Chapter 8 - Catherine’s Last Warning)
Daniel read the words until the ink blurred.
Do not trust the will.
Catherine’s will had been one of the simplest documents in their estate plan.
Personal assets went to Daniel.
Family interests remained in trust.
Emily inherited Catherine’s separate property.
No disputes.
No surprises.
At least, that was what Daniel had believed.
“Where did Richard get this?” Emily asked.
“I don’t know.”
Daniel turned the photograph over again.
Catherine wore a dark green coat.
He remembered it.
She had worn it the week before her death.
The photograph was taken outside a building he did not recognize.
Richard stood beside her.
Neither looked happy.
Emily pointed.
“What’s behind them?”
Daniel studied the image.
Part of a sign was visible through a glass door.
BELLWEA.
Bellweather.
Daniel’s pulse accelerated.
“Catherine found them.”
Emily nodded.
“And Richard was with her.”
Daniel took out his phone and photographed both sides of the picture.
“We need Samuel.”
“I tried reaching him.”
“Nothing?”
“He answered once this morning.”
“What did he say?”
“That he would meet me.”
“Where?”
“He never got to tell me.”
Daniel looked up.
“The call ended?”
Emily nodded.
“Someone knocked at his door. He said my name, then the line went dead.”
Daniel immediately called Samuel Price.
The retired attorney’s number rang.
No answer.
He called again.
Voicemail.
Thomas entered after Daniel allowed Marcus to bring him in.
When Emily saw him, she stiffened.
Thomas stopped.
“I didn’t help Rebecca.”
Emily’s eyes hardened.
“I heard your voice.”
“I know.”
“Then explain it.”
Thomas sat opposite her.
“Rebecca called me from Daniel’s house. She put the phone on speaker while she was arguing with somebody.”
Emily frowned.
“Why?”
“She said there had been an accident and asked if I knew where Daniel kept emergency medical documents.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You didn’t mention that.”
Thomas nodded shamefully.
“I thought Rebecca was panicking.”
Emily stared.
“I heard you say, ‘Get her into the car.’”
Thomas closed his eyes.
“I was talking about you.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
Thomas quickly continued.
“Because Rebecca told me you had fallen and were confused. I said to get you into a car and take you to a hospital.”
Emily looked toward Daniel.
That was plausible.
Too plausible to prove.
Thomas continued.
“When I called Rebecca back fifteen minutes later, she didn’t answer.”
“Why didn’t you call me?” Daniel asked.
“I did. Your phone went straight to voicemail.”
Daniel remembered leaving his phone charging during dinner.
Thomas said, “I called again. Rebecca texted that Emily was fine.”
Emily’s anger softened slightly but did not disappear.
“Why did you lie about knowing Rebecca?”
Thomas looked at the photograph of Catherine.
“Because I’ve spent four years keeping promises to a dead woman that I no longer understand.”
Daniel handed him the picture.
Thomas stared at the writing.
His face changed.
“You’ve seen this before,” Daniel said.
“No.”
“You recognize something.”
Thomas touched the blue seal on the envelope.
“Catherine used these only for one set of files.”
“What files?”
“Her investigation.”
“Where are they?”
Thomas looked at Daniel.
“She told me she divided everything into three parts.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“Who had them?”
“One part stayed with Samuel.”
Emily whispered, “The lawyer.”
Thomas nodded.
“One part went to Richard.”
Daniel looked at the photograph.
“And the third?”
Thomas hesitated.
“Catherine said she hid it where only you would eventually find it.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“I clearly didn’t.”
“She said you would when you needed it.”
“Four years later feels late.”
Thomas’s eyes moved to Daniel’s burgundy tie.
Then to his wedding suit.
“She said something strange.”
“What?”
“She said, ‘He’ll remember the first promise before he makes the next one.’”
Daniel frowned.
Emily looked at her father.
“What was your first promise to Mom?”
Daniel thought.
There had been thousands.
Wedding vows.
Promises when Emily was born.
Promises during Catherine’s cancer scare fifteen years earlier.
Promises during business failures.
Then he remembered.
A small chapel.
Rain.
Catherine laughing because Daniel had forgotten the rings in the car.
He had whispered a promise before they walked down the aisle.
No matter how much money we ever have, nothing owns us.
Daniel’s eyes lifted.
“The wedding rings.”
Emily frowned.
“What?”
“My first promise to your mother.”
Daniel stood.
“The rings.”
Catherine’s wedding ring had been placed in a small safe after her death.
Daniel had not opened it in years.
The safe was not at home.
It was inside Daniel’s private office at Arden Development headquarters.
Across town.
Emily stood too.
“We can get it.”
Daniel looked at the clock.
3:07.
The ceremony was now twenty-three minutes away if Rebecca succeeded in moving it forward.
“No.”
Emily stared at him.
“Dad.”
“You’re staying here.”
“I’m not hiding while you walk into that ballroom.”
“I’m not asking.”
“And I’m not twelve.”
Thomas almost smiled despite the situation.
Daniel looked at Marcus.
“Can one of your people reach my office?”
“Yes.”
Daniel removed a key from a ring hidden inside his wallet.
“This opens a private cabinet behind my desk. Inside is a gray safe.”
Marcus took the key.
“Combination?”
Daniel wrote it down.
“Bring the jewelry case without opening it.”
Marcus nodded and left.
Emily looked at Daniel.
“What happens at three thirty?”
Daniel glanced toward the ballroom below.
“The bride expects a wedding.”
“And?”
May you like
Daniel’s expression became calm.
“She’s going to get a performance.”
