Chapter 5 - A Voice They Believed They Had LostLater that afternoon, Desmond's attorney found an audio recording Camille had arranged to send before Ivy's birth. Desmond played it in Corinne's office.
Camille's voice filled the room. "Desmond, if Beckett's standing beside you, I already know exactly what the two of you are doing. You're trying to solve everything before dinner, and Beckett's probably planning the fastest way out of the room."
Beckett laughed despite himself.
"So I'm asking both of you to do something difficult. Desmond, listen before you try to fix things. Beckett, give people a chance to stay when staying gets uncomfortable."
Desmond lowered his eyes. Then came the final instructions — a trust had been set up for Beckett and Maisie. The money was theirs regardless of whether Beckett accepted Desmond as a guardian, or wanted any connection to the Wren family at all.
"And Desmond, please do not buy the boy a building."
Beckett glanced sideways at him. "Were you planning to buy me a building?"
"No."
"A piano?"
Desmond paused. Beckett smiled.
Camille's voice softened. "There's one more truth I was trying to confirm. Corinne knows where to find it. Whatever you learn, remember that people sometimes hide the truth because they're afraid of losing someone they love. Fear doesn't make secrecy harmless, but sometimes it explains why people make painful choices."
The recording ended. Ivy opened her eyes.
Gray. Exactly like Camille's.
Beckett rested his hand gently on the baby's blanket. "She'll know who her mother was."
May you like
Desmond looked at him. Beckett corrected himself. "We'll make certain she knows."
Neither one mentioned that he'd said "we."
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