Rose Bellamy’s Last Night
Chapter 03 - Rose Bellamy’s Last Night
Rose Bellamy had been twenty-nine when she died.
She inherited a regional newspaper company, several commercial properties, and the Bellamy Children’s Trust after her parents were killed in a plane crash. The trust funded shelters, school meals, and legal services for children living in poverty.
Rose hired Whitmore Private Bank to manage the assets.
Edward Whitmore, Adrian’s father, became her financial adviser.
For three years, Rose trusted him.
Then she discovered that grant money had been transferred into development companies controlled by Edward and Victoria. The missing funds totaled more than eighteen million dollars.
Rose prepared to report the fraud.
On the final night of her life, she called Claire.
“She said someone had entered the house,” Claire told investigators inside the ballroom’s private conference room. “She asked me to come for Emily.”
Claire arrived shortly before midnight. Rose gave her the baby, a diaper bag, and instructions to drive without stopping.
“She said she had hidden the original ledgers where Edward would never find them.”
“Why didn’t you call police?” Emily asked.
“I did. The first officer at the property told me Rose had died from smoke before anyone arrived. He also said there was no sign of another person.”
Claire later learned that the officer had retired with an unexplained payment from a Whitmore account.
The official report blamed an electrical fault.
Rose’s body was found near her office. Her diamond ring was missing.
Within six months, the Bellamy company collapsed under debt. The Whitmore bank acquired its remaining assets at a fraction of their value. The children’s trust was absorbed into the Whitmore Foundation.
Emily had inherited nothing because documents claimed Rose sold her controlling shares before the fire.
“Why did you change my name?” Emily asked.
Claire’s eyes filled.
“Your full name was Emily Rose Bellamy. Two days after the funeral, a man followed us from the courthouse. I moved, used my former married name, and registered you as my daughter.”
“So the background report—”
“May be using records attached to the stolen identity.”
Police arrived and collected the ring, key, photograph, and Victoria’s folder.
Detective Lena Brooks asked Adrian where the ring had been stored before he proposed.
“In my mother’s private vault.”
Victoria answered through her attorney.
She claimed Edward bought it at an estate sale and never knew it belonged to Rose.
Claire stepped toward her.
“You wore that ring to Rose’s memorial service.”
Victoria’s attorney objected to the accusation.
Claire removed an old newspaper clipping from her purse.
The photograph showed Victoria leaving the church after Rose’s funeral.
The Bellamy diamond was clearly visible on her hand.
May you like
Emily looked from the clipping to the woman who had called her a fraud.
Victoria had walked into Rose’s memorial wearing property taken from her body.
