Page 62 of Criminology of a Character

“That’s good.” Mrs. Wyatt wiped her cheeks and then opened Hazel’s bedroom door. “See.” She pointed to the hundreds of gum wrapper butterflies floating above the twin mattress. “Annalise folded tons of them, but she’d always throw them out, so Hazel rescued them.”

Bel reached up and brushed her fingers over the blue origami. There was no mistaking it. These were the same butterflies Anne Blaubart folded, the same nervous habit, and while she’d hoped this explained the differences between Anne Chambers and Anne Blaubart, the timeline and the photographs on Hazel’s dresser warned this wasn’t the answer she was searching for. The Blaubarts had been married for almost a decade, while Annalise had only been missing for three years. There was no way she could’ve assumed Anne’s life without anyone noticing. Plus, the photos told Bel the two womenweren’t the same person. She couldn’tput a finger onit, but something about Annalise was too remarkable. Plastic surgery couldn’t perform miracles. No amount of cutting could turn the unique and sophisticated woman posing on a college campus with Hazel into the perfect Anne Blaubart.Which meantBel had found a fourth scene with origami and no explanation for their identical presence.

“Does Annalise havefamily?” Bel asked.

“Not that we know of,” Mrs. Wyatt said. “It came up once during her stay with us for the holidays. She said her parents and grandparents were gone, and she was an only child.”

“So no one would miss her?”

“Besides us? No. Why? Do you think she was taken with my daughter?”

“I do,” Bel said. “But I don’t remember finding her on the Walker property, so something must’ve separated them.”

“Are these butterflies important?” Mr. Wyatt asked. “You drove all this way to ask about them.”

“I believe they are,” she said. “I’m just not sure how yet. I didn’t want to intrude on your family, but when you offered to help with our investigation, I figured it was worth a call. I know it won’t bring Hazel back.”

“But will it help find Annalise?” Mrs. Wyatt asked.

“Maybe.”

“Well, Annalise was nice to our Hazel,” Mrs. Wyatt said. “I always felt motherly toward her, so I hope she’s okay.”

Bel satin the diner's corner so she could work while she ate, and she fired off an email before she dialed Dr. FrankVictors’phone number.

“Detective?” he answered on the second ring. “It’s good to hear from you. I didn’t see you after the FBI raided the island. Can you believe what they found there? Right under our noses?”

“It was insane after the FBI arrived,” Bel agreed. “As soon as Eamon and I were cleared, we left.”

“Of course, you were cleared,” Frank said. “The detective who saved the Darling family isn’t involved in an illegal surgery operation. They interviewed all of us doctors extensively, though. I understand why, but still, I felt guilty after my interview despite running a respectable practice.”

“Those interviews can do that to you,” Bel said, noddingherthanks to the waitress dropping off her meal. “But I’m friends with someagents if you ever need me to vouch for you.”

“You’re sweet, but I was cleared. I can’t imagine you called to talk about that, though. Is it about your scars? Rumor on the island was you were asking about reducing them. You’re a beautiful woman, Isobel, and I’m sorry you have to live with those marks, but plastic surgeons can only reduce scarring. We can’t erase it. If you start messing with your neck, you couldmake it worse.”

“Oh, goodness,” Bel laughed. “Dr. Victors, I’m very pleased with your work. I was helping the FBI, and I figured my best chance of getting doctors to talk was to dangle a surgery in front of them. It didn’t work, though. They just referred me back to you, so no worries. I’m happy with my appearance.”

“Well, that’s good to hear, and please, call me Frank.”

“Will do. And I’mactuallycalling with an odd request,” she said. “I just sent you an email, and I realize it’s weird, but please humor me.”

“Okay…” his answer came out like a question. “I got it… why are you sending me a photo of Anne?”

“Because I wanted you to see the photos side by side. The woman in the airport selfie,” Bel said, referring to the picture Mrs. Wyatt had given her. “Is it possible that she and Anne Blaubart are the same person?”

“Excuse me?” His confusion made her cringe. It was one thing talking this theory through with Olivia, but she realized how absurd she sounded when she mentioned it to someone who wasn’t her supportive friend.

“I realize it’s weird, but could that woman become Anne Blaubart with enough plastic surgery and makeup?” she asked.

“I assume you have a reason for asking?”

“I do.”

“Right, well… let me see.” He paused for so long that Bel worried he’d hung up. “All right, are you still there?”

“Yes.”

“In my professional opinion, the woman in this selfie could never convincingly pass as Anne Blaubart.”

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