My jaw dropped as I stared at the woman’s face, recognizing the features immediately.

She reached into her wet coat pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

It looked exactly like the bottom half of the letter I was holding.

“Rose?” I whispered, my voice trembling.

The woman took a step closer, her gaze moving past me to the staircase.

Aunt Claire stood frozen on the landing, her face completely drained of color.

“You thought I died in that accident, Claire,” Rose said, her voice steady and cold.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Claire whispered, clutching the wooden banister.

Daniel closed the heavy front door behind them, shutting out the storm.

“We have the proof now,” Daniel said, looking at me. “The whole truth about the deed.”

I looked from the torn paper in my hand to the matching piece in Rose’s hand.

My mind raced as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

“What did you do to Megan?” I asked Claire, turning back to the stairs.

Claire didn’t answer; she only stared at Rose as if she were looking at a ghost.