Richard had helped Anna escape to another state under a different name. Sarah had agreed to keep the secret because she feared her father would come after the entire family.
“But Anna was alive?” Emily asked.
“Yes. At least, she was when I last heard from her.”
“How could you keep that from me for my entire life?”
“Your mother believed the secret would keep you safe. Before she died, she asked me to wait until Anna contacted us.”
Emily looked down at the letters.
“Then why did Mom write that letter about you?”
Richard’s face crumpled.
“Because she discovered I’d lied about something else.”
“What?”
He took a deep breath.
“Anna contacted us again five years ago. She wanted to come home.”
Emily’s heart leaped.
“She’s alive?”
“I believe so.”
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know. I was supposed to meet her at a bus station. But when I arrived, she was gone. All I found was a note telling me not to look for her.”
“Did you tell Mom?”
He nodded.
