Chapter 7 - THE WOMAN IN WHITE
Mariana did not panic.
“I have never met him.”
Elias insisted.
“You came to my shop.”
“When?”
“February third.”
Mariana opened her calendar.
“I was in Chicago.”
Brenda said, “Calendars can be edited.”
Mariana looked at her.
“So can memories.”
Detective Brooks requested hotel and airline records.
Mariana had indeed been in Chicago.
Security footage from the jeweler’s shop was gone.
Elias remained certain.
“She looked like you.”
Mariana asked, “Exactly?”
He hesitated.
“Similar.”
“How similar?”
“Brown hair. Your height. Elegant.”
Brenda said, “That describes half of Boston.”
Mariana looked at her.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t get sentimental.”
For the first time, Brenda had defended her.
Not because she liked Mariana.
Because weak evidence annoyed her.
Brooks asked Elias another question.
“What did the woman wear?”
“White.”
Mariana thought of the gala.
Her white dress.
Someone had designed a visual story around her.
The planted emerald.
The anonymous photographs.
The woman resembling her.
Andrew asked, “Who knew Mariana would wear white tonight?”
Mariana answered.
“The dress was custom.”
“Designer?”
“Sophia Vale.”
Brenda’s face changed.
“What?”
Mariana asked.
Brenda took out her phone.
“Sophia Vale is Julian Vance’s daughter.”
Andrew stared.
“My cousin?”
“She uses her mother’s surname professionally.”
Mariana had never known.
Sophia had designed dresses for her for four years.
Including tonight’s.
Detective Brooks searched her studio.
Empty.
Computer wiped.
Appointment books gone.
But they found one photograph.
Sophia and Julian.
Standing beside a yacht.
On the back:
WE TAKE BACK WHAT THOMAS STOLE.
Andrew whispered, “My father stole from Julian.”
Margaret looked away.
Mariana noticed.
“You know.”
Margaret said nothing.
“Margaret.”
The older woman closed her eyes.
“Thomas forced Julian out.”
“Why?”
“Because Julian discovered the investment fund.”
Brenda stared.
“The Sterling fund?”
“Yes.”
Margaret continued.
“Thomas and Charles Sterling were using investor money to cover hotel losses.”
Brenda went pale.
“My father committed fraud?”
Margaret looked at her.
“Yes.”
Brenda sat down.
For once, there was no argument.
Then she looked up.
“And Thomas blamed Julian.”
Margaret nodded.
“Julian threatened to expose them. Thomas accused him of embezzlement first.”
Andrew looked sick.
“My father destroyed his brother.”
“Yes.”
Mariana understood the motive.
But not the necklace.
“If Julian wants revenge, why frame me?”
Margaret looked at her.
“Because you’re the reason Andrew still controls the company.”
Andrew frowned.
“What?”
Margaret looked at Mariana.
“You never told him?”
Mariana’s stomach tightened.
Andrew turned.
“Told me what?”
May you like
Margaret said:
“Mariana owns more of Vance Hospitality than you do.”
