Chapter 5 - The Dress at the Garden Gate
After the call ended, Audrey ran.
She had made the call from a small sitting room beside the east terrace. Rosa had temporarily distracted the guard by reporting a broken water pipe near the kitchen.
Audrey knew the distraction would last only minutes.
Julian caught her before she reached the garden steps.
He grabbed the phone from her hand and threw it against the stone wall.
The screen cracked.
“You called him.”
Audrey backed toward the terrace.
“The police are coming.”
“No,” Julian said. “Your father is coming. That is different.”
“He recorded everything.”
Julian’s confidence flickered.
“You are lying.”
Miriam appeared behind him.
“What did she say?”
“She called Thomas.”
Miriam looked at the broken phone.
“Then we explain that she had another episode.”
Audrey stared at her.
“You both heard what Julian said.”
“No one will believe a frightened woman’s memory over this family,” Miriam replied.
Audrey moved toward the garden.
Julian blocked her path.
“You are going upstairs.”
“No.”
“Audrey.”
“No.”
He reached for her arm.
She pulled away, and the sleeve of her beige dress tore near the shoulder.
The sound seemed unusually loud.
Julian froze.
Audrey looked at the torn fabric.
Then at him.
“That is exactly what they will see.”
Miriam’s voice became urgent.
“Take her through the service entrance. The guests are still near the front hall.”
A family luncheon had brought nearly twenty relatives and business associates to the mansion. Most had been told Audrey was resting because of stress.
Audrey realized the crowd could protect her.
She turned and ran toward the west garden, where a path led to the driveway.
Julian followed.
“Stop her.”
Cole emerged from behind the terrace wall.
Audrey changed direction, cutting between rows of trimmed hedges. Her shoes slipped on the gravel, but she stayed upright.
Ahead, the garden gate stood partially open.
Rosa was holding it.
“Go,” she said.
Audrey reached the gate just as Cole caught the back of her dress. The fabric tore from waist to hip.
Rosa struck his hand away with a metal watering can.
Cole stepped back, startled.
Audrey slipped through the gate.
The driveway was less than fifty feet away.
Then Arthur appeared from the garage path.
He was holding the wooden baseball bat.
He did not swing it.
He did not need to.
He stood across the narrow path, blocking the exit.
“This ends now,” he said.
Audrey stopped.
Julian and Cole approached from behind.
Miriam remained near the terrace, looking toward the mansion as relatives began gathering at the windows.
Arthur lowered the bat until its end rested against the pavement.
“You will return inside,” he said. “You will tell your father you panicked. Then we will arrange treatment somewhere private.”
“You mean somewhere no one can find me.”
“Do not be theatrical.”
“Where is Daniel Price?”
Arthur’s eyes changed.
Julian stopped walking.
Audrey continued.
“He saved evidence of the transfers. Did you make him disappear too?”
“Daniel stole from the foundation,” Arthur said. “He left because he knew he would be arrested.”
“That is not what his sister believes.”
Arthur tightened his grip on the bat.
“You have no idea what you are interfering with.”
“Then tell the police.”
Sirens sounded beyond the gates.
Every person on the path turned.
Julian moved first.
He seized Audrey’s arm.
“You are coming inside.”
She struggled to remain standing.
“Let go.”
“They cannot see you like this.”
“That is why they need to see me.”
The first police vehicle entered the driveway.
Julian pulled Audrey toward the service entrance.
She dropped her weight, forcing him to stop.
Arthur stepped forward with the bat.
“Get her inside before they reach us.”
Rosa shouted from the garden gate.
“Police!”
Julian looked toward her.
Audrey used the moment to pull free.
She ran toward the driveway.
Her damaged dress caught against a rose bush and tore again. She lost one shoe, stumbled onto the stone pavement, and fell to her knees.
The baseball bat struck the ground several feet behind her when Arthur dropped it.
The officers saw Audrey fall.
They saw Julian running after her.
They saw Arthur standing near the bat.
The first officer exited his vehicle with one hand raised.
“Stop where you are.”
Julian ignored him.
“Audrey, get up.”
“Do not approach her,” the officer ordered.
A second vehicle arrived.
Then Thomas’s truck appeared at the gate.
Audrey tried to stand, but her legs gave way.
Thomas left the truck before it fully stopped.
He crossed the driveway as the officers moved between Audrey and the Voss family.
“Dad,” she whispered.
He reached her and lowered himself onto the pavement.
“I’m here.”
She leaned into his arms.
For the first time since discovering the missing money, Audrey allowed herself to stop fighting.
May you like
She knew her father would not leave her.
More importantly, she knew he had listened.
