Chapter 253

‘Ari’s in the shower.’ Elodie heard a woman’s voice which, normally, would have led her immediately to think of an ex-girlfriend (Ari had so many of them), but something in the woman’s tone told her otherwise. ‘Can I take a message?’ ‘Who are you?’ The voice was weak and raspy, as if the speaker was exhausted by the very act of talking. But the voice was also slightly high-pitched and accusatory, and Elodie didn’t like the feeling of being interrogated. ‘Well, I could ask the same of you,’ she shot back. ‘You are the one calling. Don’t you think you should introduce yourself first?’ Another pause, followed by a long, long silence. Elodie held the phone away from her ear and checked the screen to see if the call was still connected. ‘Elodie? Elodie Fontaine?’ Elodie gripped the phone tighter. ‘Who am I speaking to?’ ‘You are Elodie Fontaine,’ the woman stated as if with absolute certainty. ‘Daughter of…Raymond Fontaine, and Madeline.’ The last word was spat out with such venom, Elodie c