Chapter 7 - THE JADE ROSARY
Suite 402 at the Plaza Hotel smelled like expensive champagne and stale cigarette smoke.
Cameron didn’t knock. He kicked the heavy double doors open with a sickening crack of splintering wood. Audrey was right on his heels.
Elaine was standing by a massive marble fireplace, casually sipping a mimosa. She was stunningly beautiful, with sharp cheekbones and icy blonde hair, but her eyes were cold and calculating.
“Property damage, Cameron?” Elaine sneered, setting her glass down. “That won’t look good for the family court judge. A violent, drunk uncle breaking down doors.”
“Where is she?” Cameron roared, lunging forward.
Audrey grabbed his arm, pulling him back. Violence would only give Elaine the ammunition she wanted. “Elaine, you don’t want to be a mother. You want the board seats. Name your price.”
Elaine laughed, a sharp, ugly sound. “The assistant speaks. How cute. But this isn’t just about the money, sweetie. It’s about taking everything from the man who ruined my husband.”
“Daniel ruined himself,” Cameron spat.
“Daniel was perfect until he got into that car!” Elaine shrieked, her composed facade cracking. “And you covered it up! You hid the fact that your precious brother was a drunk driver. If the press finds out you falsified a police report to protect the company stock, you’ll go to prison, Cameron. And Mia goes to me.”
Audrey’s blood ran cold. A cover-up?
The bedroom door slowly creaked open.
A tiny girl with messy dark hair and tear-stained cheeks stepped out. She was clutching a stuffed rabbit. Mia.
“Uncle Cam?” she whimpered.
“Mia,” Cameron gasped, dropping to his knees and holding his arms out.
Mia took a step toward him, but Elaine moved violently, grabbing the little girl’s arm so hard Mia cried out.
“You’re staying right here, you little brat!” Elaine snapped, jerking the child backward.
As Elaine jerked her arm, her designer purse slipped off her shoulder, spilling onto the Persian rug. Lipstick, a compact, keys, and something heavy and green clattered across the floor.
Audrey looked down. It was a necklace. A heavy, antique jade rosary.
Cameron saw it, and the breath left his lungs in a rush. He stared at the rosary, then slowly looked up at Elaine. The horror on his face was absolute.
May you like
“That’s Daniel’s,” Cameron whispered. “He was wearing that the night he died in the crash. The police said it was missing from the wreckage.”
Elaine froze. Her face went deathly pale.
