Chapter 5 - THE DEAD HUSBANDS
By sunrise, Edward had not slept.
Julian joined him at the hospital with a laptop and a stack of documents.
Detective Mitchell arrived ten minutes later.
“Hale Medical Holdings bought something yesterday,” Julian said.
“What?”
“A private assisted-living facility outside Albany.”
Edward stared.
“That makes no sense.”
“It might.”
Mitchell opened a folder.
“We confirmed Victoria Hale is Vanessa Crowe.”
She placed two photographs on the table.
“Martin Bennett.”
“Sixty-three.”
“Real-estate developer.”
“Married Vanessa when she was twenty-nine.”
“Died nineteen months later.”
Second photograph.
“Howard Sterling.”
“Fifty-eight.”
“Manufacturing executive.”
“Married Vanessa three years after Bennett’s death.”
“Died after an apparent medication mix-up.”
Edward felt nausea rise.
“Was she charged?”
“No.”
“She inherited money from both?”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Roughly four million total.”
Edward shook his head.
“That’s nothing compared with what she thought my family had.”
Mitchell leaned forward.
“Exactly.”
Edward finally understood.
Victoria had not fallen into his life.
She had selected it.
Julian turned the laptop.
“There’s another name attached to the assisted-living purchase.”
DANIEL CROSS.
Edward remembered the recorder.
“The man in the recording.”
Mitchell nodded.
“We believe Cross is Victoria’s half brother.”
Edward looked up.
“They’ve been doing this together?”
“That’s our working theory.”
Julian pulled out another paper.
“The facility has forty-one residents.”
“Why would Victoria buy it?”
“Because twelve residents have no close family.”
Edward’s stomach turned.
“What are you saying?”
Mitchell answered carefully.
“We don’t know yet.”
The hospital room door opened.
Florence was awake.
Edward rushed inside.
She looked pale but alert.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“For what?”
“For not telling you sooner.”
Edward took her hand.
“You were trying to protect me.”
“I was afraid you wouldn’t believe me.”
He swallowed.
“That hurts.”
“I know.”
“No, Mom.”
He squeezed her fingers.
“It hurts because I gave you a reason to think that.”
Florence’s eyes filled.
Edward sat beside her.
“Tell me about the golden key.”
She looked toward the door.
“That key belonged to your grandmother.”
“I know.”
“She used it to open the original family strongbox.”
Florence breathed slowly.
“When your father built the hidden safe, he designed the lock around that key.”
“Why?”
“So no one could open it with just a code.”
Edward nodded.
“What made you investigate Victoria?”
Florence looked down.
“A necklace.”
“What necklace?”
“The night you brought Victoria home for the first time, she wore a gold pendant shaped like a bird.”
Edward remembered it.
Florence continued.
“I had seen it before.”
“Where?”
“On another woman.”
“Who?”
Florence’s face tightened.
“Martin Bennett’s sister.”
Edward stared.
“I met her at a fundraiser years ago.”
“She told me her brother’s widow had stolen that pendant after his death.”
Edward leaned closer.
“You recognized Victoria?”
“Not immediately.”
“But I recognized the necklace.”
Florence opened the bedside drawer.
Inside was a printed photograph.
Victoria wore the pendant.
Beside her stood Daniel Cross.
Edward looked at the date.
It was taken six weeks before he met her.
Then he noticed the building behind them.
HALE FOUNDATION ANNUAL BENEFIT.
His blood ran cold.
Victoria had been watching his family before they ever “accidentally” met.
And in the corner of the photograph, another familiar face was talking to her.
Edward stared.
“No.”
Florence whispered,
“Yes.”
Edward pointed at the man.
May you like
“That’s Dr. Mason.”
His mother’s private physician.
