Chapter 8 - THE PEARL NECKLACE
“Catherine Lawson is Lily?”
Amelia studied the photograph.
Catherine looked elegant and composed, with dark hair swept behind one ear.
For years, magazines had described her as Richard Lawson's devoted wife.
She chaired charity boards.
Hosted fundraising dinners.
And rarely gave interviews.
Vincent shook his head.
“Her age doesn't fit. Catherine is in her late fifties. Lily would be twenty-six.”
Amelia looked again.
“Then why did Sophia write that beneath her picture?”
Vincent examined the necklace.
A single pearl.
A delicate gold chain.
He remembered seeing it before.
Not on Catherine.
On a younger woman standing beside her at a fundraising event.
“Catherine has a daughter,” Vincent said.
Amelia frowned.
“Derek's sister?”
“Stepdaughter. Her name is Grace.”
He reached for his phone and found a photograph from an old charity program.
Grace Lawson stood beside Catherine.
Twenty-six years old.
Dark-haired.
Her expression was guarded.
Around her neck hung the same single pearl.
Amelia stared.
“Lily.”
Vincent nodded slowly.
“Possibly.”
“Does Richard know?”
“I suspect he knows more than he's ever admitted.”
The thought made Amelia cold.
If Grace was Caroline Ward's daughter, Richard Lawson hadn't merely hidden an adoption.
He had raised the child inside his own household.
“Why?” Amelia whispered.
Vincent studied the photograph.
“Perhaps Catherine adopted her before marrying Richard. Perhaps the arrangement was made to conceal something. We need proof.”
“And Sophia knew?”
“She may have discovered part of it.”
Vincent looked toward the window.
For seventeen years, he'd imagined his daughter's final investigation ending in a confrontation with Thomas Voss.
Now he was beginning to see a much larger picture.
Thomas had been her boyfriend.
But Nathan had followed her.
Richard had feared her.
And Frank had helped bury the complaint that started everything.
Amelia spoke quietly.
“We have to tell Grace.”
Vincent shook his head.
“Not until we know the facts.”
“She's living with people who may have lied about her whole life.”
“I understand.”
“Do you?”
Vincent looked at her.
Amelia's eyes were wet.
“I spent twenty-eight years thinking my mother was ashamed of the past. She wasn't. She was protecting me.”
Vincent said nothing.
“I would have wanted someone to tell me.”
He nodded slowly.
“Then we find a way to give Grace the truth without putting her in danger.”
Two days later, Friday evening arrived.
Richard Lawson's annual charity gala was held at the Whitmore Hotel in Manhattan.
Four hundred guests filled the ballroom.
Politicians.
Developers.
Television personalities.
Business owners.
Vincent attended because his invitation had never been withdrawn.
Richard had apparently decided that maintaining appearances was safer than publicly excluding him.
Amelia came by choice.
Detective Bennett had advised caution, and Amelia understood the risks.
But she also understood that Richard had spent decades depending on frightened women to remain silent.
She was tired of being frightened.
She wore a simple navy dress borrowed from Margaret's daughter.
Her bruises had faded to yellow around the edges.
A small adhesive strip still covered the cut near her mouth.
She refused to conceal it.
Vincent met her outside the ballroom.
“You don't have to go in.”
“I know.”
“If you want to leave, we leave.”
“I know that, too.”
She smiled faintly.
“Thank you for asking instead of telling.”
Vincent offered his arm.
Amelia accepted.
The room changed when they entered.
Conversation quieted.
People glanced at Amelia's face.
Others recognized her from the viral video.
A few quickly looked away.
Richard Lawson approached from the center of the ballroom.
He was sixty-five, silver-haired, and dressed in a perfectly tailored tuxedo.
He wore the serpent ring.
“Vincent,” he said warmly. “I wasn't sure you'd come.”
Vincent didn't smile.
“Richard.”
Richard's gaze moved toward Amelia.
“Miss Hayes. I'm sorry about what happened with my son.”
Amelia held his eyes.
“Derek punched me because I wouldn't let him touch me.”
Richard's smile tightened.
“His behavior was unacceptable.”
“Then say that publicly.”
A nearby guest stopped speaking.
Richard lowered his voice.
“This isn't the place.”
“Why not?”
Vincent remained silent.
He had promised Amelia she could speak for herself.
Richard looked at him.
“Is this your idea of intimidation?”
“No,” Vincent replied. “This is what it looks like when someone stops being intimidated.”
Richard's jaw hardened.
“You're making a mistake.”
“Then let me make it.”
Amelia stepped away from them.
Near the ballroom windows, she spotted Grace Lawson.
Grace wore a cream-colored dress.
The pearl necklace rested against her collarbone.
Amelia approached carefully.
“Excuse me. Are you Grace?”
The young woman turned.
“Yes.”
“My name is Amelia Hayes.”
Recognition flashed across Grace's face.
“I saw what happened to you.”
Amelia nodded.
“I'm sorry you had to see that.”
Grace glanced toward Richard.
“My stepfather said there were circumstances.”
“There weren't.”
Grace looked uncomfortable.
“I don't know what to say.”
“You don't have to say anything.”
Amelia noticed Grace twisting the pearl between her fingers.
“That's a beautiful necklace.”
Grace touched it.
“Thank you. My mother gave it to me.”
“Catherine?”
“Yes.”
“Have you had it long?”
“Since I was sixteen.”
Amelia hesitated.
“Do you know where it came from?”
Grace looked puzzled.
“Why?”
Before Amelia could answer, Catherine Lawson appeared.
Her expression changed immediately.
“Grace, darling, your father is looking for you.”
Grace frowned.
“He's my stepfather.”
Catherine's smile faltered.
“Of course.”
Grace excused herself.
Catherine turned to Amelia.
“Please don't involve my daughter.”
Amelia met her gaze.
“Then tell me why Sophia Castellano wrote Lily's name on your photograph.”
Catherine's face drained.
For several seconds, she couldn't speak.
Then she gripped Amelia's arm.
Not tightly.
Desperately.
“Where did you get that photograph?”
“From Vincent.”
Catherine closed her eyes.
“Oh, Sophia.”
Amelia felt her heartbeat quicken.
“You knew?”
Catherine looked toward Richard.
“He told me she'd stopped investigating.”
“Who did?”
Catherine swallowed.
“My husband.”
Amelia stepped closer.
“Grace is Lily, isn't she?”
Catherine's eyes filled.
“She was never supposed to know that name.”
“Why?”
“Because I was afraid he'd take her away.”
The words struck Amelia with terrible familiarity.
Her mother had said the same thing.
Catherine loosened her grip.
“I adopted Grace when she was an infant. Richard became her stepfather when we married four years later. He promised the adoption had been handled properly.”
“And it wasn't?”
“I discovered irregularities after Sophia contacted me.”
“Did you tell Grace?”
Catherine shook her head.
“I was terrified. Grace had already lost so much. I thought the truth would destroy her.”
Amelia looked across the room.
Grace was standing beside Derek.
He appeared to be arguing with her.
Grace shook her head.
Derek grabbed her elbow.
Amelia instinctively moved.
Catherine caught her sleeve.
“Please. Don't make him angry.”
Amelia looked at her.
“Your daughter deserves to feel safe in her own family.”
Then she crossed the ballroom.
“Derek,” she said firmly. “Let her go.”
Derek turned.
His face darkened.
“You again?”
Grace pulled her arm free.
“I'm fine,” she said quickly.
But she wasn't.
Amelia could see it.
Derek leaned closer.
“You really don't know when to quit.”
Vincent appeared beside Amelia.
“Is there a problem?”
Derek stepped back.
Richard approached moments later.
“What is going on?”
Grace looked at him.
“Derek says I'm not supposed to speak to Amelia.”
Richard's expression froze.
Then he turned to Vincent.
“I think we've had enough of your games.”
Vincent's voice remained steady.
“Then perhaps it's time everyone stopped playing them.”
A photographer nearby lowered his camera.
Grace looked between the men.
“What are you talking about?”
Catherine reached for her daughter's hand.
“Grace, there's something I need to tell you.”
Richard's face changed.
“Catherine. Not here.”
She looked at him.
For the first time, she didn't obey.
“I've been keeping a secret about your adoption.”
Grace went completely still.
“My adoption?”
Amelia watched Catherine struggle.
Then Richard spoke.
“Catherine is confused. She's been under considerable stress.”
Grace slowly stepped away from him.
“Don't talk about Mom like that.”
Richard reached for her.
Vincent moved between them.
May you like
And Grace asked the question nobody in that ballroom was prepared to answer.
“If my adoption was legal, why did Sophia Castellano tell me to hide my necklace before she died?”
