Detective Collins didn’t show me the photograph immediately.

She first arranged for another officer to take Lily to a quiet room with a child advocate. I wanted to follow them, but Lily held my hand until the last possible second.

“You’re coming back, right, Daddy?””

“Every time you look for me, sweetheart.””

She nodded and went with the advocate.

Only after the door closed did Detective Collins take out her phone.

“The image was part of the original evidence archive,” she explained.

“It was taken by a responding officer at the scene. The vehicle appears in the background, partially obscured by trees.””

She turned the screen toward me.

I recognized the road immediately.

It was a narrow stretch outside Atlanta, bordered by pine trees and a shallow ditch. I had driven it countless times before Emily’s death. Afterward, I couldn’t bear to go near it.

In the photograph, Emily’s silver sedan sat at an angle against the roadside barrier. Its front end was badly damaged.

Behind it stood a dark red SUV.

I leaned closer.

The driver’s door was open.

A man stood beside the vehicle, his face turned away from the camera.

But I recognized the shape of the car.

The distinctive silver trim along the windows. The damaged rear bumper. The custom wheels James had bragged about installing only months before Emily died.

“That’s my brother’s car,” I whispered.

Detective Collins nodded.

“According to the archived registration records, the SUV was registered to James Carter at the time.””

I stared at the photograph.

“Why wasn’t this in the report?””

“That’s one of the questions we’re investigating. The final report states that no other vehicle was identified as being involved. The original image wasn’t attached to the copy provided to your family.””

“Who removed it?””

“We don’t know yet.””

I looked at the figure beside the SUV.

“Is that James?””

“We can’t identify the person conclusively from this image. The resolution is poor, and the face is obscured.””

“But it’s his car.””

“Yes.””

My hands began to shake.

For three years, I had trusted my brother’s version of that night. He told me he’d been at home when Emily’s accident occurred. He said he’d learned about it from my mother.

At the hospital, when I asked whether Emily had suffered, he had wrapped an arm around my shoulders and told me the doctors believed it had happened quickly.

How could he have known?

“Did you question him about this photograph?”” I asked.

“Not yet. We wanted to verify the registration and preserve the original file before contacting anyone.””

I rubbed my face.

“He’s in the estate right now.””

“Another officer is speaking with him.””

I stood abruptly.

“I need to see him.””

“I strongly advise you not to confront him alone.””

“I’m not going to hurt him.””

“I believe you. But if he has information about your wife’s death, we don’t want to compromise the investigation.””

I forced myself to sit down.

For a moment, the room seemed impossibly small.

I remembered James arriving at the hospital that night with two cups of coffee. I remembered him saying, “You need to be strong for Lily.””

He had been right about that.

But what if he had also been the reason she lost her mother?

A soft knock came at the door.

Daniel entered, his face pale.

“Michael, the guests are leaving. Your mother is asking for you.””

I barely looked at him.

“Where’s James?””

“With the police. Why?””

I handed Daniel my phone and showed him the photograph Detective Collins had allowed me to view.

His mouth fell open.

“That’s James’s SUV.””

“You recognize it?””

“I helped him buy it. I drove it when he took me to look at the dealership.””

Daniel stared at the screen.

“Michael, he told everyone he was home that night.””

“I know.””

He sat heavily in a chair.

“There’s something else you need to know.””

I looked at him.

“What?””

Daniel swallowed.

“About six months after Emily died, James asked me to help him get rid of some old files from his home office. He said they were confidential business documents.””

“What kind of files?””

“I didn’t look through them. But one folder fell open while we were loading the boxes into his car.””

“What was in it?””

“Bank statements. And a photograph of Emily.””

My pulse quickened.

“What photograph?””

“Her standing outside a law office. James snatched it away when he saw me looking.””

I stared at him.

“Why didn’t you tell me?””

Daniel looked ashamed.

“Because he said she was investigating a business dispute and you didn’t need any more stress. I believed him. I thought he was trying to protect you.””

I turned away, trying to keep my anger from spilling over.