Chapter 4
Ethan stared at the small brass key.
It looked ordinary.
That made it worse.
His father had died with dozens of secrets tied to Pierce Development.
But Ethan had never heard about a safe-deposit box.
Not once.
"Why do you have that?"
Richard's jaw tightened.
"Your father gave it to me."
"Why?"
"Because he didn't trust Victoria."
Ethan almost laughed.
"You expect me to believe you protected something from your own daughter?"
"I protected myself."
That sounded more believable.
Olivia shifted weakly in the bed.
"Richard."
He looked at her.
"You shouldn't have come here."
"Neither should you."
Lucy moved closer to her mother.
Ethan stepped between them again.
"Don't speak to them."
Richard studied him.
"You're still emotional."
"My wedding exploded forty minutes ago."
"And if you don't start thinking clearly, much worse will happen."
Ethan picked up the key.
"What box?"
"Commonwealth Trust. Downtown branch."
"Box number?"
Richard hesitated.
"314."
Ethan slipped the key into his pocket.
"Now leave."
"You need me."
"No."
"You have no idea what your father was involved in."
"Then tell me."
Richard looked toward Olivia.
"I won't discuss it here."
"Then you won't discuss it anywhere."
Ethan opened the door.
Richard didn't move.
"Victoria will come after the girl."
Lucy's fingers tightened around her mother's blanket.
Ethan's entire body went rigid.
"If that's a threat—"
"It's a warning."
"From the man who helped pay Olivia to disappear?"
Richard's expression hardened.
"You think I approved of what Victoria did?"
"You wrote the checks?"
"No."
"You funded them?"
A pause.
Ethan saw the answer.
"You did."
Richard looked away.
Olivia whispered,
"He gave her the money."
Ethan stared at him.
Richard finally nodded.
"I did."
"Get out."
"Ethan—"
"Now."
Richard walked into the hallway.
Before leaving, he turned.
"Don't go home."
Ethan frowned.
"What?"
"Victoria knows every code, every employee, every property you own."
Richard's voice dropped.
"Until you know what's in that box, assume nowhere connected to your name is safe."
Then he walked away.
Ethan shut the door.
Lucy looked at him.
"Do you believe him?"
"I don't know."
Olivia did.
"I do."
Ethan turned.
"Why?"
"Because Victoria is scared."
"She didn't look scared."
"She was."
Olivia reached for his hand.
"That's why Lucy knew where the wedding was."
Ethan frowned.
"You just said you didn't know."
"I didn't."
Olivia swallowed.
"But think about it."
Lucy suddenly looked down.
Ethan noticed.
"What aren't you telling us?"
Lucy remained silent.
"Lucy."
Her eyes filled.
"I got a message."
Olivia pushed herself up.
"What message?"
Lucy pulled the old phone from her pocket.
"Yesterday."
She unlocked it.
Unknown number.
A single text.
If you want to know the truth about your father, come to St. Matthew's Chapel tomorrow at 4:00. Bring the envelope.
Ethan read it twice.
"Who sent this?"
"I don't know."
"You came because of an anonymous message?"
"I wanted to help Mom."
Olivia looked horrified.
"You could've been hurt."
"I wasn't."
"You don't know that!"
Lucy's chin trembled.
"I didn't have another choice!"
"You could have told me!"
"You were getting worse!"
The child finally broke.
Tears poured down her face.
"I heard the doctors talking! I heard them say you might not make it through the night!"
Olivia covered her mouth.
Lucy stepped backward.
"I didn't want you to die without him knowing I existed."
Ethan couldn't breathe.
Lucy looked at him.
"I thought if I showed you the checks, maybe you'd come."
Ethan crouched in front of her.
"You should never have had to do that alone."
Lucy wiped her cheek angrily.
"But I did."
Three words.
And Ethan understood exactly how much this child had been carrying.
He opened his arms slowly.
Lucy stared at him.
He wasn't sure she would come.
Then she moved forward.
Just one step.
Then another.
And suddenly her arms were around his neck.
Ethan held her.
Not tightly at first.
He was afraid.
Afraid of claiming something he had missed for eleven years.
Afraid of how natural she felt against him.
Lucy whispered,
"Mom said you gave the best hugs."
Ethan closed his eyes.
Across the room, Olivia started crying.
A nurse entered moments later.
"We need to take Ms. Bennett for imaging."
Lucy stepped away.
"Is she worse?"
"We're checking a few things."
Olivia reached for her daughter.
"I'll be back."
Lucy nodded, trying to be brave.
The nurses rolled Olivia away.
Ethan and Lucy stood alone in the room.
His phone began vibrating.
Claire.
He answered.
"Where are you?"
"Hospital."
"Victoria is losing her mind."
"Good."
"Ethan, listen to me. She says Lucy stole private financial documents and that Olivia has been blackmailing her for years."
He went cold.
"What?"
"She called the police."
Lucy heard.
Her eyes widened.
"For Lucy?"
"I don't know."
Claire lowered her voice.
"Victoria is telling everyone that Olivia extorted money from her and used the child to crash the wedding."
Ethan looked at the envelope.
"Claire, I need you to do something."
"Anything."
"Don't go home."
"What?"
"Take Mom somewhere private."
"Ethan—"
"Please."
His sister heard the seriousness.
"Okay."
"And don't tell Victoria where."
"I won't."
He ended the call.
Lucy looked nervous.
"Am I in trouble?"
"No."
"The police—"
"You're eleven."
"I took the checks from Mom's drawer."
"They belong to your mother."
"What if Victoria says I stole them?"
Ethan crouched.
"Then she can say it to me."
He looked toward the hallway.
Two uniformed officers were approaching.
Victoria walked behind them.
Still wearing the white wedding dress.
The veil was gone.
Her mascara had streaked slightly beneath one eye.
But she had recovered her composure.
She looked like a woman arriving to correct an inconvenience.
One officer stepped into the room.
"Mr. Pierce?"
"Yes."
"We received a report regarding stolen financial documents and possible attempted extortion."
Victoria pointed at the envelope.
"Those are mine."
Lucy moved behind Ethan.
He stood.
"Actually, they're checks made out to Olivia Bennett."
Victoria smiled coldly.
"And they'll prove she's been demanding money from me for years."
"Funny."
Ethan held up the handwritten agreement.
"Because this says you paid her not to contact me."
The officer looked at Victoria.
Her smile disappeared.
"That document is fraudulent."
Ethan turned to the officer.
"I'd like to report coercion, fraud, and whatever crime applies when someone deliberately conceals a child from her father for eleven years."
Victoria laughed.
"You're assuming she's your daughter."
Ethan looked at Lucy.
Then back at Victoria.
"We'll settle that with a test."
Her face flickered.
Again.
Fear.
Ethan caught it.
"You don't want me to do that."
Victoria said nothing.
"Why?"
"You are making a fool of yourself."
"Why don't you want the test?"
One of the officers raised a hand.
"Everyone needs to calm down."
A nurse suddenly appeared behind them.
"Mr. Pierce?"
Ethan turned.
The nurse's face told him something was wrong.
"What happened?"
"Ms. Bennett lost consciousness during imaging."
Lucy screamed,
"Mom!"
She ran past everyone.
Ethan followed.
The nurse tried to stop them at the double doors.
"Lucy can't go in."
"Then I will."
"You'll need to wait."
Through a narrow glass panel, Ethan saw doctors rushing around Olivia's bed.
Lucy pressed both palms against the window.
"Mom!"
Victoria approached behind them.
Ethan turned on her.
"If she dies before I get the truth—"
Victoria's expression was unreadable.
Then she said quietly,
"Maybe that's what she was counting on."
Lucy spun around.
Ethan had never seen a child look at an adult with so much hatred.
But before he could speak, the double doors opened.
A doctor came out.
"Mr. Pierce?"
"Yes."
"Ms. Bennett is stable for the moment."
Lucy sagged with relief.
"But there is something she asked us to give you if her condition worsened."
The doctor held out a sealed white envelope.
Ethan took it.
His name was written across the front.
In Olivia's handwriting.
Underneath were four words.
ABOUT YOUR FATHER'S DEATH.
May you like
Victoria saw them.
And for the first time since the chapel, she stopped pretending not to be terrified.
