Chapter 4 - In the Dark
Emily grabbed blindly and caught fabric.
Someone shoved her hard.
Her injured hand struck the table and pain shot to her shoulder.
"Stop!" Henry shouted.
Phones lit up around the room.
Then the emergency lights clicked on.
The envelope was gone.
So was Gloria.
"Where is she?" Emily demanded.
Daniel pointed toward the hallway. "She probably went to check the breaker."
Henry laughed bitterly. "The breaker is in the garage. She went toward my office."
He started walking.
Emily followed.
Daniel caught her elbow. "You're not going anywhere."
She looked at his hand on her.
"Remove it."
"Emily, listen to me. My parents are dragging you into an old business fight."
"You forged my name before we met."
"I didn't forge anything."
"Then why did the form list you?"
"Because I handled restructuring paperwork for my father. Your trust manager sent the authorization."
"Which manager?"
Emily pulled away.
Henry's office door was open.
Gloria stood beside the fireplace.
The cream envelope was in her hand.
"No!" Emily lunged.
Gloria threw the packet into the fire.
Henry swore.
Emily grabbed the metal poker and dragged the papers out. Flames crawled along the edges. Daniel rushed in and stomped them out.
Then Gloria said, "There. Now we can stop pretending old lies are facts."
Most were damaged.
One had survived almost entirely.
It was not the deed.
It was a letter.
From her father.
Robert Carter's handwriting was unmistakable.
The letter was addressed to Henry.
Henry, if anything happens to me, do not let Gloria near Emily's trust.
Emily stopped breathing.
The next line was darker from the fire but still readable.
She knows about the Mercer shares, and I believe she has already copied my signature.
Emily looked up slowly.
"My father knew," Emily whispered.
Henry nodded.
"He was coming to see me the weekend he died."
The room disappeared around Emily.
"He died on a Saturday."
"Yes."
"What was he coming to tell you?"
Henry looked at Gloria.
"That he thought someone in this family was stealing from him."
Emily swallowed.
"And the accident?"
May you like
Henry's eyes dropped to the burned letter.
"Robert didn't believe it was going to be an accident.
