Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN IN THE RED COAT
Jonah reached the upper landing in seconds.
The corridor was empty.
A service door at the far end moved slightly, but when he opened it, he found only a narrow staircase leading toward the staff floor.
A red wool coat hung from a brass hook.
Its owner had vanished.
Evelyn touched the sleeve.
The fabric was expensive. A silver thread had been stitched into the cuff in the shape of an A.
“Celeste Arden,” Adrian said.
“Too obvious,” Jonah replied.
He searched the pockets.
Inside one was a pair of white gloves.
Inside the other was a receipt from a tailor dated that morning. The customer’s name had been printed clearly.
Celeste Arden.
“She wants us to find this,” Jonah said.
“Or she made a mistake,” Adrian suggested.
“Celeste does not leave receipts in borrowed coats.”
Evelyn walked to the narrow window overlooking the driveway.
A dark car moved through the front gates.
Mrs. Greer entered the corridor behind them.
“Miss Arden returned early.”
Celeste appeared in the foyer wearing a cream suit and carrying a leather folder. She looked up at Evelyn, then at the broken crystal on the floor.
“What happened?”
“You tell me,” Evelyn said.
Celeste’s gaze moved toward the red coat in Jonah’s hand.
For the first time, her confidence slipped.
“That isn’t mine.”
“Your name is on the receipt.”
“I ordered it for Helena’s charity auction.”
“You attended my dress fitting.”
“Helena asked me to.”
“And someone photographed me.”
Celeste’s eyes sharpened.
“Do you think I have time to follow you through Manhattan?”
“I think you have spent years following me through Valecrest.”
Adrian stepped between them before the argument could grow louder.
“We need access to the mansion’s system records.”
Celeste closed her folder.
“You’ll need Helena’s authorization.”
“Jonah is head of security.”
“Physical security. Not information security.”
“A fixture was released above Evelyn’s head.”
“Then perhaps Jonah should inspect the ceiling instead of accusing guests.”
Jonah remained calm.
“Who accessed Helena’s office twenty minutes ago?”
“No one. Helena is in Boston.”
“The library was remotely locked from her terminal.”
Celeste’s expression changed again.
This time, Evelyn recognized genuine surprise.
“That’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“Because Helena’s office system was disconnected yesterday.”
“By whom?”
“By me.”
The foyer fell silent.
Celeste lowered her voice.
“Someone tried to access the foundation’s donor records. Helena ordered the office computer removed for examination.”
“Where is it now?” Adrian asked.
“In a private cybersecurity facility.”
“Which one?”
“I’m not authorized to say.”
Jonah handed the coat to a guard.
“Keep Miss Arden inside the mansion until we verify her statement.”
Celeste laughed.
“You have no authority to detain me.”
“No,” Evelyn said. “But I own enough of the land beneath this house to ask you to leave.”
“You don’t control Valecrest.”
“Not yet.”
Celeste turned toward her.
For a moment, anger stripped away her polished expression.
“That is what you still don’t understand. Your father never trusted you with this family.”
Evelyn moved closer.
“My father recorded a message three days before he died.”
Celeste’s face became unreadable.
“He said the trust was altered.”
“You found the room.”
It was not a question.
Adrian noticed.
“So you knew about it,” he said.
Celeste looked toward Charles Vale’s portrait.
“Everyone who grew up here knew there were hidden rooms.”
“Not that room,” Evelyn replied.
Celeste hesitated.
Then she made a decision.
“If you found the recording, then you need to leave before Helena returns.”
“Why?”
“Because the second will is not the most dangerous thing your father hid.”
“What else is there?”
Celeste glanced toward Jonah and Adrian.
“I will speak to Evelyn alone.”
“That will not happen,” Adrian said.
“Then none of you will hear it.”
Evelyn studied her.
Celeste could be lying. She had lied before with grace and ease. But beneath her anger was something Evelyn had never seen in her.
Fear.
They moved into the music room, leaving the doors open while Adrian and Jonah waited outside.
Celeste stood beside the piano.
“Helena believes the second will was destroyed.”
“It wasn’t.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“Because I found it six years ago.”
Evelyn’s heart pounded.
“Where is it?”
“I gave it to Julian.”
The room seemed to tilt.
“My brother has the will?”
“He had it.”
“What happened?”
Celeste stared at the floor.
“Two days later, Julian’s car exploded in the Valecrest garage.”
Evelyn stepped back.
“That never happened.”
“You were studying in Paris. Helena told the press there was an electrical fire.”
“Julian wasn’t hurt.”
“He was not in the car.”
“Then why did he stop searching?”
“Because Helena sent him photographs proving she knew where you lived.”
Evelyn’s mouth went dry.
Celeste continued.
“Julian made a bargain. He stopped challenging the trust, and Helena left you alone.”
“You expect me to believe Helena threatened me?”
“I expect you to understand why your brother has stayed away.”
“Why are you telling me this now?”
Celeste looked toward the open doors.
“Because Helena is no longer the person giving the orders.”
A faint click sounded behind the piano.
Celeste froze.
Evelyn turned.
A small recording device had been attached beneath the music stand.
A red light blinked.
Celeste ripped it free and threw it onto the floor.
Before either woman could speak, a message appeared on Evelyn’s phone.
A live video showed Adrian standing outside the music room.
A red circle had been drawn around his head.
May you like
Below it were five words.
Choose the will or the man.
