Chapter 5 - THE EMERALD BRACELET
Evelyn moved first.
The following afternoon, Daniel was halfway through a meeting when his office doors opened.
Evelyn entered with two security officers.
Behind them stood Natalie.
Her face was pale.
Daniel rose.
“What happened?”
Evelyn placed a velvet jewelry box on the desk.
“This was found in Natalie’s room.”
Daniel opened it.
Grace’s emerald bracelet.
He recognized it immediately.
A wedding anniversary gift.
Grace had worn it in dozens of photographs.
Daniel had not seen it since her death.
He looked at Natalie.
“I didn’t take it.”
Evelyn’s voice stayed calm.
“The bracelet was discovered beneath clothing in her dresser.”
“Who discovered it?”
“I did.”
Daniel looked up.
“Why were you in her dresser?”
“Routine room inspection.”
Natalie stared.
“You searched my room?”
“Household security procedures allow—”
“No,” Daniel interrupted.
Evelyn looked at him.
“They don’t.”
Her expression tightened.
Daniel knew every staff contract.
He had checked that morning.
Evelyn shifted.
“I was informed an item was missing.”
“By whom?”
“Inventory.”
“Inventory doesn’t speak.”
Daniel’s tone remained quiet.
“Who?”
Evelyn hesitated.
“Thomas.”
Daniel’s pulse changed.
Thomas Keene again.
One of the security officers spoke.
“Sir, should we contact police?”
Evelyn answered first.
“Yes.”
Daniel looked at her.
“No.”
Natalie exhaled.
Evelyn stiffened.
“Daniel, this is Grace’s jewelry.”
“I know exactly what it is.”
He lifted the bracelet.
Something felt wrong.
He opened the clasp.
Grace’s bracelet had a tiny engraving inside.
G + D.
This one did too.
But the letters looked too sharp.
Daniel walked to his safe.
He entered the code.
Opened the lower drawer.
There, inside a sealed inventory case, lay Grace’s emerald bracelet.
The real one.
Nobody moved.
Daniel placed both bracelets beside each other.
Identical at first glance.
Not identical up close.
Natalie whispered, “Someone made a copy?”
Daniel looked at Evelyn.
She looked genuinely surprised.
That was interesting.
“Where did you get this?”
“I told you.”
“Wrong answer.”
“Daniel—”
“Who told you the bracelet was missing?”
Evelyn’s jaw tightened.
“Thomas.”
“When?”
“This morning.”
Daniel picked up his phone.
Thomas Keene answered immediately.
“Daniel.”
“Come to the house.”
“I’m downtown.”
“Now.”
A pause.
“Problem?”
Daniel looked at the fake emerald bracelet.
“Yes.”
Thomas arrived forty-five minutes later.
Fifty-two.
Expensive gray suit.
Perfectly maintained smile.
He looked mildly concerned when shown the duplicate.
“That isn’t possible.”
“Apparently it is.”
Thomas turned to Natalie.
“You found it?”
Evelyn corrected him.
“I found it.”
Thomas blinked.
Too quickly.
Daniel saw it.
“You told Evelyn the bracelet was missing.”
Thomas nodded.
“The asset inventory flagged—”
Daniel slid a report across the desk.
“No, it didn’t.”
Thomas stopped.
Daniel continued.
“I checked.”
Silence.
“The bracelet was never removed from the safe inventory.”
Thomas recovered.
“Then I misunderstood.”
“You misunderstood a nonexistent alert?”
Evelyn looked at him.
For the first time, suspicion appeared between them.
Daniel noticed.
Thomas cleared his throat.
“I’ll review the system.”
Daniel leaned back.
“You do that.”
He let Thomas leave.
Evelyn followed twenty minutes later.
Natalie stayed.
“You’re letting them walk away?”
“For now.”
“Why?”
“Because frightened people destroy evidence.”
Natalie looked toward the door.
“You think they’re working together?”
“I think Thomas expected Evelyn to find that bracelet.”
“Why frame me?”
Daniel looked toward the hallway where Lucas played with a wooden puzzle.
“Because you’re the first person in a long time Lucas is afraid to lose.”
Natalie’s expression changed.
Daniel continued.
“If you disappear because you ‘stole’ from this family, Lucas learns the same lesson again.”
“That people who love him leave.”
Daniel nodded.
“And this time he would blame himself for trusting you.”
Natalie sat slowly.
“Why would anyone want that?”
That was the question.
Money could explain forged signatures.
Control could explain hidden emails.
But deliberately teaching a child not to trust anyone?
Daniel still could not understand it.
Then Lucas appeared in the doorway.
He looked at the two bracelets.
His face changed.
“That one is fake.”
Daniel turned.
“How do you know?”
Lucas pointed to the duplicate.
“Mrs. Hart had it.”
Evelyn had already left the room.
Daniel crouched.
“When?”
Lucas thought.
“Yesterday.”
Natalie looked at Daniel.
“Are you sure?”
Lucas nodded.
“She showed Mr. Thomas.”
Daniel felt the room become very still.
“What were they doing?”
Lucas’s eyes lowered.
“They were fighting.”
“About what?”
The boy hesitated.
May you like
Then whispered:
“Mr. Thomas said if she didn’t get rid of Natalie, you would find the money.”
