“And does she still have access to Lily?””
“Not anymore.””
Margaret closed her eyes briefly, as though a burden had finally shifted.
“Then perhaps I’m not too late.””
She released the letter.
Daniel unfolded it carefully.
Caroline’s handwriting covered both sides of the page.
Margaret,
If I don’t come back tomorrow, please don’t believe that I left Daniel or abandoned Lily. I am going to confront Evelyn about the documents she took from our safe.
I found proof that she has been moving money through accounts connected to the Bennett Foundation. When I asked her about it, she said I would regret interfering.
There is something else. I believe she has been keeping records of Daniel’s private affairs and using them to control him. She knows about the accident he had before we married, and she has threatened to reveal information that could ruin his career.
I’m frightened, but I can’t let her keep using our family as a weapon.
If anything happens, look for the blue house.
Caroline.
Daniel lowered the letter.
“My mother was stealing from the foundation?””
“That’s what Caroline believed,” Margaret said.
“She came to me because she needed help understanding some financial records. I worked in forensic accounting before I retired.””
“Did you find anything?””
Margaret nodded.
“Enough to convince me she was right. Money had been diverted through several companies. But before I could finish tracing it, Caroline was dead.””
“Why didn’t you go to the police?””
“I tried. An officer came to my house the following morning. He told me Caroline had been driving recklessly and that the case was closed. When I mentioned the financial records, he warned me that I could be charged with interfering with an investigation.””
“Thomas Hale?””
Margaret nodded slowly.
“He wore a gold wedding ring with a black stone. I remember it because he kept tapping it on my kitchen table.””
Reed wrote something in his notebook.
“Did you tell anyone else?””
“No. I was frightened. I had a husband with heart problems and a granddaughter who visited every weekend. I convinced myself that staying quiet was the only way to protect them.””
Daniel’s voice turned bitter.
“That’s what everyone thought, isn’t it? Stay quiet, and Evelyn gets what she wants.””
Margaret accepted the rebuke without defending herself.
“Yes,” she said.
“And I’m ashamed of it.””
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Daniel took out his phone and showed her the message about the blue house.
Margaret went pale.
“That’s my address.””
“Is your house still there?””
“Yes. But I haven’t lived there since my husband died.””
“Who lives there now?””
“I don’t know.””
Reed took the phone from Daniel and examined the message again.
« Caroline a-t-elle déjà mentionné quelqu’un du nom de Thomas Hale ? »
Margaret acquiesça.
« Elle m’a dit qu’il l’avait contactée en privé. Il prétendait avoir des informations sur l’accident, mais il refusait de lui parler au téléphone. »
« L’a-t-elle rencontré ? »
« Pas chez moi. Elle a dit qu’elle allait rencontrer quelqu’un le soir de sa mort. »
L’esprit de Daniel se tourna de nouveau vers l’argument final.
Caroline se tenait sur le seuil.
Son manteau sur le bras.
Ses yeux brillaient de colère et de peur.
Si quoi que ce soit arrive ce soir, Daniel, ne crois pas la première histoire qu’on te raconte.
Il l’avait laissée partir.
Et trois ans plus tard, il vivait encore prisonnier du mensonge qui avait suivi.
Reed plia la lettre et la plaça dans une pochette pour pièces à conviction.
« Nous devons vérifier tout cela. Madame Cole, vous devrez faire une déclaration officielle. »
“Je vais.””
« Daniel, tu ne vas pas dans cette maison ce soir. »
Daniel regarda à nouveau la photographie.
Caroline était restée là, souriante, Lily sur ses épaules, sans se rendre compte du peu de temps qu’il lui restait.
« Je dois savoir ce qui s’est passé. »
« Et vous le ferez », dit Reed.
« Mais pas en vous rendant dans un lieu inconnu simplement parce qu’un inconnu vous a envoyé un message. »
Daniel regarda en direction de la chambre d’hôpital.
« Et alors, que faisons-nous ? »
« On leur fait croire que vous venez. »
Reed appela son équipe et organisa une surveillance de la maison bleue. Margaret accepta d’accompagner les policiers au poste pour un interrogatoire officiel. Daniel retourna dans la chambre de Lily et resta assis à son chevet jusqu’à ce que le médecin confirme qu’elle pouvait rester en observation toute la nuit.
À l’approche du coucher du soleil, son téléphone a vibré.
Un nouveau message.
* Tu as fait venir la police à la maison bleue. Caroline serait déçue de toi. *
Daniel a montré à Reed.
Le visage du détective s’assombrit.
