Alvirah and Willy were on the same flight in the economy section. “I would never spend the money for first class,” Alvirah said flatly. “The back of the plane gets there almost as fast as the front!”
“That’s news,” Willy muttered. He would have loved to stretch out in first class, but he knew it was hopeless to suggest it.
The plane had barely gone wheels up when all four of them fell asleep, Alvirah in the crook of Willy’s arm and Celia with her head nestled on Ted’s shoulder.
Somehow the thought of going back and facing further questioning from the FBI was not as scary as it had been only a few days ago. Ted had insisted that he reach out to her lawyer and offer his services and those of his investigators. “We are very good at what we do,” he had assured her. She knew that in the end everything would really be okay.
Epilogue
Three Months Later
Alvirah and Willy hosted a celebration dinner for Ted and Celia in their apartment on Central Park South. There was a storm outside and the park was covered with drifting snow. The horses and carriages were clip-clopping through it, and the familiar tinkle of their bells added a timeless sense of years gone by.
Inside, over cocktails, the four of them recalled their adventurous week on the Queen Charlotte. As promised, Anna DeMille had kept in close touch with Alvirah, saying that nothing could be more exciting than the cruise, even including “that thief making advances at me.”
“I still can’t get over the news about Devon Michaelson,” Alvirah said. Shortly after Michaelson’s arrest, Interpol had issued a statement: “Not now or at any time in the past did Interpol have an employee by that name on staff. He obviously presented falsified credentials. An investigation is being conducted to determine whether he had inside help at Castle Lines when he made arrangements to be on that voyage.”
“Heads will roll if that happened,” Willy said.
Celia had felt compelled to tell the FBI about Lady Em’s belief that Brenda had been stealing her jewelry. Part of her felt sorry for Brenda, but at the same time she believed it was wrong to let a thief go unpunished. But then Ralphie’s jeweler friend, the accomplice in switching Lady Em’s jewelry, had been arrested and charged in a similar scheme. In exchange for leniency he had quickly given up Ralphie, who in turn had told the FBI about Brenda’s role in stealing from Lady Em. Brenda had quickly agreed to a plea deal.
Ted’s investigators had succeeded in poking holes in Steven’s story that Celia had conspired with him from the beginning in the fund fraud. They had been able to prove that he had begun misappropriating money from client accounts two years before he even knew Celia. When the FBI met with her, their only interest in Celia was as a potential witness against Steven.
At the dinner Ted provided an update on a story they all had been following. It had been in the papers that Lady Em’s estate was set to undergo a thorough audit. Several former clients of Roger Pearson’s firm had come forward and expressed concern about “irregularities” in the work Roger had done for them. The lawyer Roger retained had put out a statement on his behalf. “Mr. Pearson suffered severe memory loss as a result of his horrific experience at sea and may not be in a position to adequately defend his past work.” In the picture, by his side, was his loving wife, Yvonne.
“Let’s forget about them,” Alvirah suggested, as she held up Champagne in a toast. “Celia, I love your engagement ring,” she said. “I’m so happy for both of you.”
Celia’s ring was a beautiful emerald. “It seemed only fitting to choose that stone,” Ted said. “It was emeralds, after all, that brought us together.” They had picked it out at Carruthers. Celia’s former employer had welcomed her back with open arms and had given her a raise.
Celia thought of Lady Em handing her the Cleopatra necklace. After it was turned over to the FBI, the Smithsonian had issued a statement saying that it was satisfied that Egypt historically was the rightful owner, and that the necklace should be returned to Egypt. The FBI had photographed it as evidence for the criminal trial of Devon Michaelson, and now it was on its way home.
On Christmas Eve they were flying to Sea Island to spend the holiday week with Ted’s parents and siblings. Celia thought of how she had felt that first day on the ship, all by myself, alone.
As she and Ted exchanged smiles, she thought, all by myself, alone. Never ever again.
About the Author
The #1 New York Times bestselling author Mary Higgins Clark has written thirty-seven suspense novels, four collections of short stories, a historical novel, a memoir, and two children’s books. With her daughter Carol Higgins Clark, she has coauthored five more suspense novels, and also wrote The Cinderella Murder, All Dressed in White, and The Sleeping Beauty Killer with bestselling author Alafair Burke. More than one hundred million copies of her books are in print in the United States alone. Her books are international bestsellers.