Chapter 6 - The Name on the Trust
"You knew Tessa's mother?" Adrian asked.
Gideon looked angry with himself for speaking. "Mara Bellamy was a clerk. I met hundreds of people in those days."
"Then how did you know she had the box?"
"I don't need to answer accusations from my own son."
"No," Adrian said. "You need to answer the police."
Gideon stepped closer. His voice dropped to the tone he'd used when Adrian was a child who had broken something valuable. "Your family has a name. Don't let a young woman's obsession destroy it."
"Her name is Tessa."
"You barely know what she's been doing behind your back."
That one hurt. Adrian hated that Gideon saw it.
Ortiz reappeared with news from the registrar. Rowan House had been sold through a chain of companies, and the final authorization listed three trustees: Gideon, Alisa, and Adrian.
"I never agreed to sell it," Adrian said.
"Your digital signature says otherwise."
"That's not my signature."
The detective nodded. "We've asked the court to preserve the records. Do not communicate with anyone about changing them."
Gideon opened his mouth, then closed it.
Alisa emerged from the corridor with the red music box in both hands. She had carried it to the chapel that morning because the wedding was supposed to include a small tribute to her father. Her pale face looked older by ten years.
"I heard my father's name," she said. "Why is everybody whispering?"
Tessa showed her the note. Alisa ran a thumb over the velvet lid.
"Mara gave this to me just before she died. She said I should open the lining if anyone asked me to sign away Rowan House."
"Did you?" Adrian asked.
"No. Gideon said Mara was confused. I trusted him."
Alisa pressed the latch. The melody began, thin and sweet. Under the lifted tray was an envelope sealed with faded blue wax.
May you like
Across it, in Walter Rowan's handwriting, were five words:
ALISA, YOUR HUSBAND IS LYING.
