Chapter 7 - The Drawer Beside the Recipes
The next morning he met Ben and Detective Moreno at Helen's small brick house. It smelled of lemon polish and the cinnamon candies she'd kept in a jar beside the stove. Her grocery list was still attached to the refrigerator: milk, bread, Emma's favorite strawberry jam.
Ben put the blue envelope on the table. Moreno photographed the contents before anyone unfolded the letter again.
"My darling Daniel and Claire," Helen had written. "I need you to hear this from me, not through anger or rumor. I gave Claire the cross because she stayed when I was frightened. I asked her to keep it until Emma is old enough to understand our family. It is a gift for Emma, not a prize for whoever shouts loudest."
The next paragraph made him stop.
"I let Mallory help with my bills because she said she needed work. Last month I found payments I did not authorize. When I asked, she called me confused and said I was ruining her life. Claire helped me make an appointment at the bank. I took away the permission I had given Mallory to use my account. I am not confused about that."
Ben looked at Daniel. "She never told you."
"She tried," Daniel said. "Twice. I said we'd talk after tax season."
"I could have listened."
Moreno folded the letter carefully. "The missing page may have held more details. We can request records with the proper authorization, but we won't assume what was there."
Ruth arrived with a cardboard box of Helen's church papers. She read the first page and covered her mouth.
From the bottom of the box Daniel pulled a photograph: Helen on her porch, Emma in her lap, the silver cross hanging over Emma's tiny hand. On the back Helen had written, SOMEDAY, WHEN SHE IS READY.
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His phone rang. Dr. Shah's name flashed on the screen.
"Daniel, there's a change in Claire's condition," she said. "You should come to the hospital."
