Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN WHO RAISED THEMRory didn't move.
“Say her name.”
Frank looked at him.
“Agnes Bell.”
The name meant nothing to me.
But Celeste covered her mouth.
Marianne closed her eyes.
Rory's face changed.
“Mrs. Bell?”
Frank nodded.
“She was Elena's nanny.”
I remembered her.
Agnes had retired before I arrived.
She had raised Lily and Rose during their first years.
Everyone described her as gentle.
Patient.
Devoted.
Rory had trusted her completely.
“She left two years ago,” he said.
“She never left.”
Frank handed him a photograph.
Agnes stood beside the twins.
On her wrist was the same gold bracelet Celeste had shown us.
The girls' names were engraved on it.
Rory stared.
“Where is she?”
Frank shook his head.
“I don't know.”
The mansion alarm suddenly sounded again.
Rory looked at his phone.
A security alert appeared.
Someone had opened the old nursery door.
We ran.
The nursery was empty.
But on Lily's bed sat the golden teddy bear.
It had been repaired.
The torn seam was perfectly stitched.
Rory picked it up.
Inside was another photograph.
This one showed Agnes holding the twins.
On the back was a handwritten sentence.
SHE NEVER HATED THEM.
Rory stared at the words.
“What does that mean?”
Frank answered.
“Agnes believed Elena was dangerous.”
“Why?”
“Because Elena planned to expose David.”
Marianne shook her head.
“She didn't.”
Frank looked at her.
“She did.”
Marianne's face tightened.
“Then why did she die?”
Frank hesitated.
“Because she changed her mind.”
Rory stepped forward.
“About what?”
“About exposing David.”
“Why?”
Frank looked toward the girls' empty beds.
“Because she discovered David wasn't stealing money for himself.”
Rory's eyes narrowed.
“Who was he protecting?”
Frank didn't answer.
Instead, he walked to the dresser.
He opened the top drawer.
Inside was a child's drawing.
Two girls holding hands.
Between them stood a tall man.
His face had been colored completely black.
Rory stared.
“Who drew this?”
“Rose.”
“When?”
“Three weeks before Elena died.”
Rory's voice became quiet.
“What did Elena know?”
Frank looked at him.
“She knew someone in your family wanted control of the Starks foundation.”
Rory shook his head.
“My family?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Frank pointed toward the photograph.
“Your father.”
Rory went still.
“My father was dead before Elena.”
“Exactly.”
Marianne stepped closer.
“That's impossible.”
Frank shook his head.
“Not if the person using his name wasn't him.”
Rory stared.
“You're saying someone forged his orders?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Frank looked at Celeste.
Again.
Rory turned toward his sister.
Celeste's face was wet with tears.
“I told you,” she whispered. “I was protecting Elena.”
“From whom?”
“From the person who wanted the foundation.”
“Who?”
Celeste looked toward the doorway.
“Rory, I need you to believe me.”
“Tell me.”
She swallowed.
“Your father had another daughter.”
The room went silent.
Rory stared at her.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“That's impossible.”
Celeste shook her head.
“Your father had a daughter before he married your mother.”
Rory looked at Frank.
Frank nodded.
“Her name was Evelyn.”
Marianne whispered, “Evelyn Starks.”
Rory sat down.
“How did nobody know?”
“Because she was adopted out.”
“Why?”
Frank answered.
“Because your grandfather believed she would damage the family's reputation.”
Rory stared at the floor.
“Where is she?”
Frank looked at the repaired teddy bear.
“She owns the company that manages the Starks foundation.”
Rory's eyes widened.
“Agnes worked for her.”
“Yes.”
“And David?”
“Worked for her.”
“Celeste?”
Frank looked at her.
“Was threatened by her.”
Rory turned to his sister.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because she said she'd take the girls.”
Rory's expression softened.
For the first time, he understood.
Celeste hadn't been betraying him.
She had been afraid.
Then the nursery door slammed shut.
Everyone turned.
A child's voice came through the intercom.
“Daddy?”
Rory ran toward it.
“Lily?”
A second voice answered.
“Don't come here.”
Rose.
Rory stopped.
“Where are you?”
Rose whispered.
“Mrs. Bell says we have to hide.”
Rory stared at the speaker.
“Where?”
Silence.
Then Lily cried.
“She has Mommy's necklace.”
The transmission ended.
Rory looked at me.
“What necklace?”
I remembered the photograph of Elena.
Around her neck was a small silver necklace.
I had seen it once in the family portrait.
Marianne's face went pale.
“She only gave that necklace to one person.”
“Who?”
May you like
Marianne whispered,
“Evelyn.”
