Chapter 2 - the room grant had locked)
The flower girls had been assigned a sitting room on the east side of the mansion.
Four children were playing with baskets of rose petals while a young wedding assistant tried desperately to keep them from scattering everything before the ceremony.
Lily joined them.
Mara stayed near the doorway.
She told herself it was because Lily was nervous.
The truth was that she did not trust Vanessa.
She had learned that lesson years ago.
Grant had always been the loud one.
Vanessa was different.
She rarely threatened.
She arranged.
She suggested.
She whispered.
Then somehow other people ended up doing exactly what she wanted.
Mara remembered hospital administrators suddenly limiting her visitors.
She remembered insurance forms appearing beside her bed.
She remembered lawyers telling her what was best while she was still learning how to transfer from a wheelchair.
Vanessa had always been nearby.
Never holding the knife.
Always deciding where it landed.
"Mara?"
Claire stood behind her.
Now fully dressed.
The wedding gown was elegant rather than extravagant, with a simple fitted bodice and long veil.
She should have looked happy.
She looked pale.
"Can we talk?"
Mara glanced toward Lily.
The assistant nodded reassuringly.
"I'll stay with her."
Claire led Mara into a narrow hallway.
"What is it?"
Claire lowered her voice.
"Did Grant ever ask you to sign financial documents during your marriage?"
Mara stared at her.
"What?"
"Anything related to the Mercer Foundation."
"Why?"
"Just tell me."
"I signed plenty of things when we were married. Tax forms. Charity invitations. House documents. I don't know."
"After the accident?"
Mara's throat tightened.
"I don't remember everything I signed after the accident."
Claire closed her eyes.
"That's what I was afraid of."
"What is going on?"
Footsteps sounded nearby.
Claire immediately stepped away.
Grant appeared around the corner.
He was already in his dark blue wedding suit.
For an instant, seeing him there returned Mara to another life.
Grant before the cruelty became impossible to ignore.
Grant carrying her over the threshold.
Grant painting the nursery.
Grant holding newborn Lily and crying.
Then came the other memories.
Grant shouting inches from her face.
Grant punching the wall.
Grant telling doctors she was confused.
Grant standing beside her hospital bed and saying the crash was her fault.
His smile disappeared when he saw Mara with Claire.
"What are you two talking about?"
Claire answered quickly.
"Flowers."
Grant looked from one woman to the other.
"Flowers."
"Yes."
"Interesting."
He walked to Claire and kissed her cheek.
She did not lean toward him.
Grant noticed.
Then he looked at Mara.
"Lily ready?"
"Almost."
"Good. Dad wants the family photograph at twelve thirty."
"I'm not part of your family photograph."
"Lily is."
"I know."
"And since she refuses to go anywhere without you, that means you'll probably end up in it."
His tone sounded playful.
His eyes did not.
Claire took his arm.
"Grant, don't."
He smiled.
"What?"
"Not today."
Grant stared at her for several seconds.
Then he walked away.
Mara waited until he disappeared.
"What documents?"
Claire shook her head.
"Not here."
"You started this conversation."
"And I'm going to finish it. Just not where he can hear."
She glanced toward a closed door farther down the hall.
"Meet me in the old library after the ceremony."
Mara almost laughed.
"You expect to marry that man and then explain why you're investigating him?"
Claire's eyes filled with an emotion Mara had not expected.
"I don't know if I'm going to marry him."
Mara said nothing.
Claire walked away.
For several seconds Mara remained frozen in the hallway.
Then she heard Lily laughing in the sitting room.
She turned toward the sound.
And noticed another door.
Dark walnut.
Brass handle.
The old west office.
Grant's private room.
Mara had entered it hundreds of times during their marriage.
But now it had a new electronic lock.
She stepped closer.
A small red light blinked beside the handle.
From inside came a muffled voice.
Vanessa.
"...she cannot see it."
Mara stopped.
Another voice responded.
Grant.
"I told you, after tonight it doesn't matter."
"It matters if Arthur talks."
"He won't."
"He already gave the butterfly clip to the child."
Silence.
Then Grant swore.
Mara moved closer.
Vanessa spoke again.
"The key is missing."
"What?"
"The silver key."
"How?"
"I don't know."
"When did you last have it?"
"This morning."
"Find it."
"What if Mara has it?"
Mara's blood went cold.
Grant's answer came quietly.
"Then make sure she leaves before Dad talks to her."
A shadow moved beneath the door.
Mara backed away.
She barely reached the corner before the office door opened.
Grant emerged.
Vanessa followed.
Mara held her breath.
They walked the opposite direction.
Only after they disappeared did Mara return to the sitting room.
Lily was sitting on the carpet.
The butterfly clip Arthur had given her was now in her hair.
Mara crouched.
"Sweetheart, has anybody given you anything else today?"
Lily shook her head.
"Are you sure?"
"Miss Vanessa gave me ribbon."
Mara's pulse jumped.
"What ribbon?"
"For later."
"Where is it?"
Lily pointed toward her flower basket.
A folded pink-and-white ribbon lay beneath the petals.
Mara reached for it.
Before she touched it, the wedding assistant announced that the children needed to line up for photographs.
Lily grabbed the basket and ran toward the door.
The ribbon disappeared beneath the petals.
Mara almost followed.
Then her phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
One message.
Do not let Grant find the key.
Mara stared at the screen.
May you like
A second message appeared.
And whatever happens, do not let Lily go near the west staircase alone.
