Chapter 3: The Words Oliver Remembered
Oliver pressed his face against my jacket.
His next words came out in a frightened whisper.
“She told Mom, ‘If you tell Daniel what I changed, Oliver will lose this house.’”
A chair scraped behind us.
Diana turned so quickly that her handbag struck the cake table.
“He was four years old,” she said.
“He’s confused.”
“I remember your red coat,” Oliver replied.
“You stood by the stairs and made Mom cry.”
Diana looked at me.
“Daniel, children mix dreams with memories.
You know that.”
“Oliver didn’t know about the red coat in that photograph.”
Lorraine held up the picture.
Diana was wearing a red coat beside Emma.
“That proves nothing,” Diana said.
“Emma asked me there to discuss private business.”
“You said you had never met her.”
“I was protecting you from unnecessary pain.”
I stepped between Diana and the ballroom door.
“What did you change?”
“Nothing.”
“What did you threaten to take from my son?”
“Move away from the door.”
“Answer him,” Lorraine said.
Diana reached for her handbag, but Lorraine held it against her chest.
The ballroom guests had formed a silent half-circle around us.
“Give that back,” Diana said.
“Or I’ll call security.”
“Call them,” I replied.
“We can empty the bag in front of everyone.”
“You have no right to search my property.”
A tall man in a gray suit pushed through the crowd.
I recognized Diana’s older brother, Marcus, an attorney who had handled several papers for our wedding.
“Step away from my sister,” he ordered.
“Did you know she had Emma’s pendant?”
“I know Lorraine took private property from Diana’s bag.” Marcus held out his hand.
“Return it now, or this becomes a legal matter.”
Lorraine did not move.
“Your sister took this from a sick woman.”
“You cannot prove that.”
Oliver peeked around my side.
“She took papers too.”
Diana’s fingers tightened around her engagement ring.
“Stop encouraging him, Daniel.”
“I haven’t asked him anything.”
Marcus waved to the hotel manager.
“Call security.
These people are harassing my sister.”
Two security officers approached.
For one terrible moment, Diana smiled again.
The manager looked at Lorraine.
“Ma’am, did you remove something from the handbag?”
“Yes,” Lorraine said.
“Something that belonged to my daughter.”
“You’ll need to return the bag.”
Diana held out her hand.
“Now.”
Lorraine slowly placed the handbag on the table, but she kept Emma’s pendant.
Diana grabbed the bag and turned toward Marcus.
A cream envelope slipped from an outside pocket and landed beside the ruined cake.
I saw my name written across it in Emma’s handwriting.
“Daniel, don’t,” Diana said.
I picked it up.
Marcus seized my wrist.
“That envelope belongs to my client.”
“My late wife wrote my name on it.”
Diana’s voice softened.
“Please, Daniel.
Not here.”
I pulled my hand free and opened the envelope.
Inside was a single folded sheet and a small brass key taped beneath it.
Lorraine covered her mouth.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Emma told me that letter disappeared from her bedside drawer,” she said.
Diana shook her head.
“She gave it to me for safekeeping.”
“Then why didn’t you give it to Daniel?” Lorraine demanded.
“Because Emma changed her mind.”
I unfolded the sheet.
Most of the ink had faded, but the first lines were clear.
Daniel, if Diana ever comes near you or Oliver, do not trust her.
Ask the bank about account 417.
I looked up.
“You didn’t meet me by accident, did you?”
Diana’s eyes moved toward the exit.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Do not make accusations you cannot support.”
I turned the page over.
One final sentence was written on the back.
May you like
Lorraine read it aloud before I could stop her.
“She already has someone inside the family helping her.”
