Chapter 5 - The Woman in the Red Dress
Daniel hadn't spoken about his father's death in years.
Charles Mercer had been found in his study shortly after midnight.
Heart attack.
No forced entry.
No suspicious circumstances.
Marcus had been there earlier that evening.
Daniel remembered because Marcus had called him.
Your father collapsed.
Come home.
Daniel had arrived too late.
Now he stared at the photograph.
Emily touched his arm.
“Don't assume it proves anything.”
“My father was trying to expose Marcus's father.”
“Marcus isn't his father.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You're defending him?”
“No. I'm stopping you from becoming certain before you have evidence.”
That was the moment Daniel understood why he trusted her.
Emily's kindness wasn't weakness.
It wasn't naïveté.
She could give away grocery money and still see the world clearly.
The next day Daniel arranged for forensic examination of his father's archived medical records.
He also moved Emily and Noah temporarily to a secure Mercer apartment.
Emily hated the idea.
“I don't need a penthouse.”
“It isn't a penthouse.”
The elevator opened.
Emily stared through twenty-foot windows at the lake.
“This bathroom is bigger than our apartment.”
“Technically that's not a complaint.”
She turned toward him.
“I'm paying you back for every night.”
“With what?”
Her eyes narrowed.
Daniel immediately regretted it.
“That sounded terrible.”
“It did.”
“I meant—”
“I know what you meant.”
She walked away.
Daniel followed.
“Emily.”
She stopped.
“I don't want to become one of your projects.”
“You aren't.”
“You've spent your entire life solving problems with money.”
“It's usually effective.”
“Not with me.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Then tell me what works with you.”
The question changed the air between them.
Emily looked up at him.
For a second, neither moved.
Then Noah walked in carrying three bags of free hotel toiletries.
“This place is incredible.”
Emily stepped away.
Daniel almost laughed.
That evening, Daniel received preliminary findings.
His father's toxicology report had never been completed.
A sample remained in long-term storage.
Someone had requested its destruction six months earlier.
Authorization:
Marcus Hale.
Daniel immediately called the laboratory.
The sample was still there.
A court order would preserve it.
Meanwhile Emily returned to the restaurant for her shift.
Daniel objected.
She went anyway.
At ten thirty, a woman requested Emily specifically.
She sat alone by the windows.
Sixties.
Silver hair.
Red coat.
Emily approached.
“Can I help you?”
The woman looked at her for a long time.
“You have Laura's eyes.”
Emily stopped.
“You knew my mother?”
“Better than anyone.”
The woman introduced herself as Evelyn Shaw.
She had worked with Laura at the restaurant thirty years earlier.
“Your mother saved Charles Mercer once,” Evelyn said.
“From what?”
“From becoming his father.”
Emily sat despite herself.
Evelyn explained that Charles had discovered Victor Hale diverting trust assets. Charles wanted to expose him.
But Victor threatened everyone.
Laura most of all.
“Why Mom?”
“Because she had the originals.”
“The ownership agreement?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Something bigger.”
Emily leaned closer.
“What?”
Evelyn looked around.
“The beneficiary list.”
“What beneficiary list?”
“The names of every family Victor stole from.”
Emily's pulse quickened.
“Where is it?”
“Laura hid it.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why are you telling me?”
“Because somebody thinks you do.”
Evelyn slid a small photograph across the table.
It showed Laura wearing a red waitress uniform remarkably similar to Emily's dress.
Beside her stood Charles.
Behind them, reflected in a mirror, was Victor Hale.
And another person.
A young woman.
Daniel's mother.
Emily stared.
“Daniel's mother knew?”
“She knew everything.”
“She's dead.”
Evelyn's expression changed.
“No, sweetheart.”
Emily stopped breathing.
Daniel had told her his mother died when he was twenty-six.
Cancer.
Evelyn leaned forward.
“The woman Daniel buried wasn't the woman in that photograph.”
Emily felt cold.
Before she could ask another question, Evelyn stood.
“I've said too much.”
“Wait.”
Evelyn walked toward the exit.
Emily followed.
A black sedan pulled up.
Evelyn climbed inside.
It disappeared into traffic.
Emily immediately called Daniel.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
She took a taxi to the apartment.
The front door stood slightly open.
“Daniel?”
No response.
She entered.
The living room was empty.
Daniel's laptop sat open.
On the screen was a scanned hospital record.
PATIENT: MARGARET MERCER.
DECEASED.
Emily scrolled.
The photograph attached to the file wasn't the woman from Evelyn's photograph.
Then she heard Daniel behind her.
“What are you doing?”
Emily turned.
His face was pale.
He was holding another photograph.
The same woman.
His mother.
“I found this in my father's private archive,” he said.
Emily swallowed.
“I just met someone who says your mother didn't die.”
Daniel stared at her.
Then the apartment phone rang.
He answered.
Neither spoke.
A woman's voice came through the speaker.
“Daniel?”
His hand began to shake.
Emily watched the color leave his face.
May you like
Because Daniel recognized the voice immediately.
“Mom?”
