Chapter 2 - Under the Bunny
“What bunny?”
I asked Rosie.
She pointed at the stuffed rabbit in her hand.
At first, I thought she meant that one.
Then she shook her head.
“Not Mr. Hops.”
My mother stood behind me.
“Daniel, she’s exhausted.”
Rosie ignored her.
“The blue bunny.”
I froze.
Sofia’s bedroom had a ceramic rabbit on the bookshelf.
Blue glass.
Rosie had called it Bunny Moon.
I hadn’t thought about it in years.
Vivienne was already moving toward the hallway.
Security stepped in front of her.
She stopped.
“Are you seriously holding me here because of something a toddler said?”
I faced her.
“No.”
I held up the ring.
“I’m holding you here because you’re wearing property that belonged to a dead woman.”
Her eyes flashed.
“That’s insane.”
“Then explain it.”
“I told you. I bought it.”
“From whom?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“Not every purchase becomes a family investigation.”
My brother Michael pushed back from the table.
“Daniel, maybe everybody should calm down.”
“Stay out of it.”
Michael raised his hands.
“I’m trying to help.”
Vivienne looked toward him.
Just a glance.
Tiny.
Quick.
But I saw it.
And suddenly I wondered why.
I pulled out my phone and called Sofia’s sister, Elena.
She answered on the fourth ring.
“Daniel?”
“I need you to tell me something.”
A pause.
“What happened?”
“Sofia’s grandmother’s ring. The platinum one with the star inside.”
Silence.
Then Elena said, “What about it?”
“Where was it after Sofia died?”
Another silence.
Longer this time.
“In her jewelry box.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“Did you take it?”
“No.”
“Did anyone?”
“Not that I know of.”
I looked at Vivienne.
She folded her arms.
Elena’s voice dropped.
“Daniel, why are you asking?”
“Vivienne is wearing it.”
Nothing.
Then I heard Elena inhale.
“That’s impossible.”
Rosie hugged my leg.
I looked down.
“Elena, did Sofia ever mention Vivienne to you?”
That question changed everything.
Elena didn’t answer.
“Elena?”
“When can you come over?”
“Why?”
“Because this isn’t a phone conversation.”
My chest tightened.
“Elena.”
“Daniel, Sofia was afraid of somebody.”
Across the room, Vivienne’s jaw tightened.
I turned away from her.
“Who?”
“She never gave me a name.”
“Why not?”
“She said if she was wrong, she could destroy your life.”
I looked back at Vivienne.
“And if she was right?”
Elena took a shaky breath.
“She said someone close to you was stealing from your company.”
My mind went blank.
Mercer Development employed more than four hundred people.
Vivienne had joined as chief financial officer eight months earlier.
Michael ran operations.
Sofia used to do contract accounting for us before the divorce.
Then Elena said something worse.
“She also told me somebody had been inside her house.”
My hand tightened around the phone.
“When?”
“Three days before she died.”
Vivienne shook her head.
“This is getting absurd.”
I ignored her.
“What was missing?”
“That’s the strange part.”
Elena’s voice turned quiet.
“Nothing.”
Rosie tugged my sleeve again.
“Daddy.”
I crouched.
She held up Mr. Hops.
“What?”
“Mommy put the little key in Bunny Moon.”
I stared at her.
“What key?”
May you like
Rosie whispered,
“The one the shiny lady couldn’t find.”
