Chapter 3: The Name Her Mother Had Written
Maya held the photograph away from her stepmother and read the faded handwriting aloud.
“Daniel, if Vanessa ever asks about Maya’s trust, look beneath the rose lining.
Do not ignore me again.”
Her father’s face lost its color.
“That’s your mother’s handwriting.”
“Vanessa?” Maya looked directly at her stepmother.
“She meant you?”
Vanessa’s hand dropped to her side.
“Elena was ill when she wrote that.
She distrusted everyone near the end.”
“Don’t speak about my mother that way.”
“I cared for her when you were too young to understand anything,” Vanessa replied.
“She became confused.”
Daniel took the photograph from Maya.
His thumb stopped over the final four words.
“Do not ignore me again,” he read.
“What did I ignore?”
Vanessa lifted her chin.
“A grieving woman’s suspicions.”
Maya pointed toward the fire pit.
“And the rose lining was inside my dress, wasn’t it?”
Chloe moved closer to her mother.
“I didn’t know about any lining.”
“You threw it into the fire.”
“Mom said the dress was damaged.
She said it would embarrass you at graduation.”
Maya stared at her.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I don’t care what you believe.”
“Then why did you look at your mother before you burned it?”
Chloe’s mouth opened, but Vanessa stepped between them.
“That is enough,” Vanessa said.
“Daniel, Maya is upset and inventing connections that aren’t there.”
Daniel pulled out his phone.
“The bank has security footage.
We’ll see who tried to open the box.”
Vanessa’s fingers tightened around the strap of her purse.
“If you accuse me publicly, you will regret it.”
“Is that a threat?”
“It’s a warning.
You signed papers before your last trip.
Perhaps you should remember what was in them before pretending to be innocent.”
Daniel lowered the phone.
“What papers?”
“The household authorization forms.”
“You told me they were for the insurance renewal.”
Vanessa gave him a thin smile.
“Did you read them?”
Maya looked from one to the other.
“Dad, what did you sign?”
Before Daniel could answer, Chloe kicked at a blackened strip of tulle near the pit.
Something metallic clicked against the stone.
Maya heard it and crouched down.
“Don’t touch that,” Vanessa said sharply.
Maya lifted the scorched piece with the end of a fireplace tool.
A tiny silver rose had been sewn into the hem, and its center was split open.
Inside it sat a memory card no larger than her fingernail.
Chloe recoiled.
“Mom, you said it was only a key tag.”
Vanessa seized Chloe’s wrist.
“Be quiet.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“Let go of her.”
“She destroyed Maya’s property,” Vanessa said.
“You should be questioning her.”
“I am questioning you.”
Maya dropped the memory card into the empty envelope.
“What’s on this?”
“No one knows,” Vanessa replied.
“My mother knew.”
“Your mother is not here to explain herself.”
The words landed harder than shouting.
Maya’s knees weakened, and Daniel caught her elbow.
“Don’t use Elena against her,” he said.
Vanessa picked up her purse.
“Call the bank if you want.
By morning, you’ll understand how badly you’ve misjudged me.”
“You’re not leaving with that bag,” Daniel said.
Vanessa laughed once.
“You don’t own me, Daniel.”
“No, but I own this house.
Put the bag down until we know what you took from my office.”
Vanessa slowly opened it.
Her wallet, keys, and phone lay inside.
Beneath them was a folded document bearing Daniel’s signature.
Maya reached for it, but Vanessa snatched it away.
“What is that?” Daniel demanded.
Vanessa backed toward the doors.
“The reason the bank may not believe a word you say.”
Then Daniel’s phone rang.
He put it on speaker.
“Hello?”
A woman spoke over the line.
“Mr.
May you like
Bennett, this is Claire Walsh from First County Bank.
I’m calling because Maya’s trust account was emptied twenty-three minutes ago.”
