Chapter 10 - The Page They Never Wanted Her to See
Caroline spent the night reading her father's records.
Grace stayed beside her.
Evelyn sat across the table.
Michael was nowhere to be found.
Margaret had disappeared.
The wedding guests had gone.
The ballroom was almost empty.
Caroline turned another page.
There were transaction records.
Company names.
Signatures.
Dates.
Her father's handwriting appeared throughout.
Then she found the name.
Harper Holdings.
Her father had written a note beside it.
Do not trust Richard Harper.
Caroline looked up.
“Richard was Michael's father.”
Evelyn nodded.
“He was.”
“What did he do?”
“He wasn't alone.”
Caroline turned another page.
A list of names.
Several were crossed out.
One remained.
Margaret Harper.
Caroline stared.
Evelyn whispered:
“She wasn't just married to Richard.”
“What was she?”
“The person who knew where everything was hidden.”
Caroline's heart raced.
“What did my father discover?”
Evelyn looked toward Grace.
“Something that could have destroyed the Harper family.”
“What?”
“A second account.”
“Where?”
“No one knows.”
Caroline looked at her.
“Then why did Michael marry me?”
Evelyn didn't answer.
Grace did.
“Because he believes you inherited the key.”
Caroline frowned.
“I don't have a key.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“You might.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your father didn't leave you money.”
Caroline stared.
“What?”
“He left you access.”
Grace leaned forward.
“Access to what?”
Evelyn looked at Caroline.
“To everything he found.”
Caroline remembered something.
A small wooden box.
Her father had given it to her when she was sixteen.
He had told her never to lose it.
After his death, she had put it away.
She hadn't opened it in years.
She stood.
“I know where it is.”
Grace immediately rose.
“Where?”
“My mother's house.”
Evelyn looked alarmed.
“You cannot go there.”
“Why?”
“Because if Michael knows about it…”
Caroline stopped.
“What?”
Evelyn whispered:
“He already searched the house once.”
Caroline stared.
“When?”
“Two months ago.”
Grace's face hardened.
“Then we're already behind.”
Caroline picked up her phone.
“We're going.”
But before she could move, the ballroom doors opened.
A man stood there.
He wasn't Michael.
He wasn't a guest.
He looked directly at Caroline.
May you like
Then said:
“Your father told me you would eventually come looking.”
