“Yes.”
“Did you know about
the missing money?”
“Yes.”
“Did Ethan?”
“I believe that is what he was trying to discover before the accident.”
I stared at her.
“Then why choose me?”
Vivian closed the door.
“Because six months ago, an envelope was delivered to my attorney.”
She crossed the room and removed a small key from her pocket.
“It contained a handwritten instruction signed by Ethan.”
“What instruction?”
“To proceed with his marriage arrangement if he remained incapacitated near his thirtieth birthday.”
My heartbeat quickened.
“He planned this?”
“He planned for the possibility.”
“With me?”
Vivian looked toward the windows.
“He named you.”
Every question I had multiplied at once.
“That’s impossible.”
“I had the signature authenticated.”
“But I barely knew him.”
“Perhaps he knew more about you than you knew about him.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I did not know whether the letter was genuine until last week. And because I
