Page 143 of Trouble Comes in Threes

“Aunt Bessie. This is crazy. I don’t have another sister.”

She took a deep breath and held out the phone to Neely Kate, who got up from her seat and took it. We both stared at my aunt in anticipation of her response.

Aunt Bessie reached for her glass of water and took a big swig before setting it down. “You might.”

My head grew fuzzy, and I took a deep breath, hoping to clear it. “What are you talking about? This woman looked like she’s younger than me.”

Aunt Bessie nodded with a grave expression. “And she would be younger. By about three years.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “What? Daddy left Momma a second time?”

“No,” she said, slowly shaking her head. “He didn’t leave, but he stepped out on her when you were about two. Your momma never figured it out, but the woman he was seeing was crazier than a barn cat high on diesel fumes. She told your daddy she was pregnant, and if he didn’t leave your mother and marry her, she was leavin’ town, and he’d never see his child.”

“So what happened?” Neely Kate asked.

Aunt Bessie sighed as she shrugged. “He stayed with Agnes, and the woman made good on her word and left town. Your father thought she was makin’ the whole pregnancy story up, but about a year later, she sent a card with a photo of a baby that she claimed was his daughter. Your father came to me for advice. I told him he needed to man up and accept his responsibility in the matter. Although he wasn’t happy with Agnes, he knew he didn’t want to be with the momma of his third child. So in the end, he convinced himself the woman was lying and said it could be a picture of anyone’s baby.” Aunt Bessie’s voice was shaking. “But I saw the resemblance to you and Violet. When I pointed that out, he got angry and said all children look alike and accused me of being unsupportive.”

“What did the woman want?” I asked, finally finding my voice. “The mother of the baby?”

Aunt Bessie’s eyes teared up. “She told him she was gonna give the baby up if he didn’t send her five thousand dollars. And since he’d convinced himself she was lying, he ignored the letter.”

“She gave the baby up for adoption?” Neely Kate asked in dismay.

Aunt Bessie shook her head. “I have no idea. We never heard from her again. Or, at least, if he did, he never told me.”

“Did Momma ever find out?” I asked.

“No, your father was terrified she would and swore me to secrecy. I’ve never told another living soul—your uncle included—until now.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I’d been in shock at the news, but now I was overcome with anger. “Daddy knew he had another child, and he didn’t care?”

“He said he didn’t believe her, although I’m not sure if his denial was because he truly thought it was a lie or because he couldn’t muster the strength to step forward.”

I took a moment to let her news sink in. “So my father was a serial cheater, and he abandoned his child.” Then again, he’d very nearly abandoned me after my birth mother had died. He couldn’t handle his grief and had brought me to Aunt Bessie and Uncle Albert. The only reason I hadn’t been raised by them was because Momma had convinced him to take her back, partly by swearing she’d raise me as her own. She’d lied, but then he hadn’t seemed to care and had ignored her abuse.

Then a new thought hit me. “Did he cheat with other women?”

“I don’t think so, but after my reaction to his dismissal of your younger sister, I doubt he would have come to me again to tell me about others.” She sighed. “He only told me about this instance because she told him she was pregnant.”

“Did the guy never hear about condoms?” Neely Kate muttered under her breath.

She had a point.

I suddenly realized what this meant. “So the woman I’ve seen murdered is my sister?” I asked in horror. “How do I save her? Do you remember her mother’s name?”

“I only remember her first name—Stacy—and that the card came from Austin, Texas.”

Texas? My panic began to swell, but I reminded myself that Texas was a huge state, and it was probably just a coincidence. “No last name?”

Aunt Bessie made a face. “Honestly, I don’t know it. If it was on the card, I’ve since forgotten. I’m sorry.”

“What about the baby’s name?” Neely Kate asked.

“I think it was a flower name, but I’ve forgotten that too.”

“So how do I save her, Aunt Bessie?” I asked, my voice breaking.

“Maybe you already did,” she said. “Maybe that’s why you haven’t had any more visions.”

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