Chapter 2 - The Name He Shouldn’t Have Known
“No.”
Simone took the phone from the nurse.
The photograph remained on the screen.
A large brick house stood beyond iron gates.
Not a mansion.
Not exactly.
It looked older.
Institutional.
Three stories.
White columns.
Tall narrow windows.
And in the upper-right window stood a woman.
Dark hair.
Slim face.
One hand against the glass.
Simone zoomed in.
Her heart began hammering.
“That’s impossible.”
Theodore reached for the phone.
She pulled it away.
“My mother died eighteen years ago.”
Nobody answered.
Simone looked at Vivienne.
“You knew about Bellamy House.”
Vivienne’s lips tightened.
“I know the name.”
“You just said I wasn’t supposed to see it.”
“I was upset.”
“No. You were scared.”
“Stop making everything about you.”
Simone laughed once.
It sounded strange even to her.
“You threw me on the floor at your wedding, and now there’s a photograph of my dead mother. Somehow I think I’m allowed to ask a few questions.”
Preston moved closer.
“This isn’t the place.”
Adrian finally spoke.
“Then we’ll go somewhere that is.”
Theodore looked at him.
“This has nothing to do with you.”
Adrian’s face hardened.
“Elena Bellamy saved my life.”
Theodore flinched at the use of her married name.
“She protected me when doing so could have gotten her killed. If someone is using her memory to threaten Simone, it has something to do with me.”
Simone turned.
“Threaten me?”
Adrian took the phone.
He examined the photograph.
Then he swiped.
“There’s another message.”
Theodore closed his eyes.
Simone leaned toward the screen.
COME BEFORE MIDNIGHT IF YOU WANT THE ORIGINAL LEDGER.
Below it was an address.
One hour north.
Vivienne whispered, “Delete it.”
Everyone looked at her.
She seemed to realize too late that she had spoken aloud.
Simone stepped toward her.
“Why?”
Vivienne shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“Then why delete it?”
“Because this is obviously some scam.”
Adrian studied her.
“A scam involving a property name you already recognized.”
Vivienne stared at him.
“Stay out of this.”
“I don’t think you want me to.”
Theodore suddenly coughed.
His nurse rushed to him.
Simone crouched.
“Dad?”
He waved the nurse off.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not.”
“I said I’m fine.”
His eyes found Simone’s.
For the first time since she was a child, she saw shame in them.
Not irritation.
Not authority.
Shame.
“Bellamy House,” he said quietly, “belonged to your grandfather.”
“My mother’s father?”
“No.”
“Yours?”
He nodded.
Simone frowned.
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
Theodore looked at Vivienne.
Her face remained rigid.
Then he looked back at Simone.
“Because I sold it.”
“When?”
“Years ago.”
“Then why would Mom write about it?”
He did not answer.
Adrian crouched near Theodore’s wheelchair again.
He turned the broken metal brake piece in his fingers.
“This wasn’t damaged tonight.”
Theodore frowned.
“What?”
“The scratches are new, but the internal pin was weakened beforehand.”
Preston gave an exasperated sigh.
“Are you a mechanic now?”
Adrian looked at him.
“No.”
Preston stopped talking.
Adrian held the part toward Simone.
“Someone wanted the brake to fail after the chair had been used for a while.”
Simone stared at the small piece.
Theodore’s route after dinner would have taken him down the marble ramp toward the garden.
Her stomach turned.
“Who touched the wheelchair today?”
The nurse answered.
“I brought it from Mr. Bellamy’s car. One of the wedding assistants took it while I helped him change jackets.”
“Which assistant?”
She looked toward Vivienne.
“A young man. White shirt. Gold vest.”
Vivienne shook her head.
“We didn’t have male assistants in gold vests.”
Silence.
Adrian stood.
“Then someone entered the wedding dressed like staff.”
Preston’s face lost color.
Vivienne whispered, “This can’t be happening.”
Simone looked at her.
“What did you think was happening?”
Vivienne’s eyes flashed.
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you scared?”
“I’m not.”
“You’ve been angry at me since I walked in.”
“Because you always ruin things.”
“How?”
Vivienne laughed bitterly.
“You exist.”
The words were cruel.
But they were not new.
Simone had heard versions of them since adolescence.
She had just never heard them spoken so plainly.
Theodore’s expression hardened.
“Apologize.”
“No.”
“Vivienne.”
“No!”
Her voice cracked.
The ballroom fell silent again.
She pointed at Simone.
“She has spent her entire life walking into rooms and taking things that belonged to me.”
Simone stared.
“What did I take?”
“Dad’s guilt.”
Theodore looked away.
“My inheritance.”
Simone blinked.
“I never received an inheritance.”
“Not yet.”
Theodore closed his eyes.
Adrian noticed.
So did Simone.
She turned toward her father.
“What does that mean?”
Theodore said nothing.
Vivienne laughed.
“There. Ask him.”
“Vivienne, stop.”
“No. You wanted her here. You wanted this perfect little family performance.”
Preston touched her arm.
She jerked away.
“You know what?” she said. “Let her hear it.”
Theodore’s hand struck the wheelchair armrest.
“Enough!”
But Vivienne was past stopping.
“Mother found the papers six months ago.”
Simone’s throat tightened.
“What papers?”
Vivienne looked directly at her.
“The ones proving Dad never owned half the Bellamy properties.”
Theodore went pale.
Simone turned.
“What is she talking about?”
He whispered, “Not here.”
“That excuse is finished.”
Adrian watched silently.
Theodore’s breathing grew heavier.
Simone crouched in front of him.
“Dad. Look at me.”
He did.
“What did Mom own?”
A long pause.
Then Theodore whispered, “More than I told you.”
“How much?”
He looked toward the guests.
“Not here.”
Simone almost snapped.
Instead she stood.
She turned to Adrian.
“Take me to Bellamy House.”
Theodore grabbed her wrist.
“No.”
She looked down at his hand.
“Why?”
“Because whoever sent that message wants you there.”
“Then they know more than I do.”
“That makes them dangerous.”
“So does ignorance.”
His grip weakened.
Adrian nodded once.
“I’ll take you.”
Vivienne stepped forward.
“You can’t.”
Simone looked at her.
“Watch me.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain.”
Vivienne’s lips trembled.
For a second, Simone thought she might.
Preston moved behind her.
“Vivienne.”
Something in his voice changed her mind.
Simone saw it.
So did Adrian.
He looked at Preston.
Preston smiled thinly.
“My wife is overwhelmed.”
Adrian’s expression remained calm.
“Your wife just tried to stop Simone from learning about a property she claims not to understand.”
Preston said nothing.
Theodore suddenly spoke.
“Simone.”
She turned.
“There’s something in my chair.”
Everyone froze.
“What?”
“Under the left armrest.”
His nurse leaned closer.
“There’s nothing visible.”
Theodore swallowed.
“Pull the leather seam.”
Adrian did.
A narrow compartment opened beneath the padded armrest.
Inside was a sealed envelope.
Old.
Yellowed.
Simone stared at her father.
“How long has that been there?”
“Since your mother died.”
Her eyes filled.
“You kept something from her in your wheelchair for eighteen years?”
“No.”
His voice cracked.
“She kept it from me.”
Simone lifted the envelope.
Her name was written across the front.
SIMONE.
Her mother’s handwriting.
She could barely breathe.
“Why didn’t you give me this?”
“Because I was afraid of what was inside.”
“That wasn’t your decision.”
“I know.”
The simplicity of his answer hurt more than an excuse.
Simone broke the seal.
Inside was a folded letter.
And a key.
An old brass key.
A small tag hung from it.
B.H. – ROOM 3.
Simone unfolded the letter.
My darling Simone,
If Theodore gives you this, then something has happened that I prayed never would.
Bellamy House is not what your father told the family.
Neither is the company.
There are records hidden in Room Three.
Do not trust anyone who tells you they were destroyed.
Especially—
The letter stopped.
The lower half had been torn away.
Simone looked at Theodore.
“Where is the rest?”
“I don’t know.”
Vivienne had gone completely still.
Adrian noticed.
“Do you?”
She shook her head too quickly.
Then a folded piece of paper slipped from beneath the skirt of her wedding gown.
It landed on the marble.
Preston moved first.
Adrian moved faster.
He picked it up.
Vivienne whispered, “Give that back.”
Adrian unfolded it.
The torn edge matched Simone’s letter.
Simone stared at her sister.
Adrian read the remaining line.
Especially do not trust the daughter Theodore raised in my place.
Simone slowly looked at Vivienne.
Vivienne backed away.
“No.”
The ballroom doors opened behind her.
A woman in a gray coat stepped inside.
May you like
She looked at Simone and said one sentence.
“Elena Bellamy didn’t die the night they told you she did.”
