Chapter 5: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
My father refused to speak for nearly a minute.
He stood with one hand pressed against the table, staring at the brass key as if the two engraved letters had opened a door he had spent fourteen years trying to seal.
James looked at him.
"Who is Rebecca Whitmore?""
Dad swallowed.
"Richard's older sister.""
Victoria let out a sharp breath.
"Don't.""
My father turned toward her.
"You don't get to tell me what I can say anymore.""
James looked between them.
"I thought my father was an only child.""
"He wanted you to think that," Dad replied.
Daniel moved toward the door and checked the hallway before closing it again.
"Rebecca was the original beneficiary of several Whitmore family holdings," he explained.
"She disappeared shortly before Eleanor died. Her disappearance was officially treated as a voluntary departure, although no one ever produced reliable evidence that she had left the country.""
James stared at him.
"My father told me she died in a boating accident.""
"That was the public explanation," Daniel said.
"There was no body, no verified accident report, and no confirmed witness.""
I felt a chill creep up my arms.
"Why would my mother use her name for a safety deposit box?""
Dad rubbed his face.
"Because Rebecca was the only person who helped Eleanor when the company started threatening her.""
Victoria stepped forward.
"That is a lie.""
My father faced her.
"Then explain why Rebecca came to our house three days before your father disappeared her from the company records.""
"She left on her own.""
"She came to us with a black eye and a broken wrist.""
James turned sharply toward his mother.
"Mom?""
Victoria's lips pressed together.
Dad continued.
"Rebecca had discovered that Richard was moving company money through accounts that weren't disclosed to the board. She wanted to expose him. Eleanor helped her collect the records.""
"Why didn't you tell the police?"" I asked.
"We tried.""
"What happened?""
Dad looked at Daniel.
The attorney answered.
"The initial complaint was withdrawn after Rebecca signed a statement saying she had left voluntarily. That statement was later challenged, but the challenge disappeared from the public record.""
"How does a complaint disappear?""
"With influence," Daniel said.
"And money.""
James lowered himself into a chair.
"My father told me Rebecca was unstable. He said she'd stolen money from the family and fled when they discovered it.""
"That was the story he wanted everyone to believe," Dad replied.
Victoria's eyes flashed.
"Enough. You have no proof of any of this.""
Daniel opened his briefcase and removed a thin folder.
"Actually, Mrs. Whitmore, I have a copy of Rebecca's original complaint, a sworn statement from a former company accountant, and a letter written by Eleanor three days before her death.""
Victoria went completely still.
"Where did you get those?""
"From the same archive your family has spent fourteen years trying to locate.""
She looked at me.
"You have no idea what you've become involved in.""
I stood.
"I didn't choose this. Your family chose it for me when they tried to gain control of my inheritance.""
"Your inheritance is not what you think it is.""
"Then tell me what it is.""
Victoria's mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
James stood beside me.
"Mom, I want you to answer her.""
Victoria looked at her son with an expression of disbelief.
"You are choosing this woman over your own family?""
"I'm asking you a question.""
"And I'm telling you that some truths are better left buried.""
My father gave a bitter laugh.
"That's exactly what your father said when he tried to buy my silence.""
Victoria turned on him.
"Your silence was purchased because you were willing to accept the money!""
The accusation struck harder than anything else she had said.
I looked at Dad.
He didn't deny it.
"I accepted the monthly payments," he said.
"I won't pretend otherwise. I thought I was keeping Emily safe. Maybe I was wrong. But I never signed away the truth.""
Victoria shook her head.
"You accepted thousands of dollars every month while telling your daughter you couldn't afford a new car.""
"I never told her I couldn't afford one. I told her we didn't need one.""
"How noble.""
"No," he said quietly.
"Just a father trying to keep a promise.""
I couldn't bear to listen anymore.
"Stop.""
Both of them turned toward me.
I held up my mother's letter.
"I don't care who was right fourteen years ago. I care about what happened to my mother, what happened to Rebecca, and why someone is trying to freeze a trust that belongs to me.""
Daniel nodded.
"Then we need to locate the original archive.""
"Can we get into the bank?""
"Not until we challenge the restriction. But there may be another way.""
He took out his phone and showed me a photograph of an old building on Beacon Street in Boston.
"Your mother maintained a private office here before she died. She used it for her independent legal work. Most of her records were transferred to the archive, but one room was never included in the transfer.""
"Why?""
"Because she leased it under Rebecca's name.""
My father closed his eyes.
"Of course she did.""
James looked at the photograph.
"If the room still exists, my father may know about it.""
Daniel nodded.
"Which means we have to move quickly.""
I looked at the clock.
The ceremony was supposed to begin fifteen minutes ago.
Two hundred guests were waiting.
The flowers were arranged. The music was playing. Everyone expected me to walk down the aisle and promise to spend my life with James Whitmore.
I turned toward him.
"Did you know any of this before today?""
"No," he said.
"Not about Rebecca. Not about your mother. Not about the trust.""
"But you knew your father had asked you to investigate my family.""
"Yes.""
"And you didn't tell me.""
He looked down.
"I was afraid you'd think I didn't trust you.""
I laughed sadly.
"You didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth.""
"You're right.""
The honesty surprised me more than an excuse would have.
James reached for my hand, then stopped before touching it.
"I can't undo what I did. But I can help you find out what happened.""
I studied his face.
"Even if the truth destroys your family?""
He took a long breath.
"Especially then.""
Before I could respond, Daniel's phone rang again.
He answered, listened, and walked to the far side of the room.
"Yes, this is Daniel Mercer.""
A pause.
"Who is this?""
Another pause.
His face changed.
"Where did you get that number?""
My father stepped toward him.
"What's wrong?""
Daniel held up one finger, listening carefully.
Then he said, "No. I need you to understand that we cannot guarantee her safety unless you come forward.""
He listened again.
"Tonight?""
Daniel looked at me.
"All right. We'll be there.""
He ended the call.
"That was someone connected to the old Whitmore investigation. They say they know where Rebecca is.""
James went pale.
"Who was it?""
Daniel hesitated.
"A former security guard who worked for Richard Whitmore fourteen years ago. He claims Rebecca never left Boston.""
"Then where is she?"" I asked.
Daniel looked toward the window.
"According to him, she's been living under another name in a care facility outside the city.""
My father gripped the back of a chair.
"Is she alive?""
"The caller believes she is.""
I felt my knees weaken.
A woman my family had believed dead for fourteen years might still be alive.
And my mother had left me a key bearing her initials.
"Then we go there," I said.
Daniel shook his head.
"Not tonight. We need to verify the information first. If Richard knows we're looking for Rebecca, he may try to move her.""
"Then we can't wait.""
"Emily, rushing in without preparation could put her in danger.""
I looked at my father.
He nodded reluctantly.
"He's right, sweetheart. We need to be careful.""
For the first time that afternoon, I was grateful he had spoken.
I took a breath.
"Fine. We verify the facility, then we go.""
James reached for his phone.
"I'll arrange a car.""
"No," I said.
He stopped.
"I'm not letting your family know where we're going.""
"I can use my own driver.""
"Your driver reports to your father.""
James stared at me.
Then he put the phone away.
"You're right.""
Daniel began gathering the documents.
"We should leave separately. Robert, take Emily to your hotel. James, return to the ballroom and keep Richard occupied if he arrives.""
James looked offended.
"I'm not abandoning her.""
"Then don't," I replied.
"But don't make decisions for me, either.""
He nodded slowly.
"I won't.""
We were nearly at the door when Victoria spoke.
"Emily.""
I turned.
For the first time since I had met her, she looked older than her years. The perfect posture remained, but her fingers were shaking around the strap of her purse.
"Whatever you think you know about Rebecca, there is something your father hasn't told you.""
Dad went rigid.
I looked at him.
"What?""
Victoria's eyes filled with tears, although I couldn't tell whether they were genuine.
"Rebecca wasn't just your mother's friend.""
She paused.
May you like
Then she delivered the sentence that made my father sink into the nearest chair.
"She was the woman who signed your mother's death certificate.""
