CHAPTER 4 — THE SIGNATURE
CHAPTER 4 — THE SIGNATURE
Julian stared at the television.
The audio file had ended.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Finally, he whispered, “I never signed anything.”
George recovered first.
“You signed hundreds of documents for Westbridge.”
“I didn’t work for Westbridge.”
“You consulted for us.”
Julian shook his head.
“Only on drainage design. I never approved structural materials.”
George looked almost sympathetic.
“You were young. Ambitious. You probably didn’t understand what you were signing.”
Julian lunged toward him.
Richard caught his son before he reached George.
“You told me Audrey leaked Sienna’s reports!”
George raised both hands.
“Because that’s what I believed.”
“You gave me the voicemail.”
“I received it anonymously.”
“You told me Audrey was jealous of Sienna.”
“She was.”
Audrey stepped forward.
“No. I was her friend.”
George laughed.
“You barely knew her.”
Audrey’s eyes filled with tears, but she did not look away.
“Sienna was my half sister.”
Clara gasped.
Julian froze.
Audrey continued.
“Our father had a relationship with Sienna’s mother before he married mine. The families kept it private. Sienna and I discovered the truth when we were teenagers.”
Julian stared at her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Sienna asked me not to. She was afraid people would think her career came from family connections.”
“You lied to me for two years.”
Audrey’s expression broke.
“I kept my sister’s confidence. That is not the same as building a marriage to punish someone.”
Julian looked away.
Clara stepped toward George.
“Where are the approval papers?”
George’s calm finally cracked.
“I don’t know.”
Richard picked up the flash drive.
“If Julian’s signature was used, there will be records.”
George’s mouth tightened.
“Old records disappear.”
Audrey looked at Maria.
“Did anything else fall from the bouquet?”
Maria nodded slowly.
“A small key.”
She reached into her apron.
It was a silver safety-deposit key marked with the number 317.
George stared at it.
Clara saw his reaction.
“You recognize that.”
“No.”
“Yes, you do.”
Audrey held out her hand.
“Sienna rented a private box at First Oakhaven Bank.”
George’s voice turned low.
“That branch closed two years ago.”
“The boxes were transferred to Richmond Federal.”
George’s face lost its color.
Julian noticed.
“What’s in box 317?”
George did not answer.
Richard took out his phone.
“We’ll find out in the morning.”
George suddenly smiled.
A strange, defeated smile.
“You think the bank will let you open a dead woman’s box?”
Audrey removed a thin chain from beneath her wedding gown.
Hanging from it was a second key.
“Sienna made me co-owner.”
May you like
George’s smile vanished.
Then every light in the house went out.
