The following morning, Margaret contacted an old family friend who had known Robert since childhood. After hearing about the photograph, the friend reluctantly admitted that Robert had once been involved with another woman before meeting Margaret. That relationship had produced a daughter named Laura. Robert had discovered her existence years later but had never found the courage to explain the situation to his wife. He had quietly supported Laura financially and occasionally received letters from her. Margaret felt devastated that such a significant part of his life had been kept from her.<\/p>\n
Later that afternoon, Margaret received a telephone call from an unfamiliar number. A woman introduced herself as Laura and apologized for frightening her. She explained that she had been trying to contact Margaret for weeks because Robert had left her a letter shortly before his death. She had entered the basement using an old key Robert had given her years earlier. The scraping at the window had been accidental. Laura had panicked, called emergency services from the old basement telephone, and hidden when she heard Margaret moving upstairs.<\/p>\n
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