Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

She stood frozen for a few seconds before steadying herself on the lamp and inching closer to the photo wall.

It was filled with pictures-shots of women's legs, all different. At first, they looked like candid snaps, but then came the ones of severed limbs. Eventually, there were photos showing Yves himself cutting off women's legs. Sylvia had braced herself for something bad, but the shock still sent a cold sweat coursing down her spine.

Her hands trembled so much the lamp's beam shook, casting creepy, flickering shadows over the grisly images.

But she couldn't back down now. Everything she'd done so far would be for nothing.

Swallowing hard, Sylvia leaned in, searching the photos for any useful clue.

As she moved the lamp, the light slipped to another wall. This time, the photos all featured the same person.

Reese.

From Yves and Reese's very first meeting, right up to now, Yves had documented every moment of Reese's life. Every photo was dated and labeled.

Even though Sylvia had never followed Reese's treatment abroad, she could see from these pictures how Reese had climbed out of her own darkness, step by step. You could almost feel the pain and determination in every candid smile or weary frown.

Yves, she had to admit, was obsessed with Reese. He'd arranged these photos like an art gallery, like some twisted love letter.

Sylvia stared, then suddenly paused, swinging the lamp back to Reese's photos.

In several shots, Reese wasn't wearing her prosthetic. The scar where her leg ended was clear as day.

on her leg-Sylvia realized,

the other photos of women's

other women's legs looked almost identical to Reese's. The difference was, Reese's injury was an accident.

two photos side by side, Sylvia's mind flashed back to a

your mother's leg... the wound is too jagged to stitch up.

"...Okay."

numbly at the funeral home, only half-hearing the

word

caused this wound? It's all rough and uneven, but

from the crash. Who knows? Let's just get it over

Covered in injuries.

Injuries...

and found pictures

in wounds-many of which matched the kind

car

Reese-Reese had no clue. But from what he'd said earlier, it was clear Kay had noticed

Yves's deference whenever Kay's

the truth about what had really happened back then

Sylvia could hardly