Chapter 5 - The Page in Vanessa’s Purse
Vanessa stopped pretending.
“That was given to me.”
“By whom?” the officer asked.
She looked toward Preston.
He stared back at her.
Neither answered.
Raymond almost admired the speed with which loyalty disappeared when prison became possible.
The officer opened the photocopy without removing it from the evidence sleeve.
The page contained a paragraph discussing succession rights if Emily died while a child beneficiary was still a minor.
Raymond knew immediately what was missing.
The next page.
The page containing Catherine’s protection clause.
Preston apparently had never seen it.
Neither had Vanessa.
That mistake might save everything.
Raymond said nothing.
The officers escorted Vanessa toward an interview room.
As she passed Preston, she whispered.
“You fix this.”
Preston did not look at her.
“You attacked my wife.”
Vanessa stopped walking.
Her expression became almost amused.
“So that’s how you’re playing it?”
Preston’s face tightened.
One officer urged her forward.
Vanessa laughed softly.
“You coward.”
Raymond stored every reaction.
Hours later, Emily woke in a private recovery room.
Her first word was not Preston’s name.
“Baby?”
Raymond was beside her.
“He’s in the NICU.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
Emily cried silently.
No dramatic sob.
No scream.
Tears simply slid toward her hairline.
“What did they name him?”
Raymond smiled faintly.
“They told me his mother should decide.”
Emily looked toward the window.
“Samuel.”
“Your father’s name.”
Emily nodded.
“Samuel Catherine would have been strange.”
Raymond laughed once despite himself.
Then Emily’s face changed.
“Preston?”
“Still here.”
“Why?”
“He claims he is concerned about you.”
Emily looked at Raymond.
“Is Vanessa arrested?”
“Police are investigating.”
Emily closed her eyes.
Raymond told her about the trust page.
Her eyes opened immediately.
“That page was in my mother’s files.”
“I know.”
“Those files are in the lake house safe.”
“I know.”
Emily stared at him.
Only three people knew the safe combination.
Emily.
Raymond.
And Preston.
She had given it to her husband after their wedding.
Not because she was careless.
Because she trusted him.
Raymond said quietly.
“We are going to the lake house.”
“No.”
Emily’s voice sharpened.
“Call Anna.”
Raymond frowned.
“Your mother’s housekeeper?”
“She still lives nearby.”
“What are you thinking?”
Emily swallowed.
“Mom kept duplicate files.”
Raymond leaned closer.
“Where?”
“She never told anyone.”
“Then how do you know?”
“Because three days before she died, she gave me a key.”
Emily looked toward her purse.
“My old jewelry box.”
Raymond found it inside an inner pocket.
A tiny brass key was taped beneath the lining.
Emily stared at it.
“My mother told me I would understand what it opened when somebody tried to take away my name.”
Raymond felt cold.
May you like
Emily whispered.
“I think she knew this could happen.”
