Page 65 of Weeping Roses
“It was mainly jewelry. Beautiful expensive jewelry that she warned me must never leave that vault.”
“Why not?” I’m mildly curious because jewelry has no bearing on my investigation and she shrugs.
“Because of its value, and she seems to think it holds some kind of importance that would raise too many questions if revealed.”
“Stolen?” I raise my eyes and she nods.
“I thought that too. I mean the stuff in there was beautiful, Valentin. Like royalty wore them one day. She also told me they were more valuable than all her real estate but to leave them to rot because they may cause me harm. What do you think she meant by that?”
She appears anxious, which is no surprise, and I shrug.
“It probably means they weren’t hers to own. She was hiding them for someone or came by them illegally. Without seeing them, I couldn’t say.”
She takes another deep breath and says sadly. “There were many letters from your father, like the ones in her desk.”
I tense, my blood freezing at her words and my head hurts, as well as my heart, when all my suspicions are confirmed.
She squeezes my hand and her voice is laden with sympathy. “It appears they couldn’t be together and spent most of their life meeting in dark shadows. He spoke of change and a time when they would be together. Snatched moments of pleasure and a life that should have been different.”
Once again, I say nothing because revealing my emotions is something that doesn’t come easily to me. We have been taught by the master and always believed business was more important than anything. Now I know my father was disguising his emotions his entire life for a very different reason.
Polly is pensive and I can tell there is a lot on her mind and she whispers so softly it could almost be mistaken for a summer breeze.
“She told me to sell everything and walk away.”
“Why?” I’m more surprised at that than anything else and Polly shrugs.
“She told me to sell to Marsha Steele because she deserves it and my aunt didn’t want her to claim another victim.”
She gazes at me with concern. “Do you know what she meant by that?”
“She was warning you.” I state the fucking obvious and sigh. “Whatever happened in your aunt’s life was orchestrated by Marsha Steele in some way. It may just be the introduction, or she was involved in their relationship somehow.”
My heart hardens when I think of Marsha Steele. A woman who is pivotal in this whole mess and our meeting tomorrow is even more urgent now because I’m guessing that if anyone can give us the answers we seek, it’s Marsha, the Burning Rose herself.
When Polly heads inside to change for dinner, I take the time to call my brother Mikhail. He met with Marsha in his pursuit of the truth, and I want to discover his thoughts on her.
“Valentin.”
His husky voice is unnaturally relaxed and I detect the sound of waves crashing to the shore, reminding me he is on vacation with the woman who somehow stole his black heart.
“I’m sorry to disturb your vacation, but I have a question.”
“I am never on vacation. Merely in a different location.”
His answer makes me smile, and a bolt of affection hits me for my enigmatic brother.
“Marsha Steele.” I say her name and it causes his breath to drag through the phone.
“What about her?”
“She is interested in buying Veronica Scott–Stanley’s house, and is searching for something.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Veronica worked for her and I always thought she was more involved than she let on.”
“What do you know of her?” I need to ask, and he sighs heavily.
“She protects her business as if it’s a trade secrets act. Any information is well-guarded with secrets and lies.”