“My mother remarried after my father died. I legally took my stepfather’s name when I was twenty-four.”
“Did Mr. Hale know who your father was when he hired you?”
“No.”
“When did you begin investigating him?”
Melissa looked down.
“Three years ago.”
“What triggered that?”
“I found an archived box in the Fulton Street basement.”
“What was in it?”
“Maintenance logs.”
Victor closed his eyes.
Melissa continued.
“My father’s handwriting was on them.”
Her voice cracked.
“I hadn’t seen it in years.”
For a moment, she could not speak.
Grace gave her time.
Then Melissa continued.
“My mother always told me Dad died because of an equipment malfunction. She said the restaurant had investigated and found that he made a mistake.”
She looked at Victor.
“That was what Victor told us.”
Victor shook his head slowly.
“He did make a mistake.”
Melissa’s expression hardened.
“No.”
She reached inside her handbag.
