Chapter 6: The Secret She Buried
Nobody spoke.
The kitchen seemed impossibly quiet.
Even the refrigerator sounded loud.
I looked at Rebecca.
“What do you mean, Dad didn't die naturally?””
She glanced at Mom.
“Ask her.””
I did.
“Mom?””
My mother sat motionless.
“Your father had a heart attack,” she said.
“That isn't what she said.””
“I know.””
“So tell me the truth.””
Mom's hands trembled.
Rebecca leaned back.
“I'll let her tell you.””
Mom stared at the floor.
“Your father was poisoned.””
The word seemed to echo.
“Poisoned?””
“Yes.””
“By who?””
“I don't know.””
Rebecca shook her head.
“You know.””
Mom looked at her.
“I suspected.””
“You knew.””
“I suspected.””
“You hid it.””
“I was trying to protect David.””
I stepped toward her.
“Protect me from what?””
Mom looked up.
“From the truth.””
I almost laughed.
“The truth is apparently the only thing everyone in my life has been protecting me from.””
Rebecca lowered her eyes.
“Your father discovered that his father had lied about me.””
I listened.
“He found out I was alive,” Rebecca continued.
“He started searching for me.””
“And then?””
“He found me.””
My breath caught.
“When?””
“Three weeks before he died.””
I looked at Mom.
“Did you know?””
“Yes.””
“And you kept us apart?””
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
Mom's voice broke.
“Your grandfather had threatened him.””
“Threatened him with what?””
“Everything.””
She wiped her face.
“He told your father that if he contacted Rebecca, he would expose certain financial records.””
“What financial records?””
Mom hesitated.
“The family company.””
Rebecca nodded.
“My grandfather had been stealing from it for years.””
I stared at her.
“So Dad discovered the theft?””
“Yes.””
“And that's why he was poisoned?””
“We don't know if that was the reason,” Rebecca said.
I turned toward her.
“You said he was poisoned.””
“The medical examiner found traces of something unusual.””
“What?””
“Digitalis.””
My stomach turned.
“That's a heart medication.””
“Yes.””
“Too much can be fatal.””
Mom whispered, “Your father had no prescription for it.””
I sat down.
Everything I knew about my father's death was collapsing.
The funeral.
The flowers.
The church.
The doctor telling me my father had suffered a sudden cardiac event.
I had been twenty-two.
I'd cried until my chest hurt.
Mom had held me.
Now I wondered if she had known even then.
“Why didn't you tell the police?””
Mom looked at me.
“Because I couldn't prove anything.””
“And Grandpa?””
“He died two years later.””
“Convenient.””
Mom didn't answer.
Rebecca opened her folder.
“Your father left something behind.””
“What?””
“A letter.””
She handed me an envelope.
My name was written on it.
*David.*
The handwriting was unmistakable.
My father's.
My fingers shook as I opened it.
There were only a few paragraphs.
He wrote about Rebecca.
About regret.
About money.
And about a woman he said he trusted more than anyone.
My mother.
But the final line made my skin crawl.
*If anything happens to me, don't let Evelyn give Vanessa control of the trust.*
I stopped.
I read it again.
“Vanessa?””
Rebecca nodded.
“Your wife.””
“But Dad died before I met Vanessa.””
“Yes.””
I looked at Mom.
She was staring at the letter.
“What does this mean?””
Mom whispered:
“He knew about her family.””
I frowned.
“Her family?””
“Vanessa isn't who you think she is.””
I stood.
“Then who is she?””
Mom couldn't answer.
Rebecca did.
“Vanessa's maiden name was Vanessa Bell.””
I stared at her.
“That doesn't mean anything.””
“It should.””
Rebecca pulled out another document.
“Her father was Thomas Bell.””
The name struck me.
I had heard it before.
Not recently.
Years ago.
My father used to mention a man named Thomas.
A business partner.
Someone he didn't trust.
Someone who had supposedly disappeared after a financial scandal.
I looked at Rebecca.
“Thomas Bell worked with Dad?””
“Yes.””
Mom nodded.
“They were partners.””
“What happened?””
“Your father discovered the theft.””
I felt dizzy.
“By Thomas?””
“Yes.””
Rebecca leaned forward.
“And Thomas had a daughter.””
“Vanessa.””
“Yes.””
I stared at my phone.
All those years.
All those excuses.
All the money.
The boutique.
The accounts.
The secret company.
It suddenly looked different.
But there was still one question.
“Why marry me?””
Rebecca's expression was grim.
“Because your father left you something.””
“What?””
“Control of the trust.””
I looked at Mom.
She nodded slowly.
“Your father believed that if you ever discovered the truth, you would protect Rebecca.””
“And Vanessa?””
“She wanted access to everything.””
I sat down.
My entire marriage suddenly felt like a carefully constructed room with hidden doors.
“How did she know about the trust?””
Rebecca answered quietly.
“Your mother told her.””
I looked at Mom.
She shook her head.
“No.””
Rebecca stared at her.
“You told her after David married her.””
“I trusted her.””
“You gave her the passwords.””
“I thought she loved him.””
My voice came out hoarse.
“You gave my wife access to my mother's money because you trusted her?””
Mom started crying.
“I made a mistake.””
“One mistake?””
“No.””
She looked at me.
“Many.””
I didn't know what to say.
Then my phone rang.
Vanessa.
I answered.
“Where are you?””
“At home.””
“I need you to listen carefully.””
I said nothing.
“I know you found Rebecca.””
“How?””
“I know everything you've been doing today.””
A chill ran through me.
“How?””
“You left your location sharing on.””
I looked at my phone.
She was right.
“Vanessa, it's over.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
“You don't understand.””
“I understand enough.””
“No, David.””
Her voice changed.
She sounded terrified.
“You think I took your mother's money.””
“You did.””
“I moved it.””
“You stole it.””
“I moved it because someone was going to kill you.””
I froze.
“What?””
“David, your father wasn't the only one who knew about the trust.””
I looked at Rebecca.
Vanessa continued.
“Your mother isn't the person you need to be afraid of.””
My stomach tightened.
“Then who?””
Silence.
“Vanessa?””
She whispered:
“The person who has been watching your mother for twenty years.””
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Rebecca stood.
“David.””
“What?””
She pointed toward the window.
A black sedan was parked across the street.
Its engine was running.
And someone was sitting behind the wheel.
Mom saw it.
Her face drained of color.
“I know that car.””
I looked at her.
“Whose is it?””
May you like
She whispered one name.
“Thomas Bell.””
