Mark checked Lily over carefully to make sure she was completely unharmed.
The young girl was shivering despite the warm summer sunshine around them.
Mark wrapped a big dry towel tight around her wet shoulders.
Victoria stood nearby on the patio with her arms crossed tightly.
Victoria: You are overreacting over a simple little accident, Mark.
Father: Pushing a child into deep water is never an accident!
Victoria: She was reaching for that useless ruined stuffed toy!
Father: That toy means everything to my daughter.
Mark turned back to the edge of the clear blue pool.
The soaked brown teddy bear was floating near the skimmer drain.
Mark reached down into the water and pulled the toy out.
Water dripped steadily off the wet fur onto the deck.
He noticed something unusual tucked underneath the bear's ribbon collar.
A shiny golden key hung from a small thick string.
The metal key sparkled bright under the hot afternoon sun.
Victoria caught sight of the key and her face turned pale.
She lunged forward quickly to grab the dripping bear away.
Victoria: Give that dirty thing to me so I can throw it out!
Mark pulled the bear back out of her reach immediately.
Father: Why are you suddenly so desperate to touch this?
Victoria: It is covered in filthy pool water and ruined!
Father: This is a key to a private safety deposit box.
Lily looked up at the key with wide confused eyes.
Lily: Mommy told me to keep that key safe forever.
Lily: She sewed it inside my bear before she went away.
Mark stared down at the small brass key with deep surprise.
He had never seen this key in his house before today.
His late wife had never mentioned hiding anything inside the toy.
Victoria swallowed hard and glanced toward the glass patio doors.
Father: What do you know about this key, Victoria?
Victoria: I don't know anything about your late wife's junk!
Father: Your voice is shaking right now.
Mark saw clear panic spreading across Victoria's sharp face.
He remembered how Victoria always insisted on cleaning Lily's room.
She had tried to throw this exact teddy bear away twice before.
Mark locked eyes with his wife on the sunlit deck.
He realized there was a heavy secret hiding right in front of him.