They entered the room, and her breath caught. “It’s gorgeous.”
Sitting against the far wall was a dresser with an ornate mirror, looking as if it belonged in another time entirely. The wood was a medium hue and polished. The mirror was slightly clouded with age, reflecting their anxious faces.
Cas pulled open the first drawer, rifling through delicate lace gloves, old handkerchiefs, and neatly folded linens. Harper started on the next, feeling the worn fabric of Mary’s belongings slide under her fingertips. Every piece felt like a fragment of a story that had been carefully hidden away for decades, and she couldn’t help but wonder what secrets still lingered within the shadows of these drawers.
“Anything?” he asked, glancing over at her.
“Not yet,” she replied, shaking her head as she dug deeper. “But we’ve still got plenty to go through.”
Her hand hovered over the bottom drawer when she heard Sadie’s excited voice from down the hall. “Harper! Cas! You need to see this!”
She exchanged a quick look with him before they hurried to her cousin’s room. Dale and Sadie were crouched beside a breathtaking ornate vanity that perfectly matched the dresser in the guest room. Her cousin’s hands were shaking slightly as she held a crumpled envelope, the paper yellowed with age but still intact. She straightened and met Harper’s gaze, her eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and sadness.
“I found this tucked in a hidden compartment at the back of the top drawer,” Sadie said. “It’s a letter.”
Cas set a hand lightly on the middle of her back as they both neared. She blew out a breath at the sight of the faded ink on the envelope. The letter was addressed to Mary, and the date matched the timeframe of the diary entries. Her own hands were shaking as she carefully unfolded the letter, the fragile paper crinkling softly in her grip. Her eyes skimmed the words, and her heart dropped.
The letter was from Mary’s lover, written just days before the fire. It spoke of their plans to run away together, but it also revealed something far more sinister. They’d been receiving threats from members of one of the prominent families in town. His family. The letter detailed how Mary’s lover had been cornered by the family’s patriarch, who had demanded that he end the affair or face dire consequences. He wrote of how he feared for both of their lives.
But it was the last line that struck Harper the hardest:
“If something happens to me, know that I did not leave you willingly. They are keen to do anything to protect our family, even murder.”
Harper’s breath hitched as she read the final words. The room seemed to close in around her, the air thick with the consequence of the truth they’d uncovered. The implications of the letter were clear: Mary’s lover hadn’t died in a tragic accident. He had been murdered to keep their affair a secret.
“Oh my God,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “They killed him. They actually killed him. You don’t think they started that fire to cover it up, do you?”
Sadie nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. “This is what our great-grandmother wanted justice for, but her brother stopped her.”
“It may not seem like it right now, but back then, her brother was probably right,” Dale said. “Social standings and family reputations were worth more than gold. Their relationship posed a significant threat to his family’s strict social and business expectations. With her lover being a member of this powerful family, he was expected to adhere to certain rules, including marrying within their social circle or forming alliances that would benefit the family’s standing and interests.”
She grimaced. “How awful. Poor Mary.”
“I’m so glad society has evolved away from that garbage,” Sadie muttered, sliding her arm around Dale.
Cas moved his hand to Harper’s shoulder. “And someone’s still trying to keep it buried.”
She glanced at the letter again, her resolve hardening. They had to make sure Mary’s story was told, no matter the cost. The truth had been hidden for too long, and now they had the final piece. The lies, the cover-up, the murder all pointed to the dark legacy that still loomed over Harland County. And Harper knew they couldn’t stop now. They owed it to Mary and to her lost love, to bring the truth into the light.
“I wish we knew his name,” she said, her gaze lingering on the letter, which was signed simply, “Love, P.” She traced the faded ink with her finger, frustration bubbling up inside her. “This guy, whoever he was, deserved better than this. They all did.”
Sadie nodded, her expression somber. “We’ve got to find out who he was. If we can figure out who P is, we’ll have everything we need.”
Cas leaned over, his hand resting gently on Harper’s shoulder. “We’re close. Closer than anyone’s ever been. We’ll find him. And once we do, we can finally set things right.”
Harper nodded, feeling the determination strengthen her resolve. “Yeah. We’ll make sure everyone knows the truth.”
He squeezed her shoulder, his touch warm and reassuring. “Let’s take this one step at a time. It’s been a long day. How about we head back to your apartment for the night? We can regroup and figure out our next move in the morning.”
She smiled at him, grateful for his steady presence. “That sounds good.”
“How about I order some pizza, then we can all settle down for some rest,” her cousin suggested, already pulling out her phone.
Harper glanced one last time at the letter in her hand before setting on the vanity. There were still so many unanswered questions—like the true identity of Mary’s lover and was his murder the reason for the fire? Despite the horrible nature of this new information, Harper felt a spark of hope ignite within her. The truth was no longer buried, and for the first time, she felt like they were on the verge of something monumental.
As they ate pizza in Sadie’s kitchen, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the answers were closer than ever, lingering just beyond the darkening horizon, waiting to be uncovered.
Chapter Seventeen
