Chapter 3: The Letter My Father Hid
Jack reached for the envelope.
Pearl slapped his hand away.
"Don't.""
He stared at her.
"Why?""
"Because it belongs to Pamela.""
I stepped forward.
"Give it to me.""
Pearl looked at me for several seconds.
Then she handed it over.
The envelope felt strangely warm in my fingers.
My father's handwriting was unmistakable.
I hadn't seen it since I was seventeen.
I turned the envelope over.
There was a second name written beneath mine.
Pearl Nash.
Jack noticed it too.
"Why is her name on it?""
Pearl said nothing.
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a letter.
One page.
Folded twice.
I unfolded it with shaking hands.
Pamela,
If you are reading this, then Pearl has found you.
My breath stopped.
Jack moved closer.
I continued.
I am sorry.
There are things about your mother's death that I never told you.
I looked up.
"My mother's death?""
Jack gently touched my shoulder.
"Keep reading.""
I did.
Your mother did not die because of an accident.
The room tilted.
I grabbed the desk.
Pearl closed her eyes.
Jack whispered, "Oh my God.""
I read the next line.
She was trying to protect you from Pearl.
I looked at Pearl.
She was staring at the floor.
"You knew.""
Pearl said nothing.
"You knew my mother didn't die in an accident.""
Her jaw tightened.
Jack stepped toward her.
"You knew?""
Pearl finally looked up.
"Yes.""
My chest hurt.
"Then why did you let me believe it?""
"Because you were safer believing it.""
"Safer?""
I laughed.
It came out broken.
"You chained me to a table.""
Pearl flinched.
"You don't understand.""
"Then explain it.""
She didn't.
Jack took the letter from my hand.
He read the final paragraph.
His expression became unreadable.
"What does this mean?""
I looked at him.
"What?""
He turned the paper toward me.
There was one final sentence.
The person who caused your mother's death is closer to you than you think.
Silence.
Pearl whispered, "Pamela...""
I stepped backward.
"No.""
"Listen to me.""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"You lied about everything.""
"I lied because—"
"You knew my mother.""
"Yes.""
"You knew my father.""
"Yes.""
"You knew about the house.""
"Yes.""
"You knew about the trust.""
Pearl's eyes filled with tears.
"Yes.""
I pointed at the letter.
"And you knew who killed my mother.""
Pearl looked at Jack.
Then at me.
Her lips parted.
Before she could speak, a loud knock came from the front door.
Three sharp knocks.
Jack turned.
Nobody moved.
The knock came again.
Then a man's voice echoed through the hallway.
"Mr. Driscoll?""
Jack walked toward the door.
"Who is it?""
The man answered.
"My name is Daniel Cross. I'm an attorney.""
Pearl's face suddenly lost all color.
Jack noticed.
"Why are you scared of him?""
Pearl whispered, "Because he was there.""
I felt my heart stop.
"Where?""
Pearl looked at me.
"The night your mother died.""
Jack opened the door.
A tall man in a navy suit stood on the porch holding a leather briefcase.
He looked past Jack.
His eyes found me.
Then his expression changed.
He whispered my name.
"Pamela Quinn.""
Jack stepped in front of me.
"Who are you?""
Daniel's eyes remained fixed on me.
"I knew your father.""
Pearl appeared behind us.
Daniel saw her.
His face hardened.
"Pearl.""
She gripped the doorframe.
Daniel lifted his briefcase.
"I have documents proving what happened twenty years ago.""
Jack's voice was cold.
"Then come inside.""
Daniel shook his head.
"Not yet.""
He looked at me.
"There is one thing you need to know first.""
My heart hammered.
"What?""
Daniel glanced at Pearl.
Then back at me.
"Your mother wasn't trying to protect you from Pearl.""
Pearl whispered, "Daniel, don't.""
He ignored her.
"She was trying to protect Pearl from your father.""
I stared at him.
"What does that mean?""
Daniel swallowed.
"It means your father was the dangerous one.""
He opened his briefcase.
"And Pearl has spent twenty years taking the blame for something she didn't do.""
I looked at Pearl.
For the first time since she entered my life, she wasn't smiling.
She looked terrified.
Daniel pulled out a second photograph.
"This is the last photograph ever taken of your mother.""
He handed it to me.
I looked down.
My mother was standing beside my father.
Pearl was behind them.
And on the far right of the photograph stood a fourth person.
A man I had never seen before.
But Jack had.
His face went white.
"Pam...""
I looked at him.
"Who is that?""
Jack didn't answer.
Because the man in the photograph was the same man whose name appeared on Jack's office security records every Friday for the past six months.
Daniel quietly said,
May you like
"That's the man who's been watching you.""
And then my unborn baby kicked hard enough to make me gasp.
