Chapter 5 - Rachel's Last Testament)
The wedding guests were sent home shortly before midnight.
No announcement explained what happened.
No one needed one.
The bride never walked down the aisle.
The groom spent the evening with attorneys and hotel security.
The flower girl left through a private service entrance asleep in her aunt's arms.
By morning, photographs were already circulating online.
Lucas ignored them.
He took Emily home.
He locked every door.
Then he stood in Rachel's old office for the first time in almost three years.
Nothing had changed.
Books.
Desk.
A ceramic mug containing dried pens.
A photograph of Rachel holding newborn Emily.
Vanessa had searched this room.
The thought made Lucas feel physically sick.
Daniel arrived at seven thirty.
Caroline brought coffee.
Ryan brought a portable scanner.
Emily stayed upstairs with Caroline's daughter.
Lucas placed the wedding envelope on Rachel's desk.
Daniel put on thin gloves.
"You said Vale believes Rachel left evidence."
"Yes."
"And Vanessa was supposed to find it?"
"Yes."
Daniel examined the petition.
"This signature isn't yours."
"No."
"Emily's therapist witnessed it."
"Apparently."
Daniel flipped pages.
"Who prepared this?"
"No law firm listed."
"That matters."
"Why?"
"Because legitimate guardianship petitions don't appear from nowhere."
He photographed the pages.
Then he reached the attachment describing Lucas's mental health.
Daniel frowned.
"Where did this information come from?"
Lucas read.
Dates.
Private details.
A panic attack after Rachel's funeral.
Insomnia.
Medication prescribed for six months.
Statements Lucas had made only in therapy.
Not Emily's therapy.
His.
"This is confidential."
"Who was your therapist?"
"Dr. Evan Morse."
Daniel wrote the name down.
Lucas paced.
"How many people are involved?"
"We don't know."
"Vale. Vanessa. Natalie. Maybe Morse."
"Don't assume."
"Someone accessed my medical records."
"Yes."
Lucas looked toward the ceiling.
Emily was upstairs.
"What happens if this petition had been filed?"
Daniel leaned against the desk.
"By itself? Probably little. Your supposed consent would need verification. A court would investigate."
"But combined with medical records?"
"Still difficult."
"Then why create it?"
Daniel looked at the photograph from the envelope.
"Maybe custody isn't the goal."
Lucas stopped.
"What is?"
"Control."
"Explain."
"If Emily has a financial claim tied to Rachel, whoever controls Emily could control litigation filed on Emily's behalf."
Lucas sat.
"Arthur Wynn."
"Possibly."
Daniel opened his laptop.
Arthur Wynn's public estate had been divided among his widow and two sons.
Estimated value at the time of death: 640 million dollars.
Privately held holdings could make it higher.
"If Rachel had a claim..."
"Rachel is dead," Lucas said.
"But if her claim passes to Emily?"
Lucas felt cold.
Daniel nodded.
"Exactly."
Caroline entered.
"Emily's asking for you."
Lucas immediately went upstairs.
Emily sat on her bed holding the stuffed fox Rachel had bought before she was born.
"Are you getting married today?"
"No."
"Tomorrow?"
"No."
Emily thought about it.
"Ever?"
Lucas smiled sadly.
"Not for a very long time."
She nodded, satisfied.
"Is Vanessa mad?"
"I don't know."
"Is she coming back?"
"No."
Emily looked at the fox.
"She said Mommy couldn't come back because dead people don't get houses."
Lucas stopped breathing.
"When did she say that?"
Emily shrugged.
"A long time ago."
"Sweetheart, look at me."
She did.
"What exactly did Vanessa say about Mommy?"
Emily concentrated.
"She said Mommy left something that belongs to someone else."
Lucas sat beside her.
"What thing?"
"I don't know."
"Did she ever ask you to find something?"
Emily nodded.
"A blue box."
Lucas's heartbeat jumped.
"What blue box?"
"Mommy's treasure box."
Lucas had never heard of it.
"Where is it?"
Emily looked confused.
"You don't know?"
"No."
"Mommy showed me."
Lucas stared at her.
"You remember Mommy showing you a box?"
Emily had been two when Rachel died.
Most memories were fragments.
Rachel's perfume.
A song.
The red coat she wore.
A blue box could be another fragment.
"Where did she show you?"
Emily pointed downward.
"Under the stars."
Lucas frowned.
"Outside?"
"No."
"Where?"
Emily climbed off the bed.
"Come."
She led him downstairs.
Past Rachel's office.
Past the kitchen.
Into the small library at the rear of the house.
Then she pointed upward.
The ceiling was painted dark blue.
Tiny gold stars formed constellations across it.
Rachel had designed the room.
Under the stars.
Emily walked to the old built in bookcase.
She touched the bottom shelf.
"Mommy put it there."
Lucas crouched.
Nothing.
He removed books.
Still nothing.
Then his hand found a narrow wooden panel.
He pressed.
It shifted.
A hidden compartment opened.
Caroline and Daniel entered just as Lucas reached inside.
His fingers touched metal.
He pulled out a small blue lockbox.
No one spoke.
The box required a four digit combination.
Lucas tried Rachel's birthday.
Nothing.
Their anniversary.
Nothing.
Emily watched.
Then she said, "My birthday."
Lucas entered the numbers.
The lock clicked.
Inside were three things.
A silver key.
A sealed envelope addressed to Lucas.
And a photograph of a baby Lucas had never seen.
May you like
On the back, Rachel had written one sentence.
If they ever come for Emily, find the other daughter first.
