Chapter 10: Melissa’s Name
I stared at the message until the letters stopped looking like a name.
Melissa Miller.
The woman who had cleaned blood from Lily’s scraped palms.
The woman who had handed me the envelope.
The woman who had finally exposed Jason’s lie.
“No.””
Ethan watched me carefully.
“You trust her?””
“She helped me.””
“That doesn't answer the question.””
Jason stepped closer.
“My sister wouldn't hurt Lily.””
I turned on him.
“You said the same thing about your mother.””
His mouth closed.
The police had separated Diane and Frank near the ranch. Diane stood beside an officer, furious but strangely composed.
When I looked at her, she smiled.
That terrified me.
She had just been accused of fraud.
Her secrets were unraveling.
Yet seeing Melissa’s name seemed to restore something in her.
Confidence.
“What?”” I demanded.
Diane tilted her head.
“Ask your sweet sister-in-law.””
Jason marched toward her.
“What did Melissa do?””
“Jason,” an officer warned.
He stopped.
Diane laughed softly.
“You always thought Melissa was the weak one.””
“Answer me.””
“She spent her whole life cleaning up after you.””
“What does that mean?””
Diane looked at me.
“Ask Sarah what Melissa gave her today.””
“The envelope.””
“Exactly.””
My stomach tightened.
Ethan stepped beside me.
“Where had Melissa kept it?””
“I don't know.””
“You should.””
I remembered her words.
I found this inside the envelope too.
Then the photograph.
Then the documents.
Melissa had always seemed to know which piece of evidence needed to appear next.
My phone rang.
Mom.
I answered immediately.
“Is Lily safe?””
“Yes.””
“Oh, thank God.””
Her relief sounded real.
“Mom, where is Melissa?””
Silence.
“Margaret?””
Ethan had heard.
My mother finally answered.
“She left.””
“When?””
“About fifteen minutes after you did.””
“Did she say where she was going?””
“No.””
“Did she take anything?””
“I don't know.””
I looked at Ethan.
His expression hardened.
“Check the metal box,” I said.
Mom walked down the hall.
I heard drawers opening.
Then she gasped.
“What?””
“The memory card.””
“What about it?””
“It’s gone.””
My stomach dropped.
“Are you sure?””
“I left it beside the laptop.””
Ethan held out his hand.
“Let me talk to her.””
I put the call on speaker.
“Margaret,” he said, “check the old phone.””
A pause.
“It’s here.””
“Open the battery compartment.””
I heard plastic clicking.
Then Mom inhaled sharply.
“There’s something inside.””
“What?””
“A folded piece of paper.””
“Read it.””
Her voice shook.
“It says... ‘M.M. knows where the original ledger is.’”
Jason whispered, “Melissa.””
Ethan nodded.
“The ledger is what Diane has been looking for.””
“What ledger?”” I asked.
“The original accounting book from Mercer Development. Charles kept handwritten records of every illegal payment.””
“And you had it?””
“I hid it.””
“Where?””
“I told one person.””
My stomach tightened.
“Melissa?””
“No.””
Ethan looked at Jason.
“Frank.””
Jason turned toward his father.
Frank stood twenty feet away talking to Detective Alvarez.
“Dad?””
Frank heard him.
His shoulders dropped.
Jason walked toward him.
“You knew where the ledger was?””
Frank didn't answer.
“Dad.””
“I knew where Ethan said he put it.””
“Where?””
Frank looked toward Diane.
She was watching him.
“Frank,” Ethan said, “this ends today.””
Frank slowly faced us.
“Charles hid a private safe beneath the floor of his old office.””
“The Mercer office was demolished,” Jason said.
“The building was.””
Frank swallowed.
“The safe wasn't.””
“Where is it?””
Frank looked at me.
“Under Diane’s house.””
My mouth went dry.
“The house sits on Ethan’s family land,” Frank continued.
“Charles built it over the old foundation.””
I suddenly understood.
“The trash cans.””
Everyone looked at me.
Diane’s face changed.
Lily had been dragged toward the trash cans beside the garage.
The same side of the house where the original foundation could still exist.
Ethan stared at Diane.
“You built the garage over it.””
Diane said nothing.
Jason’s face twisted.
“Mom attacked Lily because Lily found the key near the garage.””
“No,” I whispered.
“Because Lily was near the entrance.””
Diane’s silence confirmed it.
Then my phone buzzed.
Melissa.
A photograph appeared.
The image showed Diane’s garage floor.
A rectangular section of concrete had been lifted.
Beneath it was a steel hatch.
Another message arrived.
SARAH, I NEED YOU TO TRUST ME ONE LAST TIME.
Then:
COME TO THE HOUSE. DON'T BRING ETHAN.
Jason read over my shoulder.
“Absolutely not.””
I looked at Ethan.
“Why doesn't she want you there?””
He stared at the photograph.
“I don't know.””
Diane suddenly started laughing.
Everyone turned.
She looked directly at me.
“You really think Melissa is helping you?””
“What did you do to her?””
“Nothing.””
“Then why is she there?””
Diane smiled.
“Because my daughter finally remembered which side she belongs on.””
My phone rang.
Melissa.
I answered.
“Where are you?””
Her breathing was ragged.
“Sarah, listen carefully.””
“Are you at the house?””
“Yes.””
“What are you doing?””
“I found the ledger.””
“Then bring it to the police.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
A loud crash sounded through the phone.
Melissa gasped.
“Because someone else is here.””
“Who?””
Silence.
Then I heard a man's voice in the background.
Calm.
Familiar.
“Melissa.””
Jason went completely still.
I looked at him.
“Who is that?””
His face emptied of color.
Melissa whispered one word before the call ended.
“Dad.””
May you like
I turned toward Frank.
But Frank was standing directly in front of me.
