Chapter 3 - The Woman in My Mother’s Grave
I laughed.
It was the wrong reaction, but my mind rejected the sentence.
“You identified Mom.”
“I identified what I was shown.”
Dad's voice sounded twenty years older.
The accident happened during a storm.
A burned vehicle.
Severe damage.
Personal effects provided identification.
My mother’s handbag.
Wedding ring.
Dental records.
Except Richard had discovered years later that one section of the dental report had been altered.
“Years later?”
My anger arrived instantly.
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“For how long?”
“Seven years.”
I stepped backward.
“You let me visit her grave.”
“I had no proof.”
“You had seven years!”
Daniel suddenly spoke.
“Emily, this isn't the place.”
I turned on him.
“How much did you know?”
“Nothing.”
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“Liar.”
Daniel glared at her.
She removed the sapphire necklace with trembling fingers.
“I didn't know it belonged to Emily’s mother.”
“Where did you get it?”
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
“He gave it to me tonight.”
Daniel shook his head.
“The club arranged the jewelry selection.”
The waiter corrected him.
“No, sir.”
Daniel froze.
The waiter explained that the necklace had not belonged to Aurum House.
It had arrived that afternoon with instructions that it be presented specifically during Daniel Hayes’s reservation.
“Hayes?”
I looked at him.
“My surname is Carter.”
The waiter checked his reservation ledger.
“It was booked under Daniel Hayes.”
My maiden name.
Dad’s surname.
Daniel looked genuinely confused.
“I never used that name.”
Dad suddenly crossed the room and opened his old folder.
Inside was a faded membership record.
Aurum House.
Member:
Richard Hayes.
Spouse:
Laura Hayes.
My mother.
Twenty-two years earlier.
The room seemed to tilt.
“Mom belonged here?”
“She hated this place.”
“Then why?”
Dad looked toward the necklace.
“Because she was investigating someone.”
My mother had been a forensic accountant.
That much I knew.
What I didn't know was that during the final year of her life, she had quietly assisted Richard on a private investigation involving wealthy clients, offshore trusts and identity laundering.
Then she supposedly died.
Vanessa whispered:
“Daniel told me Richard discovered the truth and died last month.”
I stared at Daniel.
“You told her my father was dead?”
Daniel backed toward the table.
“She misunderstood.”
“No.”
Vanessa was crying now.
“You showed me an obituary.”
Dad’s expression sharpened.
“What obituary?”
Vanessa reached into her purse.
She unfolded a printed page.
Richard read it.
His face drained.
The obituary included his full name.
Correct birthday.
Career.
Even the name of the cemetery where he had supposedly been buried.
Then Dad looked at the date.
It had been created six months earlier.
Before Daniel filed for divorce.
My father slowly raised his eyes.
“He wasn't preparing to leave you six months ago.”
I looked at Daniel.
May you like
Dad continued:
“He was preparing for me to disappear.”
