Chapter 12 — Her Mother’s Secret
Richard had never spoken much about Evelyn’s work.
Lena knew her mother had been an accountant.
She knew Evelyn had helped Richard during the hotel’s early years.
She did not know Evelyn had also worked for Malcolm Caldwell.
Richard sat across from Lena in his private office.
The old photograph rested between them.
“You knew,” Lena said.
Richard looked tired.
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because your mother asked me not to.”
“She’s been dead for twenty years.”
“And I have honored her request for twenty years.”
Lena stood.
“That doesn’t make it right.”
“No.”
Richard’s answer surprised her.
He looked at the photograph.
“Your mother discovered irregularities inside the Caldwell companies. At first, she thought they were accounting mistakes.”
“But they weren’t.”
“No. Malcolm’s business partner was stealing from him.”
“Who?”
Richard hesitated.
“Celeste’s mother.”
Lena slowly sat down.
Vivian Caldwell had died in a boating accident when Celeste was nineteen.
The Caldwell family had always described her death as a tragedy.
“Your mother proved Vivian had stolen millions,” Richard continued. “Malcolm confronted her. Three days later, Vivian disappeared during a storm.”
“You think Malcolm killed her?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did my mother know?”
“She found something that frightened her.”
Richard opened a locked drawer.
Inside was a cassette tape.
“Evelyn made this the week before she died.”
Lena’s fingers went cold.
Her mother’s death had been ruled a car accident.
Richard placed the cassette into an old recorder.
Static filled the room.
Then Evelyn’s voice began.
“If anyone is hearing this, something happened to me.”
Lena stopped breathing.
“I found evidence that Vivian Caldwell did not die in the boating accident.”
Richard leaned forward.
The recording continued.
“She is alive.”
May you like
A pause.
“And Celeste has known for years.”
