“Perhaps you should call her.”
Julius includes both me and Rose in his statement, and we shake our heads in sync.
“No. We cannot interfere with Tiffany’s choice. If she doesn’t want to leave, that is her decision to make.”
“Don’t you want answers?”
Simeon sounds frustrated, and I shrug.
“Obviously I’m curious, but it won’t make any difference to my life. If I lose my money, I would consider it an albatross falling from around my neck.”
“Same,” Rose adds. “You may think it’s strange that money doesn’t motivate us. If anything, it repels us.”
“Says the woman living in the lap of luxury.”
I can’t help teasing her, and she shrugs. “I would happily live with Julius in the ghetto if that was where his home was.”
“Like Alice, I’m guessing.” Julius says in a sly dig to his brother and I turn to Simeon and smile softly. “It’s hardly the ghetto, but Rose is right. I would live with Simeon in a trailer if that was his home.”
“For fuck’s sake.” Julius shakes his head. “A little help would be appreciated.”
“Why, honey?” Rose turns to him, and her smile softens his expression. “You have money, more than you can spend, and so does your family. Would you really sacrifice Tiffany’s happiness to add more to the pile, knowing it would make her miserable?”
He says nothing, and I add, “Sometimes secrets are best left buried, and I can testify to that more than most.”
I fix Rose with a sad smile.
“I found my mom.”
“Oh my God.”
Rose is aghast, and I nod sadly. “Yes, she didn’t die that day; in fact, she went on her own adventure and ended up with a new identity and a new family, as it happens.”
“You met her?”
Rose sounds sad about that, probably because she can tell it was not a happy reunion.
“She abandoned me to him, Rose, and no matter how much I wish she had fought for me, she didn’t. She told me it was to save my life, but I don’t buy it.”
Rose shifts and sits beside me and takes my hand, pity pouring from her eyes as she whispers, “I’m so sorry, Alice. I know how much you hoped to find her.”
“But that’s water under the bridge now.” I shrug as if it no longer matters. “I know where she is and perhaps in the future our relationship will change.”
She says nothing because she knows me so well and realizes this is not the time or the place to go into details.
“It threw up many questions and–”
Simeon falters and glances at his brother, who beckons Rose to his side.
She sits beside him, and I love how he places his arm around her and peers at her with concern.
“Your mother may not have taken her own life.”
For a moment she says nothing, and her face is ashen as she eventually whispers, “Are you saying that my mother was murdered?”
My heart breaks for her because I’m already aware it’s a distinct possibility, and Julius nods, his expression grave.
“It appears that Morgan Sorcusi was part of your father’s life from the beginning. Before Sarah Goldsworthy and your mother, Rose. We also believe she had a hand in your father’s death, so if you want to get your revenge, you must do as we say.”
