Celia looked at me as though she had been waiting decades for this moment.
I couldn't speak.
Neither could Margaret.
Arthur was the first to move.
“Celia.”
She flinched at the sound of her name.
“You shouldn't have come here.”
She gave a bitter smile.
“Neither should you.”
I stepped between them.
“Where is my sister?”
Celia's eyes moved to me.
“Alive.”
The relief hit so hard that my knees nearly buckled.
“Where?”
“Not here.”
“Then where?”
“I don't know.”
My anger returned instantly.
“You know who took her.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Celia looked at Arthur.
“He does.”
Arthur shook his head.
“Not anymore.”
“What does that mean?”
Celia took a slow breath.
“It means the person controlling this is no longer working for the family.”
I looked at the ledger.
“Who?”
“Someone who believes the trust belongs to them.”
“Who?”
She looked directly at me.
“Daniel's daughter.”
I stared.
“Daniel had a daughter?”
Arthur nodded.
“She was never part of the trust.”
“Then why would she care?”
“Because she believes her father was murdered.”
I looked at Celia.
“Was he?”
“No.”
Arthur answered.
“He died of a heart attack.”
Celia shook her head.
“After someone threatened him.”
“Who?”
“Your mother.”
I recoiled.
“My mother threatened Daniel?”
“She confronted him.”
“About the transfers?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“Daniel panicked.”
Celia walked toward the library.
We followed.
She stopped beside an old bookshelf.
“Your mother discovered the false beneficiaries.”
“I know.”
“You don't know why they existed.”
“Then tell me.”
Celia pulled a book from the shelf.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside was a photograph.
My mother stood beside a little girl.
The girl was about eight.
I looked at Celia.
“Who is that?”
“Daniel's daughter.”
I studied the child's face.
She had Daniel's eyes.
“She knew my mother?”
“She loved your mother.”
“Then why would she hurt Chloe?”
“Because she believes your mother destroyed her family.”
I shook my head.
“My mother didn't kill anyone.”
“No.”
Celia looked toward Arthur.
“But she knew who did.”
The room became silent.
Arthur looked away.
I turned toward him.
“Who?”
He didn't answer.
Celia did.
“Daniel wasn't the person stealing from the trust.”
My heart sank.
“Then who was?”
“Someone using him.”
“Arthur?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Evelyn?”
“No.”
“Julian?”
She looked at him.
Julian's face tightened.
“No.”
“Then who?”
Celia's voice became almost a whisper.
“Your mother.”
I stared at her.
“That isn't possible.”
“She didn't steal the money.”
“Then what do you mean?”
“She moved it.”
“Why?”
“To protect it.”
I looked at the ledger.
The transactions suddenly made sense in a different way.
“The transfers weren't theft.”
“Not all of them.”
“Then where did the money go?”
Celia pointed to the ledger.
“Look at the dates.”
I did.
The transfers occurred shortly before the trust was supposed to be audited.
My mother had moved the money into temporary accounts.
“Why?”
“Because she discovered someone was preparing to empty the trust.”
“Who?”
Celia shook her head.
“She never told me.”
I looked at Arthur.
“You knew.”
“I suspected.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I wasn't sure.”
Celia laughed quietly.
“You were never good at uncertainty.”
Arthur ignored her.
I turned to Julian.
“And you?”
Julian looked down.
“I knew your mother was moving money.”
“Did you help her?”
“Yes.”
“That's why your initials are in the ledger.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did the letter name you?”
“Because your mother needed you to distrust me.”
I froze.
“What?”
Julian looked at me.
“She knew someone would find the letter.”
“Why would she make me distrust you?”
“Because the person who found the letter would likely be someone she didn't trust.”
Celia nodded.
“She planted false clues.”
I opened my mouth.
Nothing came out.
The name in the letter.
Julian.
It had been deliberate.
A false trail.
My mother had expected someone to search the safe.
She had expected the ledger to be found.
She had expected whoever came after it to believe Julian was involved.
I looked at him.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because your mother asked me not to reveal the code.”
“Until when?”
“Until Chloe was safe.”
My stomach dropped.
“Then you knew she was in danger.”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Since the night your mother disappeared.”
I turned away.
I didn't know whether to be angry or relieved.
Then Celia spoke.
“Your mother didn't leave the hospital because she forgot who she was.”
I looked back.
“She remembered.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't she tell me everything?”
“Because she was afraid the person watching the hospital would hear.”
“The person who took Chloe.”
“Yes.”
“Who is she?”
Celia's eyes darkened.
“Her name is Rebecca Mercer.”
Daniel's daughter.
“Where is she?”
“I don't know.”
“But she has Chloe.”
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“Because she contacted me.”
“What did she want?”
“The ledger.”
I held it up.
“She already knows about this.”
“She wants the original.”
“This is the original.”
Celia shook her head.
“No.”
I looked at the pages.
“What?”
“Your mother made two copies.”
The realization hit me.
“The second ledger.”
“Yes.”
“Then what is this?”
“A decoy.”
I stared at the book.
All those pages.
All those names.
All those transfers.
A decoy.
“Where is the real one?”
Celia looked at Arthur.
He said nothing.
I understood.
“Arthur has it.”
“No,” Arthur said.
“Then where?”
Celia pointed toward the floor.
“The estate.”
We followed her into the cellar.
Behind an old furnace was a steel panel.
Celia opened it.
Inside was a narrow compartment.
Empty.
Arthur swore under his breath.
“Someone already took it.”
“When?”
“Recently.”
I looked at Chloe's scarf.
Someone had been here before us.
Someone had taken the ledger.
Someone had taken Chloe.
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Rebecca's voice came through.
“You found Celia.”
I looked at the woman beside me.
“How do you know?”
“Because she was the one who betrayed my father.”
Celia closed her eyes.
Rebecca continued.
“Bring me the real ledger.”
“I don't have it.”
“You will.”
“And Chloe?”
A pause.
Then I heard my sister's voice.
“Laura?”
I nearly dropped the phone.
“Chloe!”
“I'm okay.”
Rebecca came back on the line.
“She is alive.”
“Let me speak to her.”
“You'll see her when you bring me the ledger.”
“Where?”
“The place where your mother first learned the truth.”
“What place?”
Rebecca laughed softly.
“You've already been there.”
The call ended.
I looked at Celia.
She whispered one word.
“Bellamy's.”
Click here to continue reading: PART 11: We Returned to Bellamy’s for the Missing Ledger and Found the Final Piece of My Mother’s Plan Waiting Where Everything Had Begun
The Dinner Was Expensive, but the Real Cost Began When the Couple Walked Away Without Looking Back
Part 10 of 12
