Chapter 7 - THE CONNECTION NOBODY EXPECTED
"My sister knew your wife."
Audrey's voice barely rose above a whisper.
Maxwell stared at her.
"How?"
Audrey opened the photo Amanda had sent years earlier.
Olivia Gallow smiled beside Amanda at a charity fundraiser.
Both women were signing.
Behind them stood a banner for the Pacific Harbor Wellness Foundation.
Audrey remembered Amanda mentioning a generous woman who helped her obtain specialized medical care after a serious illness.
But Audrey had never known the woman's full name.
At the time, Amanda simply called her Olivia.
Maxwell looked at the photograph.
"Why didn't you recognize her?"
"I'd only seen a few old pictures. Amanda never told me she was married to you."
Audrey contacted Amanda again.
When her sister appeared on-screen, Audrey showed her Olivia's photograph.
Amanda's expression immediately changed.
"WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?"
Audrey explained what had happened.
Amanda stared at the screen.
Then she began signing rapidly.
"OLIVIA HELPED PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T AFFORD TREATMENT."
Audrey nodded.
"Yes."
Amanda continued.
"SHE DISCOVERED MONEY WAS DISAPPEARING FROM THE FOUNDATION."
Maxwell leaned closer.
Audrey interpreted.
"Olivia suspected someone was charging the foundation for treatments patients never received."
Amanda's face became grave.
"THEN SHE FOUND CHILDREN LISTED AS PATIENTS WHO HAD NEVER BEEN THERE."
Raymond began taking notes.
Amanda explained that Olivia planned to report the fraud.
But before she could, someone stole important records from her office.
Amanda had helped Olivia copy part of the evidence.
"WHERE ARE THOSE COPIES?" Audrey asked.
Amanda hesitated.
Then signed:
"I GAVE THEM BACK TO HER."
Maxwell looked at the little brass key.
"Room 417?"
Amanda's eyes widened.
"HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT NUMBER?"
Audrey showed her the key.
Amanda covered her mouth.
Then she signed:
"THAT ISN'T A ROOM NUMBER."
Audrey frowned.
"WHAT?"
Amanda pointed toward the letters A.B.C.
"IT WAS OUR CODE FOR AUDREY, BENNETT, CHARLIE."
Maxwell went completely still.
Amanda continued.
"OLIVIA SAID IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO HER, CHARLIE WOULD KNOW WHO TO TRUST."
Audrey stared at the key.
The realization struck her with frightening force.
Olivia had somehow planned for Charlie to find someone who knew sign language.
Someone connected to Amanda.
Someone who could understand what he had been trying to say.
But there was one problem.
Audrey had never met Olivia.
Not once.
And yet, according to Amanda, Olivia had spoken about her years before the restaurant encounter.
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Then Amanda signed one last sentence.
"OLIVIA TOLD ME AUDREY WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO COULD SAVE HER."
