He Stole Her Bouquet and Brought Her Brother's Name

CHAPTER 2 - THE WARNING

Daniel moved down the steps with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

He was handsome in the careful way some men became by paying attention to details. Perfect tie. Polished shoes. Calm expression. To anyone watching, he looked like a man concerned about his bride.

But Emma had known him for three years.

She knew when his jaw tightened.

She knew what it meant when he glanced first at the boy, then at the bracelet, then quickly away.

"What is this?" Daniel asked softly.

Too softly.

Emma stood. "This boy says Noah is in the hospital."

Daniel's face changed by half an inch. It would have meant nothing to anyone else. To Emma, it was enough.

"Noah?" he said. "Emma, your brother vanished twenty years ago."

Not vanished, she thought. Left. Or was taken. Depending on which family story people preferred.

Their mother had died still setting an extra plate on Noah's birthday. Their father had died refusing to talk about the night his son disappeared from a summer festival in Marseille.

The boy stepped behind Emma's skirt, still clutching the old bracelet. "My dad told me to find her before the wedding."

"What is your name?" Emma asked.

"Leo."

"Where is your father?"

Leo's eyes filled again. "He couldn't come. He collapsed this morning."

A wedding coordinator hurried up, whispering that the guests were waiting, the priest was waiting, everything was ready. Emma barely heard her.

Daniel reached for her elbow. "This is cruel timing, Emma. Whoever put this child up to it knew exactly what they were doing."

Emma looked down at Leo. "Did your father tell you his name?"

Leo nodded.

Her breath caught before he even answered.

"He said, 'Tell Emma I'm Noah. Tell her I kept my promise.'"

Emma's bouquet slipped from her hands and rolled down two stone steps.

Then Daniel said, too quickly, "He's lying."