Chapter 5 - Victoria Had Hired Her Personally
Emma remembered the interview.
Victoria had insisted on meeting her herself.
That had seemed strange at the time.
A woman who rarely spoke directly to staff had personally reviewed Emma’s references.
She had asked odd questions.
Where had Emma grown up?
Who raised her after Anna died?
Did she have copies of her mother’s papers?
Did she still own the old blue suitcase Anna kept under the bed?
Emma had thought the questions were eccentric.
Now they sounded like an interrogation.
She stared at Victoria.
“You hired me.”
Victoria nodded.
“Why?”
No answer.
Richard answered for her.
“She was looking for something.”
Emma thought of her mother’s small apartment.
Most of Anna’s belongings had disappeared after her death.
The landlord said unpaid rent forced a clearance.
Emma had been a child.
She had believed him.
“What were you looking for?”
Victoria’s eyes moved toward the letter.
Emma followed them.
A second page contained a list.
Birth certificate.
Daniel’s ring.
Company ledger copy.
Blue key.
Emma frowned.
“Blue key?”
Richard’s expression changed.
“You don’t have it?”
“I don’t even know what it is.”
Victoria visibly relaxed.
Emma noticed.
Richard noticed too.
“Interesting,” he said.
Victoria glared at him.
Richard turned back to Emma.
“Daniel discovered something before he died.”
“What?”
“Money missing from Hale Industries.”
Claire sat down slowly.
Richard continued.
“Millions.”
Daniel suspected internal theft.
He made copies of certain accounting records.
Anna helped him.
Victoria whispered, “That’s not the whole story.”
Richard looked at her.
“Then tell it.”
She said nothing.
Emma returned to the letter.
Her mother had written:
If they ever bring you back to the house, do not trust anyone who asks about the blue key.
Emma slowly lowered the page.
May you like
Everyone looked at Victoria.
And Victoria looked afraid.
