Chapter 8 - the wedding became a trap)
Mara did not scream.
That surprised her.
Perhaps there was a point beyond fear where the body became calm.
She handed the phone to Arthur.
His face turned gray.
Claire read the message over his shoulder.
Nathan swore.
"That's Emily."
"Harris's daughter?" Mara asked.
"Yes."
"Was she bringing the box?"
Nathan nodded.
Grant walked closer.
"What is happening?"
Arthur showed him the photograph.
Grant stared.
For one second, genuine confusion crossed his face.
Mara noticed it.
So did Claire.
Vanessa did not ask to see the photograph.
That was what Mara noticed most.
She already knew.
Mara turned toward her.
"Where is she?"
Vanessa frowned.
"Who?"
"Emily Harris."
"How would I know?"
"You didn't even ask who was in the photograph."
Vanessa paused.
"You said her name."
"After you reacted."
"I didn't react."
Nathan stepped toward her.
"Where is Emily?"
Vanessa backed away.
"Don't come near me."
Arthur looked at his daughter.
"Vanessa."
"Dad, this is insane."
"You said that already."
"Because it is."
Arthur pointed toward the door.
"Give me your phone."
"What?"
"Your phone."
"No."
"Now."
Vanessa laughed.
"You cannot be serious."
Arthur's voice dropped.
"I am asking once."
Grant stepped between them.
"Dad, you don't get to search her phone."
Arthur stared at him.
"Move."
Grant didn't.
Claire whispered, "Grant, why are you protecting her?"
"Because this has become a witch hunt."
Mara looked at him.
"You think someone kidnapping a woman is a witch hunt?"
"We don't know she's kidnapped."
Nathan snapped, "Her hands are tied."
"It could be staged."
Mara stared at Grant.
There was the answer.
Not proof.
But enough.
A normal man would have been horrified.
Grant was calculating.
Arthur reached into his pocket.
"Security."
Within seconds two men appeared.
Grant laughed bitterly.
"You're calling security on your own children?"
Arthur pointed toward Vanessa.
"Take her phone."
Vanessa turned and ran.
Not toward the front door.
Toward the terrace.
Mara ran after her.
Claire followed.
Grant shouted something behind them.
Vanessa shoved through a line of confused guests.
The orchestra stopped.
People turned.
Vanessa lifted the hem of her red gown and sprinted across the lawn.
Mara followed as fast as her prosthetic allowed.
Her balance shifted on the grass.
She nearly went down.
Claire passed her.
"Vanessa!"
Vanessa reached the marble staircase.
Then she stopped.
Because Lily was there.
The little girl stood beside the wedding coordinator, holding her flower basket.
"Mommy!"
Mara's blood froze.
"Stay there!"
Vanessa saw Lily.
Then looked at Mara.
Then looked at the child's basket.
The ribbon was still inside.
Mara understood.
Vanessa still thought the key might be hidden there.
She moved toward Lily.
Mara accelerated.
"Do not touch her!"
Vanessa grabbed the flower basket.
Lily screamed.
The basket fell.
Petals scattered.
"Where is it?" Vanessa demanded.
The wedding coordinator tried to pull Lily away.
Vanessa shoved her.
Guests gasped.
Mara reached the stairs.
Vanessa grabbed Lily's wrist.
The child cried out.
Mara slammed her shoulder into Vanessa.
Both women staggered.
Vanessa recovered first.
"You stupid cripple."
Mara went still.
Vanessa smiled.
"Still pretending that accident made you brave?"
Mara looked at her.
"What did you just say?"
Vanessa realized her mistake.
But it was too late.
Mara stepped closer.
"Still pretending?"
Vanessa backed up.
"I meant nothing."
"You know what happened."
"No."
"You know exactly what happened."
Guests crowded around them.
Phones came out.
Grant arrived.
"Everyone stop."
Vanessa turned to him.
"Get her away from me."
Mara lifted the key.
"Where is Emily?"
Grant's eyes went to it.
Vanessa's did too.
The photographer was still shooting.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Vanessa's expression changed.
Then she smiled.
"You want to know where the box is?"
Arthur arrived behind Grant.
"Vanessa."
She ignored him.
She looked only at Mara.
"Give me the key."
"The box is already unlocked if Emily has it."
Vanessa's smile faded.
Mara suddenly understood.
"Unless the key opens something else."
Arthur stared at the silver key.
"What?"
Vanessa said nothing.
Mara remembered Eleanor's hidden compartment.
The memory card.
A box that had supposedly held documents.
And a key Vanessa desperately wanted.
"What does this actually open?"
Arthur looked genuinely confused.
"I thought the cabinet."
"It opened the cabinet. But maybe it opens something else too."
Vanessa moved.
Fast.
She grabbed Lily.
The child screamed.
Mara saw red.
Vanessa wrapped the wedding ribbon around Lily's wrist and yanked it toward the railing.
"Stop moving!"
Guests shouted.
The wedding coordinator reached for her.
Vanessa pushed her back.
Mara rushed forward.
Her prosthetic foot slipped against a loose rose petal.
She hit the railing.
Pain shot through her hip.
Lily sobbed.
"Mommy!"
Mara forced herself down the stairs.
One step.
Another.
Vanessa tied the ribbon.
Grant shouted at his sister.
"What are you doing?"
Vanessa snapped, "Get the key!"
Mara heard it.
So did Arthur.
So did Claire.
So did every phone recording.
Mara reached Lily.
She dropped to one knee.
Wrapped both arms around her.
Vanessa looked down.
Her composure broke into cruelty.
"You can't even manage to walk properly."
Mara untied one knot.
Vanessa leaned closer.
"Do you think you can protect her?"
Mara looked at her daughter.
At the red mark around Lily's wrist.
At Vanessa's smile.
At Grant standing behind her.
At the family that had spent three years teaching Mara to doubt her own memory.
She stopped doubting.
Mara shifted her weight.
Her prosthetic leg moved.
The strike landed across Vanessa's cheek.
A sharp crack echoed across the marble.
Vanessa stumbled.
Grant rushed forward.
"How dare you hit her!"
Mara pulled Lily close.
Grant raised his hand.
Arthur caught it.
Then slapped his son across the face.
"What do you think you're doing? I warned you!"
The guests fell silent.
Mara looked at Arthur.
"What did you warn him about?"
Arthur stared at Grant.
Then at Vanessa.
His next words were barely audible.
"I warned them this morning that if either of them touched Lily, I would expose everything I discovered."
Grant froze.
Mara's voice trembled.
"You already knew?"
Arthur looked at her.
"Not everything."
Then Lily tugged Mara's dress.
"Mommy."
May you like
She held up the silver key.
"I know where this goes."
