Chapter 16
“You knew enough to ask questions.”
“I know.”
“You could have protected Ethan’s relationship with me.”
“I should have.”
Alexander looked at her.
“Why didn’t you tell me about the agreement?”
“Because after you sent Claire away, your father told me the matter had been settled. Then the documents disappeared.”
“Documents don’t disappear from this house.”
“They do when someone wants them to.”
Nora spoke for the first time.
“Mrs. Russo, there is something else.”
Margaret turned.
Nora held out a small envelope.
“I found this in the old linen cabinet. It was tucked behind the false panel.”
The envelope bore no name.
Margaret looked at Alexander.
“Where did you find it?”
“Near the east staircase. The panel had been disturbed this afternoon.”
Alexander took the envelope.
The red wax seal bore the letter R.
“Rebecca,” he said.
“Open it,” I told him.
He broke the seal.
Inside was a single photograph.
It showed the four of us at a summer garden party, taken shortly before Ethan was born. I stood beside Alexander, one hand resting on my stomach. Rebecca stood behind us, smiling toward the camera.
On the back, someone had written:
The family before the correction.
A second sheet of paper was folded behind the photograph.
Alexander unfolded it.
This time the handwriting was unfamiliar.
If Claire sees the ledger, tell her the first plan failed because Alexander loved her more than expected.
He looked at me.
I read the next line over his shoulder.
The second plan will succeed because he will believe she came back for revenge.
My heart began to beat faster.
“What does that mean?” Margaret asked.
I reached for the paper.
At the bottom was a date.
Tomorrow.
Underneath it, one final sentence had been written.
At breakfast, the missing witness will arrive. Make sure she does not reach Claire.
PART 4 (THE END): The Room They Had Kept Locked for Ten Years 019
The date on the note seemed to darken beneath my eyes.
Tomorrow.
At breakfast, the missing witness will arrive. Make sure she does not reach Claire.
No one spoke.
The old wine cellar held its breath around us.
Alexander read the sentence again, then folded the paper with deliberate care.
“Who is the witness?” I asked.
Margaret looked at him.
He shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“You must have some idea.”
“The original investigation named six witnesses. Two withdrew their statements. One died before I could question her. Another disappeared. The remaining two refused to speak.”