Chapter 10 - THE TRAP HIDDEN IN THE PURPLE GOWN
The purple gown had been deliberately damaged.
Not by accident.
Not because someone careless had mishandled it.
The tear followed an exact line through the silk.
A line that exposed the gold embroidery beneath.
My mother's embroidery.
And now, looking closely, I noticed something that made my hands shake.
One leaf was missing.
Not torn away.
Carefully removed.
I turned the dress inside out.
Lucas watched.
“What are you looking for?”
“My mother always hid her signature in the embroidery.”
I examined the stitching.
“One leaf would be different from the others.”
I found it near the waist.
A tiny gold leaf with a thread running backward through the center.
The emergency knot.
The same technique Sophie had used to leave me a message.
I borrowed a seam ripper.
Carefully, I opened the stitch.
Inside was a narrow strip of paper.
Lucas leaned closer.
“What is that?”
I unfolded it.
Three words.
Look beneath lining.
My heart raced.
I turned the dress over.
Along the inner seam was a row of nearly invisible stitches.
I opened them carefully.
A small pocket appeared.
Inside lay a folded letter.
The handwriting belonged to Vivienne Cole.
Lucas stared.
“My mother…”
He took the letter with trembling hands.
It was dated two weeks before her death.
If this gown is ever damaged, I hope someone who understands the rose-lock stitch will find what I've hidden.
My eyes filled with tears.
Vivienne had known exactly who would recognize the technique.
My mother.
Or someone she had taught.
Lucas continued reading.
Margaret has been manipulating the company accounts. I fear she intends to remove Rose from the ownership records.
His jaw tightened.
I've prepared original copies of the partnership agreement and placed them with an independent trustee.
Rebecca looked up sharply.
“That matches the documents we recovered.”
Lucas turned the page.
There is one more thing you need to know.
My stomach tightened.
I discovered that Margaret has been secretly funding a group operating through Cole Harbor Shipping.
Lucas's expression darkened.
That was one of his legitimate companies.
The group has been using fashion shipments to conceal illegal cargo.
Lucas stared at the letter.
The mafia boss who controlled half the city had apparently been used by someone inside his own family.
Then he reached the final paragraph.
His face drained of color.
“What?” I whispered.
He looked at me.
“My mother wrote something about her death.”
I leaned closer.
He read aloud.
If anything happens to me, do not believe it was an accident.
Silence filled the room.
Then Lucas turned the final page.
There was one name.
May you like
One person Vivienne had feared more than anyone else.
DANIEL WHITMORE.
