Chapter 7 - HAROLD’S SECRETHarold Crane spent two days pretending the past was not coming back for him.
On Wednesday morning, he gave up.
He closed Maple Corner Diner early and drove to Tessa’s house.
Ruby was doing a puzzle at the dining table.
When she saw Harold, her expression became guarded.
“You’re the man who wouldn’t feed me.”
Harold winced.
“I deserve that.”
Damon folded his arms.
“What do you want?”
“To tell you why.”
Harold took off his coat.
“Elena came to me eight years ago because her father used to work here.”
Ruby looked surprised.
“My grandpa?”
“Before prison. Long before.”
Harold explained.
Richard Fenwick had been a bookkeeper when Harold’s father owned the diner.
Smart.
Quiet.
Too ambitious.
Eventually Richard left and became financial manager for Martin Vale, then a rising real-estate developer.
Together, Vale and Richard moved money through shell companies.
When investigators closed in, Vale saved himself.
Richard went to prison.
Elena had been eighteen when she learned the truth.
“She blamed Vale for destroying her father,” Harold said.
Damon frowned.
“And me?”
Harold looked at him.
“You came later.”
“Why did Elena leave me?”
“That I don’t know.”
“You knew she was pregnant.”
“Yes.”
“And you never told me.”
“I promised her.”
Damon’s jaw tightened.
“You let me spend nine years thinking she vanished because she stopped loving me.”
Harold did not defend himself.
“I did.”
Ruby looked between them.
“Why?”
Harold turned to her.
“Because your mother was scared.”
“Of Damon?”
“No.”
“Then why hide me from him?”
Harold’s silence answered before his words did.
“She believed being close to Damon would put him in danger.”
Damon laughed bitterly.
“That sounds convenient.”
Harold pulled an envelope from his coat.
“I also kept this.”
It was addressed to Damon.
The postmark was eight years old.
Damon stared.
“You had a letter for me?”
“Elena asked me to mail it if something happened.”
“You didn’t.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because two days later Martin Vale came into my diner.”
Ruby went still.
Harold continued.
“He knew Elena had been here. He knew she had left something with me.”
“What did you tell him?”
“That I knew nothing.”
“And then?”
“He showed me photographs of my daughter’s house.”
Damon’s anger disappeared.
Harold’s voice cracked slightly.
“My daughter had two babies at the time.”
Ruby whispered, “He threatened them.”
Harold nodded.
“I put Elena’s letter in a drawer.”
Damon stared at him for several seconds.
Then took the envelope.
Inside were three pages.
Elena’s handwriting covered both sides.
Damon read silently until the first line stopped him.
Damon,
If you are reading this, I failed to come back.
His hands began trembling.
Ruby moved closer.
Damon continued.
There are things about my father that I never told you. Things Martin Vale believes I know. Before Dad died, he sent me information that could destroy Vale. I never found all of it.
Then:
I left you because I was pregnant.
Damon closed his eyes.
Ruby stopped breathing.
I was afraid Vale would use you to get to me.
The final lines were harder.
Her name is Ruby.
She has your eyes when she gets angry.
I’m sorry.
Damon could not continue.
Ruby whispered, “There’s more.”
He forced himself to read.
If one day Ruby finds you before I do, believe her.
And please don’t hate her for what I was too afraid to tell you.
Damon lowered the paper.
Ruby’s eyes were wet.
“So you are my dad.”
The letter was powerful.
But it was not proof.
Damon reached across the table.
He stopped before touching Ruby.
She closed the distance herself and placed her small hand in his.
“We’ll still do the test,” Damon said.
Ruby nodded.
Harold wiped his eyes.
Then Damon noticed a line near the bottom of the page.
May you like
One sentence Elena had underlined twice.
The swallow carries only the first key.
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