Chapter 5 - THE BRIDE’S ROLE
The video was grainy.
But there was no mistaking my mother.
She carried Sophie’s jacket over one arm.
Cassandra followed closely behind her.
They disappeared through a staff entrance.
Seven minutes later, my mother returned alone.
She hung the jacket on the back of Sophie’s chair.
My hands became cold.
“Where was Sophie?”
“With me during the photographs.”
“Why did your mother have the jacket?”
“I don’t know.”
Officer Mercer paused the video.
“Look at Cassandra’s hand.”
I leaned closer.
Something silver flashed between her fingers.
Preston’s phone.
My breath caught.
“She had it.”
“That appears to be the missing phone.”
“Then she gave it to my mother.”
“We need more footage.”
My anger sharpened into something clear.
This had not been Preston’s sudden decision.
Three people had planned it.
Preston.
My mother.
Cassandra.
“Why?”
Mercer looked at me.
“That is what we need to discover.”
My phone rang again.
Rachel Cole.
I answered immediately.
“Are you safe?”
“For now.”
“Where are you?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Who found you?”
“A man who used to work for your father.”
“Thomas Reed?”
Silence.
Then Rachel whispered, “Yes.”
Mercer heard the name.
He began tracing the call.
Rachel continued.
“The person who planted the bracelet in my daughter’s bag was Cassandra.”
My knees nearly gave way.
“She knew Preston six years ago?”
“They have known each other since college.”
“Why frame your daughter?”
“My husband worked for Whitmore Capital.”
“He discovered missing money inside one of Preston’s charity accounts.”
“How much?”
“Almost four million dollars.”
“He planned to report it.”
“And Preston framed your daughter to silence him?”
“They threatened to accuse my husband of stealing the money.”
“My husband signed a nondisclosure agreement.”
“Then we left Chicago.”
“Why tell me now?”
“Because my husband died last month.”
“I have nothing left for them to threaten.”
I looked through the glass at Sophie.
“Do you have evidence?”
“My husband kept records.”
“Bank transfers.”
“Emails.”
“Audio files.”
“Where are they?”
“In a safe-deposit box.”
“Which bank?”
Before Rachel could answer, a loud crash exploded through the call.
A man shouted.
Rachel gasped.
Then the line went dead.
“Rachel!”
No answer.
Mercer handed his phone to another officer.
“Trace it.”
The officer ran.
I turned to Mercer.
“They are going to kill her.”
“We don’t know that.”
“They sent a man into my daughter’s hospital room.”
Mercer’s jaw tightened.
“I’m placing an officer outside this door.”
“One officer?”
“We will add more.”
“What about Rachel?”
“We’re locating her.”
I returned to Sophie’s bedside.
She had fallen asleep.
I brushed the hair away from her bandage.
A few minutes later, my father appeared in the corridor.
He wore the same tuxedo.
His bow tie had been removed.
Two attorneys walked behind him.
Officer Mercer blocked the doorway.
“You cannot enter.”
“That is my granddaughter.”
“You should have remembered that at the hotel.”
My father looked past him at me.
“Evelyn.”
I stepped into the hall.
“What do you want?”
“To end this before it becomes uglier.”
“It became ugly when Preston hit Sophie.”
“He made a mistake.”
“He planned it.”
My father’s eyes moved toward Mercer.
“This is a family discussion.”
“No.”
I crossed my arms.
“You can speak in front of the police.”
One of his attorneys opened a leather folder.
My father removed a document.
“Your mortgage belongs to Whitmore Financial.”
My heartbeat slowed.
“What?”
“The loan was acquired three months ago.”
“Your house is collateral.”
My hands curled into fists.
“You threatened Sophie with our house.”
“I am giving you a choice.”
He held out the document.
“Sign a statement saying Preston acted accidentally.”
“In exchange, your mortgage disappears.”
I stared at the page.
“And if I refuse?”
My father’s face did not change.
“You and Sophie will have nowhere to go by Friday.”
Then Sophie’s weak voice came from behind me.
“Grandpa?”
He looked into the room.
She was awake.
May you like
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Why do you hate us?”
