Chapter 10: Rosa's Last Secret
That evening, after Lily was in bed, Rosa came to find me in the study.
She stood in the doorway with her hands folded, the way she always stood when she had something to say that she wasn't sure she should say.
"Sit down, Rosa."
She sat in the chair across from the desk.
"There's one more thing," she said.
"I should have told you sooner.
I kept telling myself it wasn't relevant.
But I think you should know."
"Tell me."
"The night of Miss Claire's accident — " She stopped.
Started again.
"She called me.
From the car.
About forty minutes before it happened."
I went very still.
"She said she was on her way to meet someone.
A woman who had contacted her and said she had information about Dorian Harlan.
She said the woman had reached out through the investigator Claire had hired." Rosa's hands tightened in her lap.
"She sounded calm.
She said she'd be home by ten.
She said if she wasn't home by ten, I should call you."
"She wasn't home by ten."
"No."
"Did you call me?"
Rosa looked at the floor.
"I called the investigator first.
To ask if he had arranged the meeting.
He said he hadn't.
He didn't know anything about a woman contacting Miss Claire." She looked up.
"I was about to call you when the police arrived at the door."
I sat with that for a long moment.
"The meeting was arranged by someone else," I said.
"I don't know that for certain."
"But you think so."
She didn't answer.
She didn't need to.
"Did you give this information to the police at the time?"
"I gave them the phone call.
I told them she had been on her way to meet someone.
They said the accident investigation showed no evidence of another vehicle.
They said the road was wet.
They closed it as an accident." Her voice was very quiet.
"I didn't push.
I was grieving.
I had Lily to look after.
I told myself they were right."
"And now?"
"Now I think Miss Claire found something that frightened the right people.
And I think someone made sure she didn't get to the meeting."
I stood up and walked to the window.
The grounds were dark.
The same grounds.
The same house.
"I'm going to give Adrienne this information," I said.
"She'll know whether it's enough to reopen the accident investigation."
"I know," Rosa said.
"That's why I'm telling you."
I turned around.
"Rosa.
You stayed.
For eight months, you stayed in this house, protected Lily, kept that USB drive safe, and waited until you were sure." I stopped.
"Thank you doesn't cover it."
She stood up.
She smoothed her apron with both hands — the small, practical gesture she always made when she was trying not to cry.
"Miss Claire trusted me with her daughter," she said simply.
"That's not something I take lightly."
She walked to the door.
"Rosa."
She turned.
"You're not the housekeeper anymore.
I mean — you are, if you want to be.
But you're also something else in this house.
You have been for a long time."
She looked at me for a moment.
Then she nodded once — small, certain — and walked out.
May you like
I sat back down at the desk.
I opened a new email to Adrienne and began to type.
