I stood over the open suitcase.<\/p>\n
Everything else was untouched.<\/p>\n
Only the blue folder was missing.<\/p>\n
Brandon came in behind me.<\/p>\n
He saw the suitcase.<\/p>\n
Then he looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey wanted that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Megan closed the hotel door.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen Barbara knew exactly where it was.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brandon shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe couldn't have taken it herself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy not?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause she was at the cathedral.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen someone working for her did.\u201d<\/p>\n
The police entered the suite.<\/p>\n
They photographed the room.<\/p>\n
They photographed the empty compartment.<\/p>\n
They took the phone.<\/p>\n
One officer asked us not to touch anything.<\/p>\n
I sat beside Lisa.<\/p>\n
She was watching me carefully.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre we in trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked toward the officers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why are they here?\u201d<\/p>\n
I brushed her hair away from her face.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause someone did something wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGrandma?\u201d<\/p>\n
I hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lisa looked down.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think she hates me.\u201d<\/p>\n
I pulled her closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cHer feelings are not your fault.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brandon heard me.<\/p>\n
He knelt beside us.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing she does changes who you are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lisa looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you still going to be my dad?\u201d<\/p>\n
His eyes filled.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you'll have me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lisa nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will.\u201d<\/p>\n
He hugged her.<\/p>\n
I looked away.<\/p>\n
Some moments deserved privacy.<\/p>\n
The officers finished their search.<\/p>\n
One of them returned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe security footage from the Sterling residence has been altered.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brandon frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cAltered how?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSeveral minutes were deleted.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you recover them?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPossibly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The officer looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is another matter.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe person in the footage was wearing something distinctive.\u201d<\/p>\n
He showed us the image.<\/p>\n
A silver hairpin.<\/p>\n
My heart sank.<\/p>\n
Barbara had placed that pin in my hair before the ceremony.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat's mine,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
Brandon looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
I touched my hair.<\/p>\n
It was gone.<\/p>\n
I had not noticed.<\/p>\n
The officer studied the photograph.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo whoever entered the house had access to your hairpin.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brandon's expression hardened.<\/p>\n
\u201cOr someone wanted us to think that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The officer nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly.\u201d<\/p>\n
We returned to the hotel room.<\/p>\n
The police left with the evidence.<\/p>\n
Megan sat beside me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNeither do I.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brandon stood at the window.<\/p>\n
He had been silent for several minutes.<\/p>\n
Then he said, \u201cMy mother has been planning this for longer than we thought.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe knew about the folder.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe knew about the dress.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe knew about the investigator.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
He turned.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd she knew exactly when I would be distracted.\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you thinking?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat this wasn't about embarrassing you at the wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was about making you look guilty.\u201d<\/p>\n
A chill ran through me.<\/p>\n
He continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe wanted the police to come after you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe wanted you to leave me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe wanted everyone to believe you were unstable.\u201d<\/p>\n
I remembered the message on the phone.<\/p>\n
He will understand once everyone sees it.<\/p>\n
I suddenly understood something else.<\/p>\n
The wedding was never the final attack.<\/p>\n
It was the beginning.<\/p>\n
My phone rang.<\/p>\n
Unknown number.<\/p>\n
I answered.<\/p>\n
No one spoke.<\/p>\n
Then a man's voice whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cStop looking.\u201d<\/p>\n
I froze.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho is this?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don't know what you're dealing with.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho are you?\u201d<\/p>\n
The line went dead.<\/p>\n
Brandon had heard enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cCall the police.\u201d<\/p>\n
I did.<\/p>\n
While we waited, he examined the phone.<\/p>\n
The number was blocked.<\/p>\n
No trace.<\/p>\n
Then Lisa screamed from the hallway.<\/p>\n
We ran.<\/p>\n
She was standing near the elevator.<\/p>\n
A man had left something on the floor.<\/p>\n
A small envelope.<\/p>\n
Lisa pointed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe gave it to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat man?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe walked away.\u201d<\/p>\n
I picked up the envelope.<\/p>\n
Inside was a photograph.<\/p>\n
It showed my old apartment.<\/p>\n
Taken from across the street.<\/p>\n
On the back was a date.<\/p>\n
The date was six months before I met Brandon.<\/p>\n
I stared at it.<\/p>\n
Someone had been watching me long before Barbara knew me.<\/p>\n
Brandon saw my expression.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
I handed him the photograph.<\/p>\n
He turned it over.<\/p>\n
His face changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
He pointed to the corner.<\/p>\n
There was a car parked beside the curb.<\/p>\n
A black sedan.<\/p>\n
The license plate was visible.<\/p>\n
Brandon recognized it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat belongs to my father.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour father?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father died eight years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neither of us spoke.<\/p>\n
The police returned.<\/p>\n
Brandon showed them the photograph.<\/p>\n
They photographed it immediately.<\/p>\n
One officer asked, \u201cWho is your father?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRichard Sterling.\u201d<\/p>\n
The officer exchanged a look with his partner.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause that car belonged to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
The officer looked at the plate.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe may have a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat kind?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat vehicle was reported stolen eight years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brandon stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father didn't steal his own car.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
The officer paused.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the theft report may not be accurate.\u201d<\/p>\n
We followed them downstairs.<\/p>\n
A detective arrived.<\/p>\n
She introduced herself as Detective Harris.<\/p>\n
She examined the photograph.<\/p>\n
Then she asked for the blue folder.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was stolen.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen we need to know what was inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
I told her.<\/p>\n
\u201cCorporate records.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything else?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFinancial documents.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything involving the Sterling family?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything involving Richard Sterling?\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded.<\/p>\n
She looked at Brandon.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour father's death was never investigated as a financial crime.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brandon stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father died of a heart attack.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why are you saying this?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause three days before his death, he filed a confidential report with his attorney.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat kind?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFinancial irregularities.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt the room tilt.<\/p>\n
\u201cAgainst whom?\u201d<\/p>\n
Detective Harris looked at me.<\/p>\n
Then at Brandon.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brandon stepped closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you find out?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
She opened her notebook.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I need the folder.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked down.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is gone.\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen someone believes whatever is in it is worth stealing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Megan asked, \u201cCould Barbara know?\u201d<\/p>\n
Detective Harris answered carefully.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe may.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
The detective paused.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is one more thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
She handed Brandon a photocopy.<\/p>\n
It was an old photograph.<\/p>\n
His father stood beside a younger Barbara.<\/p>\n
Behind them was a man I did not recognize.<\/p>\n
Brandon stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat's Michael Vance.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father's accountant.\u201d<\/p>\n
Detective Harris nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe disappeared the same week your father died.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room went silent.<\/p>\n
Brandon looked at me.<\/p>\n
I remembered the man's voice from the recording.<\/p>\n
You could destroy her.<\/p>\n
A possibility formed in my mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cDetective,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe man speaking to Barbara on the recording.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have his voice?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen we may be able to identify him.\u201d<\/p>\n
She took the phone.<\/p>\n
The detective listened.<\/p>\n
Her expression changed.<\/p>\n
She replayed it.<\/p>\n
Then again.<\/p>\n
Finally she looked at Brandon.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need to hear this.\u201d<\/p>\n
She played the recording.<\/p>\n
The man's voice came through the speaker.<\/p>\n
I recognized the calm tone.<\/p>\n
The measured pauses.<\/p>\n
The confidence.<\/p>\n
Detective Harris looked at us.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is Michael Vance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brandon went completely still.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he disappeared eight years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Detective Harris nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cApparently, he didn't disappear.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stood over the open suitcase. Everything else was untouched. Only the blue folder was missing. Brandon came in behind me. He saw the suitcase. Then he looked at me. … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2571,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-readmore"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2579"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2579\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2595,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2579\/revisions\/2595"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2571"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}