David looked at me.
“It's yours.”
“I never signed anything.”
“I know.”
The first actual crime.
Forgery.
Maybe attempted fraud.
I looked toward the ceiling.
Harry had been right.
Oliver wasn't preparing to rob me later.
He had already started.
David leaned closer.
“I called someone.”
“Who?”
“A detective I know in financial crimes.”
“Are they coming?”
“She's attending as my guest.”
I nearly laughed.
Danielle did.
“Best wedding ever.”
David glared.
“This is not funny.”
“No,” she said.
“But if I don't joke, I'm going to stab someone with a centerpiece.”
I pointed at her.
“Please don't ruin the flowers.”
For one second, all three of us laughed.
Then my phone buzzed.
Oliver.
Good morning, future Mrs.
Grant.
Can’t wait to make you mine.
I stared at the message.
Then typed:
Can’t wait either.
At eight, Emma and Lily came downstairs wearing matching pajamas.
Emma carried the hair ribbon she'd planned to wear as flower girl.
“Mom,” she said, “Aunt Danielle says we're going to Aunt Claire's.”
“Just for the morning.”
“Why?”
I crouched.
Because I had become their mother in every way that mattered, and lying to them had always felt like betraying Rachel.
But some truths belonged to adults until children were safe.
“There’s a problem at the venue.”
Lily's face fell.
“Is the wedding canceled?”
“Something about today is changing.”
“Does Oliver know?”
That question surprised me.
“No.”
The twins exchanged a glance.
“What?”
I asked.
Emma whispered, “Nothing.”
My heartbeat accelerated.
“Girls.”
Lily looked down.
“Oliver gets weird sometimes.”
My blood went cold.
“What does that mean?”
“He asks about Mom.”
Rachel.
“What does he ask?”
“Where her old things are.”
I stood very still.
“When?”
“Lots of times.”
Emma added, “He asked if she had a diary.”
A chill moved through me.
“Why?”
“He said he wanted to make a memory book for us.”
I looked at Danielle.
She looked back.
Neither of us spoke.
“Did he ever look through Rachel's things?”
“I don't know,” Emma said.
Lily suddenly frowned.
“He went in the attic.”
“When?”
“Last month.”
My heart began pounding.
“What did he take?”
“I didn't see.”
“What did he ask you?”
Lily thought.
“Whether Mom ever had a little silver box.”
The kitchen became silent.
David slowly closed his laptop.
“What silver box?” he asked.
