Chapter 3 - THE MAN IN THE SECOND ROW
Thomas Hale arrived twenty-three minutes later.
By then most guests had left the chapel.
Some offered embarrassed hugs.
Others avoided my eyes entirely.
I didn’t care.
The people who mattered remained.
My mother.
Nathan.
Emily.
And Rebecca’s family.
Rebecca refused to leave.
She sat in the first pew with her wedding veil removed, staring at the floor.
Thomas entered carrying a leather briefcase.
He took one look at my face.
“What do we have?”
I gave him the papers.
He read silently.
His expression became more serious with each page.
“Where did you get these?”
“Melissa had them.”
Thomas looked toward Rebecca.
“Were these intended to be signed today?”
Rebecca answered before I could.
“They were preliminary.”
Thomas looked at her.
“Did my client authorize them?”
“They were discussed.”
“With whom?”
Rebecca did not answer.
Thomas turned to me.
“Daniel, did you know Article Nine existed?”
“Generally.”
“Did you ask anyone to prepare these?”
“No.”
“Did you ever discuss placing Emily at Hawthorne?”
“Never.”
Thomas nodded.
“Then nobody is taking her anywhere.”
For the first time all morning, I felt my lungs loosen.
Emily squeezed my hand.
Thomas kept reading.
Then he stopped.
His eyes fixed on one page.
“What?”
He pointed to the bottom.
“Who is Jonathan Pierce?”
I knew the name immediately.
Jonathan was chief financial officer of my company.
He had worked for my father.
He had attended Laura’s funeral.
He had been invited to my wedding.
I looked across the remaining guests.
His seat in the second row was empty.
“Jonathan was here this morning.”
Nathan nodded.
“I saw him.”
Thomas held up the document.
“He notarized this trust amendment.”
My stomach turned.
“Can he do that?”
“Not legally if you weren’t present.”
Rebecca stood.
“This is ridiculous.”
Thomas looked at her.
“It may also be criminal.”
Her father stepped forward.
“You should be careful with that word.”
Thomas didn’t blink.
“I’m an attorney.”
“I know exactly how careful to be.”
Rebecca’s father, Charles Wynn, owned an investment firm.
He was wealthy enough to believe rules were usually negotiable.
Thomas knew him by reputation.
Apparently that feeling was mutual.
Charles adjusted his cufflinks.
“My daughter was preparing for her future.”
“With someone else’s child?” Thomas asked.
“With the family she was marrying into.”
I stepped between them.
“Emily isn’t an asset.”
Charles smiled coldly.
“That isn’t what I said.”
“You didn’t have to.”
My phone vibrated.
It was a message from Jonathan.
We need to talk privately.
A second message arrived.
Do not involve police until you hear me out.
I showed Thomas.
“Don’t answer,” he said.
Another message appeared.
Rebecca hasn’t told you everything.
Then another.
Check the security cabinet in your home office.
I stared at the screen.
The cabinet contained financial records, family documents, and the original trust agreement.
Only three people knew the code.
Thomas.
Me.
And Rebecca.
I looked toward her.
She knew immediately what I had received.
“What did Jonathan say?”
I said nothing.
Her voice sharpened.
“Daniel.”
Thomas quietly stepped closer.
“She recognizes the name.”
Rebecca folded her arms.
“Of course I recognize him.”
“Were you working with him?”
“No.”
“Did he prepare these documents?”
“I don’t know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I expect you to stop interrogating me like I’m a criminal.”
I nearly laughed.
Instead, I picked up Emily.
“We’re going home.”
Rebecca moved into my path.
“Our home?”
“No.”
She stared at me.
“You can’t lock me out.”
“The house belongs to me.”
“My things are there.”
“I’ll have them delivered.”
“Daniel, think about what you’re doing.”
I looked at the woman I had intended to marry that morning.
“I am.”
For once, I finally was.
Nathan followed me toward the exit.
Thomas remained behind to photograph every document.
As we reached the chapel doors, Melissa called my name.
She was crying.
“There’s something else.”
Rebecca spun around.
“Melissa, shut up.”
Everyone froze.
Melissa looked at her best friend.
Then at me.
“She visited Hawthorne last month.”
Rebecca went pale.
Melissa continued.
“She took Emily with her.”
My heart stopped.
I looked down at my daughter.
Emily’s eyes widened.
May you like
Then she whispered something that nearly brought me to my knees.
“That was the place Rebecca told me we were visiting for ice cream.”
