Chapter 1 - The Smile by the Pool
Julian Hale entered the west wing of Hale Manor shortly after four in the afternoon.
His flight from Chicago had arrived almost three hours earlier than expected.
He had considered calling Vanessa from the car.
Instead, he decided to surprise her.
Their wedding was only eleven days away.
He thought she would be delighted.
Then he heard his mother scream.
“Help me!”
Julian stopped so suddenly that the leather overnight bag slipped from his hand.
The scream came again.
“Somebody help!”
He ran toward the glass doors overlooking the rear terrace.
The first thing he saw was Martha Hale’s silver hair disappearing beneath the surface of the swimming pool.
The second thing he saw was Vanessa Cross.
She stood at the edge of the water in a white silk blouse and cream trousers.
She was close enough to touch Martha.
Yet she did nothing.
Martha surfaced again.
Her hands clawed desperately at the water.
“Vanessa!”
Vanessa crouched beside the pool.
For one terrible second, Julian thought she was finally going to help.
Instead, she smiled.
It was not the warm smile she wore at charity dinners.
It was not the soft expression she used whenever photographers appeared.
It was cold.
Patient.
Almost satisfied.
Then Vanessa leaned toward Martha.
“After the wedding, you won’t be alive long enough to complain.”
Julian felt something inside him turn to ice.
Vanessa continued.
“And when Julian finally realizes what happened, everyone will believe the confused old woman simply wandered outside again.”
Martha’s fingers slipped beneath the surface.
Julian moved.
He threw open the glass door.
Vanessa spun around.
Her face changed instantly.
“Julian?”
He did not answer.
He ran past her and jumped into the pool.
The water swallowed him.
He grabbed his mother beneath the arms and dragged her toward the steps.
Martha coughed violently as Julian lifted her onto the stone terrace.
Vanessa stood frozen.
Then she began crying.
“Oh my God.”
Julian looked at her.
The performance was perfect.
Too perfect.
“I tried to save her.”
Julian said nothing.
Martha clutched his shirt.
“She pushed me.”
Vanessa’s tears stopped for half a second.
Then she shook her head.
“Julian, please.”
Martha pointed at her.
“She pushed me into the pool.”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
“This is exactly what I’ve been telling you.”
Julian slowly stood.
Vanessa stepped toward him.
“Your mother’s getting worse.”
Julian looked directly into the eyes of the woman he had planned to marry.
For the first time, he understood that he might not know her at all.
Then he said the only thing that came to mind.
“Call an ambulance.”
Vanessa nodded quickly.
She reached for her phone.
Julian stopped her.
“I’ll do it.”
Their eyes met.
Something passed between them.
Fear.
May you like
Recognition.
And for the first time since she had entered Hale Manor, Vanessa Cross realized she might have made a mistake.
