Chapter 5: The Signature That Should Never Have Been There
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
I stared at the document.
My mother's signature looked delicate and careful.
Diane's was large, slanted, and unmistakable.
“Why did you sign this?”” I asked.
Diane snatched the paper from the desk.
“I don't know what this is.””
Elizabeth immediately stood.
“Put that down.””
“It's a photocopy. It proves nothing.””
“Then you shouldn't have any difficulty explaining it.””
Diane threw the paper onto the desk.
“You people have spent years trying to make me look like a criminal.””
My father moved closer to her.
“Diane, stop talking.””
She turned on him.
“Don't you dare tell me to stop!””
Elizabeth opened her briefcase again.
“According to this document, Laura was asked to surrender control of a financial account established for Maya. The request was made while Laura was hospitalized.””
I looked at the paper.
“What account?””
“The same account your grandfather later placed into the Collins Family Trust.””
I remembered the $180,000.
The money my father and Diane had withdrawn.
“Was that Mom's money?””
Elizabeth nodded.
“Some of it originally came from your mother's family.””
My eyes widened.
“My mom's family?””
“Yes. Laura inherited money from her parents. After her death, Harold placed the remaining assets into a protected fund for you.””
“Then why did Dad say Grandpa gave him the money?””
Richard looked toward the window.
Elizabeth answered.
“Because he wanted you to believe the money was his to control.””
My father finally spoke.
“That is not fair.””
Elizabeth turned.
“Then explain the withdrawals.””
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Diane walked toward the desk and picked up the photograph of my mother.
“You all keep pretending Laura was some innocent angel. She made mistakes too.””
I held out my hand.
“Give me the photograph.””
Diane ignored me.
“Your mother wanted to leave Richard. She was going to take Maya and the money.””
“That's not true,” Elizabeth said.
“You weren't there!””
“I was the attorney who prepared the guardianship documents.””
Diane's eyes narrowed.
“And you were Harold's favorite little employee.””
Elizabeth didn't react.
Instead, she removed a small sealed envelope.
“This was found among Laura's personal effects. It was never delivered because the person who collected her belongings failed to include it in the hospital's official inventory.””
My heart started racing.
“Is it from Mom?””
“Yes.””
Elizabeth handed it to me.
My name was written across the front in handwriting I had never seen before.
For my Maya, when she's old enough.
I pressed the envelope against my chest.
“Can I read it?””
“Of course.””
I carefully opened the flap.
Inside was a folded sheet of paper.
The first line made my eyes fill with tears.
My sweet little girl,
If you're reading this, I hope you're surrounded by people who love you. I hope you know that you were the best thing that ever happened to me.
I had to stop.
My voice wouldn't work.
Elizabeth gently touched my shoulder.
“Would you like me to read it with you?””
I nodded.
She continued.
I want you to know something. If people ever tell you that I left you, please don't believe them. I would never choose a life without you.
My father lowered his head.
Diane crossed her arms.
Elizabeth kept reading.
There are things about our family that I don't understand anymore. Your grandfather has promised to protect you, and I trust him more than anyone.
I have asked him to keep something safe until you're older.
It's not money.
It's something that belongs to you.
I looked up.
“What does she mean?””
Elizabeth turned the letter over.
There was another paragraph written at the bottom.
If you ever meet the woman who calls herself your father's wife, ask her about the silver music box.
My eyes moved toward Diane.
Her face had become completely still.
“What music box?”” I asked.
Diane shook her head.
“Your mother was sick. She wrote things that didn't make sense.””
Elizabeth looked at her.
“Where is it?””
“I don't know.””
“Harold's inventory shows that Laura owned a silver music box with a small engraving inside the lid.””
“I said I don't know!””
My father suddenly stepped between them.
“Diane, just tell her.””
She spun around.
“Don't you start!””
I looked at my father.
“Do you know where it is?””
He hesitated.
Then he nodded.
“I think so.””
Diane grabbed his sleeve.
“Richard, don't.””
He pulled away.
“It was in the attic.””
Elizabeth frowned.
“Why was it in the attic?””
“Because Diane put it there after the funeral.””
I stared at her.
“You took Mom's music box?””
Diane's voice rose.
“I didn't want you constantly asking questions about a woman you barely remembered!””
I stepped backward.
“I wanted to remember her.””
“You had a family already!””
I looked at her.
“No. I had Grandpa.””
The words hung in the room.
Diane's face twisted.
For a moment, I thought she might slap me.
Instead, she turned toward Elizabeth.
“Whatever you think you know, you don't understand what Harold was doing. He was destroying this family.””
Elizabeth closed the briefcase.
“Harold was trying to protect a child.””
“From what?””
Elizabeth looked directly at Diane.
“From the people who were supposed to protect her.””
We went upstairs.
The attic was at the end of a narrow staircase above the guest bedroom.
Mr. Bennett had arrived while Elizabeth was explaining the letter. He stayed close to me as we climbed.
The air smelled of dust and old cardboard.
Grandpa had kept everything.
Christmas decorations.
Broken lamps.
Boxes of old photographs.
A small rocking horse that had belonged to my father.
Richard walked toward a wooden trunk near the back.
“Diane put it in here.””
He opened the lid.
Inside were several blankets and a collection of old toys.
Then he found it.
A small silver music box.
Its surface was tarnished, but the engraving remained visible.
A tiny rose had been carved into the lid.
I reached for it.
My hands trembled as I opened it.
A soft melody began playing.
I didn't recognize the tune.
But it made my chest ache.
“Mom owned this?”” I whispered.
Elizabeth nodded.
“She used to play it when you were a baby.””
I turned the box over.
There was a small engraving inside the lid.
Laura and Maya. Forever.
I started crying again.
Mr. Bennett gave me a handkerchief.
Then I noticed something strange.
The music box had a small compartment beneath the velvet lining.
I pressed the edge.
A hidden drawer slid open.
Inside was a tiny folded photograph.
And a key.
Not the same brass key Grandpa had given me.
This one was silver.
Attached to it was a paper tag.
*SAFE DEPOSIT BOX 806.*
Elizabeth took a sharp breath.
“Harold told me about this.””
“What is it?””
“A safety deposit box at First National Bank.””
“What's inside?””
“I don't know. Laura placed it there before she died.””
My father stared at the key.
“That's impossible.””
Elizabeth turned toward him.
“Why?””
He looked at Diane.
She was standing near the attic door.
Her face had become almost expressionless.
Then she said something quietly.
“Because I already destroyed what was inside.””
I stared at her.
“You what?””
Diane blinked.
Then she seemed to realize what she'd said.
“I didn't mean—”
Elizabeth stepped forward.
“You have just made a very serious statement.””
Diane grabbed her handbag.
“I'm leaving.””
Mr. Bennett moved toward the stairs.
“You're not taking anything from this house.””
“I don't need your permission!””
She rushed down the steps.
My father remained beside the trunk.
I looked at him.
“Dad, what did Diane destroy?””
He rubbed his face.
“I don't know.””
“You're lying.””
He looked at me.
For the first time, his eyes filled with tears.
“I was told the box was empty.””
“By who?””
He looked toward the staircase.
Then he whispered:
“By the woman who was supposed to be your mother's best friend.””
Elizabeth froze.
I looked at her.
“Who?””
She slowly turned toward my father.
“Richard, are you saying Diane knew Laura before she married you?””
My father nodded.
Then he said something that made the entire attic feel suddenly colder.
“Diane wasn't just Mom's friend.””
May you like
He swallowed.
“She was there the night Mom died.””
