Chapter 4 - Laura’s Last Letter)
Daniel sat down.
He did not choose to.
His knees simply stopped holding him.
Emily climbed onto the chair beside him.
Daniel unfolded the letter with both hands.
Laura’s handwriting was weaker than he remembered.
The lines tilted slightly.
Daniel could almost see her writing from the hospital bed.
Daniel,
I hoped I would have enough time to explain all of this myself.
If I do not, please forgive me for leaving another burden behind.
Three years ago, I found irregular transfers at Bellweather. Margaret Whitmore was named on several authorizations, but I eventually learned she was not the only person involved.
There were donors, executives and outside contractors.
Margaret claimed she was following instructions.
Maybe part of that is true.
But money meant for children disappeared.
I could not ignore it.
Daniel swallowed.
Emily rested her small hand against his arm.
He continued.
After I filed the complaint, Margaret begged me to withdraw it.
I refused.
Her husband contacted me later. He was frightened, ashamed and desperate to protect Rebecca from the scandal.
I told him I never wanted his children punished for what adults had done.
I meant that.
Daniel stopped.
He looked at Rebecca.
Her eyes were fixed on the letter.
“You knew your father contacted Laura?”
Rebecca shook her head.
Margaret whispered, “Keep reading.”
Daniel did.
When the investigation ended, I learned some of the recovered assets were placed into a redevelopment fund. I purchased shares legally when the fund reopened.
I did not do it to profit from Margaret’s loss.
I believed the money could finally be used for something good.
Those assets now belong to Emily’s trust.
If Margaret ever believes that money belongs to her family, she may come after it.
I hope I am wrong.
Daniel felt sick.
Laura had predicted this.
Four years earlier.
The final paragraphs were more personal.
Do not teach Emily to hate anyone because of me.
If people hurt her, protect her.
If people make mistakes and truly change, let her see mercy too.
Most importantly, do not let grief turn our home into a museum.
Live.
Love again if you can.
But choose someone who understands that loving you also means loving Emily.
There can never be a competition between my memory and your future.
They must be able to exist in the same house.
Daniel’s vision blurred.
He had spent four years believing Laura might resent the idea of him remarrying.
Instead, her final letter had told him to live.
Rebecca had stolen that from him too.
He reached the final sentence.
There is one additional file with Jonathan.
He does not know the contents.
I asked him to keep it sealed unless anyone ever tried to remove Emily from her home or gain control of her trust.
Daniel looked up sharply.
The room felt suddenly smaller.
Rebecca whispered, “What additional file?”
Margaret turned toward her.
“You told me there was nothing else.”
Rebecca stared back.
“I thought there wasn’t.”
Daniel folded the letter carefully.
That exchange mattered.
A lot.
“You two searched for it.”
Neither woman answered.
“You found Laura’s letter and then looked for the file she mentioned.”
Rebecca’s silence confirmed it.
Daniel stood.
“How long have you had this letter?”
Rebecca finally said, “Two months.”
“Where did you find it?”
“In the lake house.”
Daniel’s face went blank.
“You went into Laura’s locked writing desk.”
“I was cleaning.”
“You hate that house.”
“I was trying to make space for us.”
“You broke into her desk.”
“It was not breaking in. You gave me access to the house.”
“To the house, Rebecca. Not to my dead wife’s locked desk.”
Margaret stepped between them.
“This is getting us nowhere.”
Daniel turned.
“I think it’s getting us exactly where we need to go.”
A knock sounded at the bridal suite door.
Jonathan Pierce entered.
He was sixty-one, silver-haired and still dressed in the navy suit he had intended to wear at the ceremony.
He looked at Daniel.
Then at Emily.
Then at Rebecca and Margaret.
Finally, he saw Laura’s letter.
His expression changed.
“Where did you get that?”
Daniel held it up.
“Rebecca had it.”
Jonathan slowly closed the door.
Rebecca folded her arms.
“This entire conversation is becoming absurd.”
Jonathan ignored her.
“Daniel, did you read the final paragraph?”
“Yes.”
Jonathan nodded.
“I know what she meant.”
Daniel’s heart began beating faster.
“You said you didn’t know what was inside.”
“I don’t.”
“Then what do you know?”
Jonathan looked toward Emily.
“Laura gave me a sealed storage key.”
Daniel stared at him.
“A key to what?”
“A private deposit box at Fairfield Union Bank.”
Rebecca’s eyes widened.
Jonathan saw that too.
He continued.
“The condition was explicit. I was not permitted to access it unless someone attempted to remove Emily from her primary residence without Daniel’s informed consent or attempted to obtain unauthorized access to her trust.”
Jonathan looked down at the forged placement agreement.
“I believe both conditions have now been met.”
Margaret’s hand reached for Rebecca’s.
Daniel watched them.
Jonathan took out his phone.
“I can request immediate access.”
“Do it.”
Rebecca stepped forward.
“No.”
Everyone looked at her.
For a second she seemed surprised she had spoken.
Daniel narrowed his eyes.
“Why not?”
Rebecca swallowed.
“No reason.”
Daniel studied her face.
Then Emily spoke.
“She knows what’s there.”
Rebecca turned on her.
“Stop talking.”
Daniel moved so quickly that Rebecca stepped backward.
“You will never tell my daughter to stop talking again.”
Rebecca stared at him.
Daniel placed his hand on Emily’s shoulder.
“You hear me?”
Emily nodded.
Daniel looked at Jonathan.
“Open the box.”
Jonathan made the call.
As he spoke quietly with a bank representative, Daniel watched Rebecca.
Her fingers were trembling.
Margaret leaned close to her and whispered something Daniel could not hear.
Emily tugged his hand.
“Daddy?”
“Yes?”
“Rebecca went to that bank.”
Daniel looked down.
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
Rebecca’s face went white.
Daniel turned to Jonathan.
Jonathan was still on the phone.
Daniel asked Emily, “How do you know?”
“I was in the car with the nanny.”
“What happened?”
“Rebecca told us to wait.”
Emily frowned, remembering.
“She came back really mad.”
Jonathan ended his call.
“What bank?”
Emily pointed toward the key in Jonathan’s hand.
“The one you just said.”
Daniel slowly looked at Rebecca.
Jonathan’s expression hardened.
“That box can only be accessed with the original key.”
Rebecca looked toward Margaret.
Margaret closed her eyes.
Jonathan continued.
“Unless someone had a duplicate.”
Daniel followed Margaret’s gaze.
May you like
It had fallen toward the pearl necklace around her throat.
More precisely, toward the small gold key hanging behind the pearls.
