PART FIVE — ELEANOR
Eleanor Bishop lived outside Burlington in a small white house overlooking Lake Champlain.
Daniel drove there three days later.
Margaret did not come.
“I’ve taken enough moments from her,” she said.
Sophie stayed with Mrs. Lawson.
Daniel arrived shortly before noon.
An elderly woman stood on the porch.
She was seventy-eight now.
Her hair was white.
Her body was thinner than the woman in the photograph.
But her eyes were the same.
Daniel knew before she said anything.
Eleanor took one step toward him.
Then stopped.
She seemed afraid to touch him.
Daniel stopped too.
Neither knew how to cross forty-one years.
Finally Eleanor said, “You have your grandfather’s shoulders.”
Daniel laughed unexpectedly.
Then Eleanor laughed.
Then both of them cried.
She reached for him.
Daniel let her.
For a long time, they stood on the porch holding each other.
Inside, Eleanor had boxes.
Hundreds of letters.
Birthday cards never mailed.
Newspaper clippings about Daniel’s school achievements that Margaret had secretly sent through a mutual friend.
Photographs.
Eleanor had watched his life from a distance.
“You knew where I was?”
“Not exactly.”
“Margaret sent you things?”
“Until you were eighteen.”
Daniel looked down.
“Then she stopped.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Eleanor gave him a sad smile.
“She was afraid.”
“She admits that.”
“She loved you.”
“She lied to me.”
“Both can be true.”
Daniel studied Eleanor.
“Did Thomas kill Matthew?”
Eleanor’s expression changed.
“I will never know.”
“Did he kill Rachel?”
“I don’t believe so.”
Daniel frowned.
“Rachel believed he was following her.”
“He was.”
“Then why—”
“Because Thomas wasn’t trying to hurt you.”
Daniel stared.
Eleanor walked slowly toward a cabinet.
She removed a folder.
Inside was a letter bearing Thomas Hart’s signature.
“He wrote to me last year.”
Daniel did not take it.
“What did he want?”
“You.”
“Why?”
Eleanor sat.
“Because he was dying.”
