”
Amara looked at Louise.
“What did she tell you?”
Imani hesitated.
“That Grandma Louise might say Mom didn't want you.”
Amara's head turned slowly.
Louise stood near the staircase.
Her face was unreadable.
Amara rose.
“You told me Simone wanted nothing to do with me.”
“She did.”
Imani shook her head.
“No.”
Louise ignored her.
“Simone left this family.”
“She wrote to me?”
Louise hesitated.
That was enough.
Amara stepped closer.
“She wrote to me?”
“Years ago.”
“How many times?”
“Amara—”
“How many?”
Louise's expression hardened.
“You were better without her.”
Amara laughed once.
It sounded almost like a sob.
“You decided that?”
“Your sister was angry. Reckless. She wanted to destroy everything your father built.”
Imani's face tightened.
“My mom wasn't reckless.”
Louise looked at her.
“You didn't know her then.”
Imani stared back.
“I knew her when she was dying.”
Louise flinched.
That was the first time anyone had mentioned Simone's death directly to her.
Amara heard it.
She looked at Imani.
“She's really gone?”
Imani nodded.
“Eleven days.”
Amara turned away.
She had imagined Simone alive for fourteen years.
Somewhere.
Angry.
Stubborn.
Possibly happy.
She had told herself there would eventually be time.
Now there wasn't.
“Did she suffer?”
Imani whispered, “At the end, not much.”
Amara pressed one hand to her mouth.
Zaria came beside her.
“Mom?”
Amara hugged her.
Then Imani.
For one awkward second Imani remained stiff.
Then she began crying.
Louise watched both girls hold the woman she had spent years keeping between herself and Simone.
Something in her face changed.
Not guilt.
Calculation.
“We should discuss this privately.”
Amara looked up.
“No.”
“Children don't need to hear adult business.”
“You locked both children in a basement.”
Louise's jaw tightened.
“I never intended for Zaria to stay.”
“That helps?”
“She was snooping.”
“She's eight.”
“She needs boundaries.”
Amara stood.
“What happened with Imani?”
Louise sighed.
“Dana brought her without warning. I needed time.”
“So you locked her downstairs?”
“She took confidential papers.”
“She is nine.”
“Those papers involve millions of dollars and the future of this family.”
There it was.
Amara heard it.
“Millions.”
Louise realized too late.
Imani pulled the small key from her neck.
“My mom said Grandma would care more about the papers than me.”
Amara looked at Louise.
“Was she right?”
Louise said nothing.
Amara took out her phone.
Louise's expression sharpened.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling police.”
“Don't be ridiculous.”
“You confined two children.”
“Amara.”
“And whatever you've hidden for fourteen years is now part of that conversation.”
Louise stepped forward.
“If police come into this house, everything becomes public.”
Amara stared.
“You still think I'm worried about that?”
“You should be.”
“Why?”
“Because Carter Development is not just my company.”
“It was Dad's.”
“It is your inheritance.”
Amara laughed bitterly.
“I've barely received anything from it.”
Louise's eyes narrowed.
“Exactly.”
Amara stopped.
“What does that mean?”
Louise looked toward Imani.
Then back.
“Call the police, and attorneys will crawl over every financial record your father left.”
“Good.”
“You don't understand.”
“No, Mom. I think that's the problem. I've spent my entire adult life not understanding because you made sure I didn't.”
She dialed 911.
Louise stepped backward.
Zaria watched her grandmother's face.
The cold certainty from the hallway was gone.
Amara gave the dispatcher the address.
“My daughter and another minor child were locked in my mother's basement.”
Louise closed her eyes.
Imani suddenly grabbed Amara's hand.
“Wait.”
Amara covered the phone microphone.
“What?”
“My mom left you something else.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
Imani held up the brass key.
“She said it was somewhere in this house.”
Louise stared at the key.
Her face changed instantly.
Amara saw it.
“What does that open?”
Louise said nothing.
Amara stepped closer.
“You know.”
Still nothing.
Imani whispered, “Mom said if Grandma ever looked scared when she saw it, I should give it to you.”
Amara took the key.
Louise finally spoke.
“You have no idea what you're doing.”
Amara looked at the small piece of brass lying in her palm.
“No.”
Then she looked at her mother.
“But you do.”
May you like
Outside, distant sirens began moving toward the mansion.
And Louise Carter looked at that little key as though it could unlock far more than a basement door.
