Peter did not hurry.
He closed the car door, adjusted his coat, and walked toward the house with the measured pace of a man arriving for an appointment rather than confronting two women who had just discovered his oldest secret.
Mara watched him through the window until he reached the porch.
Anna stood beside her.
"Don't open it," she whispered.
Mara kept her eyes on Peter.
"Why?"
"Because my father said he was dangerous."
"Your father said many things."
Anna looked at her.
"Do you trust him?"
Mara thought about Daniel's voice on the recorder.
"No."
The knock came.
Three firm taps.
Peter waited.
Then he knocked again.
Mara stepped away from the window.
"Stay upstairs."
Anna shook her head.
"No."
"This concerns you."
"Exactly."
They went downstairs together.
Mara opened the door but kept the chain engaged.
Peter looked at her.
His face was pale.
"Mara."
She said nothing.
"I need to speak with you."
"You've had twenty-eight years."
His eyes flickered toward Anna.
"So you found her."
Anna stepped into view.
Peter stared.
For the first time since he arrived, the confidence disappeared from his face.
"Anna."
She folded her arms.
"You know my name."
"I knew your name before you were born."
Mara felt the words settle heavily in the doorway.
Peter looked down.
"I was afraid this would happen."
"No," Mara said. "You were afraid we'd discover what happened."
He looked at her.
"You don't understand."
"Then explain it."
Peter glanced toward the road.
"We shouldn't do this outside."
Mara removed the chain.
"Fine."
Peter entered.
He smelled of rain and cigarette smoke.
His gaze moved through the living room and stopped at the fireplace.
"You opened the floor compartment."
Mara's expression hardened.
"How did you know about it?"
Peter didn't answer.
Anna stepped closer.
"What's the key for?"
Peter looked at her.
"You shouldn't have that."
"I don't."
She pointed toward his hand.
"You do."
Peter closed his fingers around the key.
Mara noticed his knuckles were bruised.
"Where did you get it?"
Peter sat heavily in the nearest chair.
"I found it in Daniel's office."
"You broke into his office?"
"No."
"You had no reason to be there."
"I was helping with his papers."
Mara almost laughed.
"You were helping yourself."
Peter rubbed his face.
"I didn't steal from Anna."
Anna's voice was quiet.
"My father said you did."
Peter looked at her.
"Your father blamed me because he couldn't blame himself."
"Did you take the money?"
Peter said nothing.
Mara waited.
The silence answered again.
"How much?"
Peter looked toward the fireplace.
"All of it."
Anna went still.
Mara felt anger rise behind her ribs.
"How much?"
"Two hundred and eighty thousand dollars."
Anna stared at him.
"That was my money."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Peter looked at his hands.
"Because I was drowning."
Mara stepped forward.
"That doesn't make it yours."
"I know."
"Did Daniel know?"
"Eventually."
"And he covered for you."
Peter nodded.
"Why?"
"Because I promised I'd repay it."
Anna gave a bitter laugh.
"Did you?"
"No."
The honesty seemed to hurt more than another lie would have.
Mara looked at the key.
"What does it open?"
Peter stood.
"A safety deposit box."
"Where?"
"Bellweather Bank."
Mara frowned.
"That bank closed years ago."
"Not the branch."
Peter walked toward the window.
"It changed names. The box still exists."
Anna looked at him.
"What's inside?"
"Proof."
"Of what?"
Peter hesitated.
"That the money was never supposed to be yours."
Anna stared.
Mara stepped between them.
"Explain."
Peter looked at her.
"Daniel had another agreement with Evelyn's father."
Evelyn came down the stairs.
"That's impossible."
Peter turned.
"Is it?"
Evelyn's face tightened.
"My father died in 2003."
"I know."
"What agreement?"
Peter looked at Mara.
"Your husband inherited part of an old orchard trust."
Mara shook her head.
"Daniel didn't inherit anything."
"He did."
Peter pointed toward the floor.
"That property wasn't purchased in 2001. It was transferred to him in 1999."
Mara remembered the notebook.
October 17.
I saw her today.
November 13.
Peter came to the house.
The dates suddenly mattered differently.
"Why hide the transfer?"
Peter's voice lowered.
"Because the orchard was collateral."
"For what?"
Peter looked at Anna.
"For the debt I created."
Anna's face went pale.
"You used my inheritance to cover your debt?"
"No."
Peter swallowed.
"Daniel did."
Mara stared.
"Why?"
"Because he thought he could fix it before anyone knew."
The room became silent.
Peter reached into his coat and placed the second key on the table.
"That box contains the original agreement."
Mara didn't touch it.
"What else?"
Peter looked at her.
"A photograph."
"Of what?"
"The night Anna was born."
Anna stiffened.
"My birth?"
Peter nodded.
"Daniel wasn't there."
Mara looked at him.
"Where was he?"
Peter's expression changed.
"With me."
Anna stepped backward.
"Why?"
Peter's voice was barely audible.
"Because your father was trying to stop me from doing something stupid."
"What?"
Peter looked at the door.
"I was going to disappear."
Mara didn't understand.
"Why would Daniel follow you?"
"Because I had the money."
Anna whispered, "My money."
Peter nodded.
"And I had something else."
"What?"
Peter looked directly at Mara.
"Proof that Daniel knew about you before he married her."
Mara's breath caught.
Anna turned toward her.
Peter continued.
"Daniel had known Evelyn was pregnant for months."
Mara closed her eyes.
That was the wound beneath every other wound.
Not merely that he had kept Anna secret.
He had married Mara knowing a child existed.
Peter's voice softened.
"He wanted to tell you."
Mara opened her eyes.
"But he didn't."
"No."
"Why?"
Peter looked down.
"Because he was a coward."
Mara nodded slowly.
"At least we agree on something."
Peter pushed the key toward her.
"Go to the bank."
Anna looked at the key.
"And you?"
"I'll wait here."
Mara shook her head.
"No."
She picked up her coat.
"You're coming with us."
Peter looked surprised.
"Why?"
"Because if you're lying, I want you where I can see you."
Anna reached for the second key.
Mara stopped her.
"I'll carry it."
Anna frowned.
"Why?"
"Because your father spent twenty-eight years hiding things from me. I'm not letting another man decide what I get to know."
Peter looked at Mara.
For the first time, something resembling respect crossed his face.
They left the house together.
Behind them, Evelyn remained on the porch.
She watched until the car disappeared beyond the orchard.
Inside the house, the tape recorder continued running.
There was one final recording Daniel had not yet played.
And Evelyn knew exactly where it was hidden.
Click here to continue reading: PART 6: The Bank Box Held More Than an Old Agreement, and Anna Learned Her Father’s Greatest Secret Had Nothing to Do With Money
The Letter Hidden Behind the Photograph Changed Everything Mara Thought She Knew About Her Husband
Part 5 of 20
