Chapter 9: The Night Emily Disappeared
Rebecca didn't speak for nearly a minute.
She stared at the photograph of Rachel holding the wooden box.
Then she looked at Daniel.
"Where did you get this?""
"An envelope was delivered to my office yesterday. No return address.""
"Was there anything else?""
Daniel shook his head.
"Only the photograph.""
Rebecca took it carefully.
Her fingers trembled.
"That's Emily's box.""
I looked at her.
"What was inside?""
"I don't know everything. Emily kept it locked.""
"Did you ever ask?""
"Many times.""
"And?""
"She always said it was something she needed to protect.""
I leaned forward.
"Protect from whom?""
Rebecca looked at the photograph.
"I never knew.""
Daniel placed his pen on the table.
"Perhaps we should contact the person who handled Emily's estate.""
Rebecca nodded.
"I have his number.""
She stepped into the hallway.
Mara sat beside me.
"Bear, do you think Patricia was involved in Emily's accident?""
I stared at the photograph.
"I don't know.""
"Could she have been?""
"Until we know something, I'm not accusing anyone.""
Mara nodded.
But I could see the same question in her eyes.
A few minutes later, Rebecca returned.
"The estate attorney can meet us this afternoon.""
Daniel checked his calendar.
"At four?""
"Yes.""
I looked at my watch.
"I need to get home first.""
Mara raised an eyebrow.
"Why?""
"Lily.""
I had promised her we'd spend the afternoon together.
I wasn't going to break that promise because of another adult's mess.
Daniel nodded.
"Of course. We'll meet at four.""
I drove home.
Lily was sitting at the kitchen table with a plate of apple slices.
She looked up when I entered.
"Daddy!""
"Hey, princess.""
She ran toward me.
I lifted her into my arms.
"How's my favorite ballerina?""
She looked down.
"I'm not a ballerina anymore.""
I felt something twist inside my chest.
"Who told you that?""
She shrugged.
"I don't go to ballet now.""
I kissed her forehead.
"Taking a break doesn't mean you aren't a ballerina.""
She considered that.
"Can I still dance in the kitchen?""
I smiled.
"That's where the best dancing happens.""
She giggled.
I set her down.
Then she ran to the refrigerator and pulled out a drawing.
It showed two little girls wearing pink skirts.
One had dark hair.
The other had blond hair.
Between them stood a very large man wearing a pink tutu.
I recognized the scene immediately.
"Who's that?""
"Me and Olivia.""
I pointed toward the drawing.
"And that's me?""
Lily nodded.
"You're dancing with us.""
I smiled.
"Looks like I've got a busy schedule.""
She pointed to the blond girl.
"Olivia gave me her ribbon.""
I paused.
"When?""
"At ballet.""
"Do you miss her?""
Lily nodded.
"She's my friend.""
I crouched.
"Do you want to see her again?""
She looked uncertain.
"Mommy says friends should be nice.""
I brushed her hair back.
"Mommy was right.""
Lily looked down.
"Maybe Olivia is scared too.""
I didn't answer immediately.
Because my daughter had just shown more understanding than most adults in that building.
I kissed her forehead.
"Maybe she is.""
She hugged me.
I spent the next hour making lunch and building a blanket fort in the living room.
We pretended the couch was a castle.
The coffee table was a bridge.
And the stuffed bear was a dragon who had stolen the queen's flower basket.
For a while, I forgot about Patricia Whitmore.
I forgot about the forged documents.
I forgot about Emily's mysterious death.
I was just a father playing with his little girl.
Then my phone rang.
It was Richard.
"Bear?""
"Hey.""
"I heard Daniel found the photograph.""
"Yes.""
"Have you spoken to Rebecca?""
"She's arranging a meeting with Emily's estate attorney.""
Richard went quiet.
Then he said, "There's something I should tell you before you go.""
I stood.
"Go ahead.""
"Patricia was the last person known to have spoken to Emily before the accident.""
My grip tightened around the phone.
"What?""
"Emily had called her that evening.""
"Why?""
"I don't know.""
"Did Patricia tell you?""
Richard sighed.
"She said Emily was upset about the trust.""
I looked toward Lily.
She was arranging stuffed animals inside the blanket fort.
"What else?""
"Patricia said Emily had threatened to expose something.""
I lowered my voice.
"Expose what?""
"She never explained.""
I closed my eyes.
"Richard, I need the truth.""
"I know.""
"Your wife has been trying to remove my daughter from a trust, forging signatures, and threatening children. Now I'm finding out she was the last person to speak to the woman who left Lily that money.""
Richard's voice was strained.
"I understand.""
"Do you?""
"Yes. And I'm going to tell you something I should have told you a long time ago.""
I waited.
"Patricia and Emily had an argument about Olivia.""
I frowned.
"What kind of argument?""
"Emily believed Patricia was putting too much pressure on our daughter.""
I glanced toward Lily's drawing.
"About ballet?""
"About everything.""
Richard continued.
"Olivia was four at the time. Patricia wanted her in private lessons, competitions, advanced classes. Emily thought she was too young.""
"And?""
"Emily told Patricia that children should be allowed to enjoy being children.""
I stared at the wall.
That sounded familiar.
"Did Patricia get angry?""
"Very.""
"How angry?""
Richard didn't answer immediately.
Then he said, "She told Emily to stay out of our family.""
I felt cold.
"Richard, were you there?""
"No. I was traveling for work.""
I looked down.
"And when you came home?""
"Patricia told me Emily had become unstable. She said Emily was obsessed with the trust and had been harassing her.""
I rubbed my forehead.
"Did you believe her?""
"I did.""
His voice cracked.
"I wish I hadn't.""
I ended the call.
At 3:50, I left Lily with Mrs. Henderson and drove to the estate attorney's office.
The office was located above an old pharmacy.
A brass sign beside the entrance read:
*Miller, Grant & Associates — Estate Law.*
Rebecca was already waiting.
Daniel arrived a minute later.
The attorney, Thomas Miller, greeted us at the door.
He was a short man in his seventies with white hair and a walking cane.
"Mr. Malone.""
"Duke.""
"Please come in.""
His office was crowded with filing cabinets and old legal books.
He placed a large box on the table.
"Emily asked me to keep this safe.""
Rebecca leaned forward.
"What's inside?""
"Documents, correspondence, and personal effects.""
He opened the box.
There were photographs, notebooks, and several sealed envelopes.
At the bottom sat a small wooden box.
The same one Rachel had been holding.
I stared at it.
"That's the box from the photograph.""
Thomas nodded.
"Emily instructed me not to release it unless her sister or the named beneficiaries requested it.""
Rebecca looked at me.
I nodded.
Thomas unlocked it.
Inside were three things.
A USB drive.
A folded letter.
And a small silver key.
Thomas picked up the letter.
"This was written two days before Emily died.""
He handed it to Rebecca.
She opened it.
Her eyes moved across the page.
Then she stopped.
"What is it?"" I asked.
Rebecca swallowed.
"It's addressed to Richard.""
Daniel leaned forward.
"Read it.""
Rebecca hesitated.
Then she began.
Richard,
If you are reading this, then I wasn't able to speak to you before things became worse.
I need you to understand that Patricia has been asking questions about the trust. She wants Olivia to receive everything, and she believes Lily should not be included.
But that isn't the real problem.
Rebecca stopped.
Her voice trembled.
I leaned forward.
"Keep going.""
She continued.
Patricia knows about the documents I kept from the hospital. She knows what happened when Olivia was a baby. She has been asking me to destroy them.
I looked at Daniel.
"What documents?""
Thomas pointed toward the USB drive.
"Emily mentioned that the files were copied onto this device.""
Rebecca continued reading.
I refused. I made a promise to Rachel, and I intend to keep it.
If anything happens to me, please make sure Duke Malone receives the truth.
He deserves to know what happened to his wife.
The room became completely silent.
I stared at the letter.
"What happened to Rachel?""
Rebecca turned the page.
But the final paragraph was missing.
The paper had been torn.
Daniel carefully examined the edge.
"Someone removed this section.""
Thomas nodded.
"The letter arrived like that. I assumed Emily had intentionally torn it.""
I picked up the USB drive.
"What's on this?""
Thomas looked at Daniel.
"We haven't accessed it.""
Daniel removed his laptop.
"Let's find out.""
He connected the drive.
A folder appeared.
Inside were several files.
Medical records.
Photographs.
Scanned documents.
And one video.
The file name was simple.
*RACHEL_MALONE_FINAL_RECORDING.*
My hands went cold.
"Play it.""
Daniel clicked.
The screen flickered.
Then Rachel appeared.
She was sitting in a hospital bed.
Her face was pale.
Her hair was shorter than I remembered.
But her eyes were unmistakably hers.
She looked directly into the camera.
And then she spoke.
"If Duke is watching this, then Emily couldn't keep her promise.""
I stopped breathing.
Rachel took a slow breath.
"Bear, there's something I never told you about the night Lily was born.""
The video continued.
May you like
And the next sentence changed everything I thought I knew about my daughter's first five years.
"Patricia Whitmore was at the hospital that night because she was afraid I would tell you what she had done.""
