Chapter 5 - Eleanor Wasn't AloneDaniel stared at Mara.
“That’s impossible.”
“I know.”
“Eleanor's body was identified.”
“I know.”
“Her death certificate was signed.”
“I know.”
“Then stop talking in riddles.”
Mara wiped tears from her face.
“Thomas sent me a recording.”
She pulled out her phone.
The screen was cracked.
She played the video.
Eleanor appeared seated in a chair.
She looked tired.
Older.
But unmistakably alive.
Daniel stopped breathing.
“Mom?”
Eleanor looked directly into the camera.
“Mara, if you're watching this, you were contacted because the trust has been compromised.”
The video continued.
“If Daniel discovers the truth too soon, they'll come for Sophie.”
Mara froze the recording.
Daniel stared at the screen.
“Who recorded this?”
“Thomas.”
“Why would Mom trust him?”
“She didn't.”
Mara continued.
“She made the video because she suspected him.”
Daniel looked at the ledger.
“So he forged my signature.”
“Yes.”
“And used Sophie's name.”
“Yes.”
“And you helped him.”
Mara closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Daniel's voice turned cold.
“Why?”
Mara looked at Sophie.
“He threatened to kill her.”
Sophie stepped closer to her father.
Mara continued.
“He said if I refused to cooperate, he would make the next death look like an accident.”
Daniel's anger did not disappear.
But it changed shape.
“What did you do?”
“I moved papers.”
“Anything else?”
“I told people you were hiding money.”
“You poisoned the family against me.”
“I know.”
“You let everyone think you were protecting the trust.”
“I know.”
“And today you attacked my daughter.”
Mara's voice cracked.
“I panicked when she told me she knew where the ledger was.”
“Why?”
“Because I thought Thomas was going to kill her.”
Daniel looked at the ledger.
“Where did you think it was?”
“In Sophie's room.”
“Because?”
“Because Thomas told me Eleanor had hidden a second ledger there.”
Daniel stared at her.
There was no second ledger.
Unless there was.
A crash came from the basement.
Everyone froze.
Mara whispered, “He's found something.”
They ran downstairs.
The basement door stood open.
Shelves had been overturned.
Boxes lay scattered.
Thomas was gone.
So was Richard.
But something else was missing.
The security server.
Daniel looked at the empty rack.
“They took the recordings.”
Mara shook her head.
“No.”
“What?”
“There was a backup.”
“Where?”
Mara pointed toward the ceiling.
“In the old clock room.”
Daniel frowned.
“The clock room?”
“Your mother had a second system installed. It wasn't connected to the mansion network.”
Victor suddenly went pale.
“She never told me.”
“She didn't trust you.”
Victor stared at her.
“That isn't true.”
Mara looked at him.
“Then why did she write your name beside the word 'double'?”
Silence.
Daniel opened the ledger again.
Near the back, Eleanor had written a list.
Mara.
Thomas.
Richard.
Victor.
And next to each name was a symbol.
Beside Victor was a black circle.
Beside Mara, a broken line.
Beside Thomas, a red triangle.
Daniel asked, “What do these mean?”
Mara shook her head.
“I never figured it out.”
Sophie was staring at the page.
Then she touched the symbol beside Victor.
“Grandma called that one the watching eye.”
Victor stepped backward.
Daniel noticed.
“Why are you scared?”
Victor's lips parted.
“I've seen that symbol before.”
“Where?”
Victor looked at the ceiling.
“On the inside of your mother's coffin.”
Daniel felt a chill crawl up his spine.
“My mother's coffin?”
Victor nodded.
“Someone had scratched it into the wood.”
Daniel stared at him.
“And you never told me?”
Victor looked away.
“Because your mother wasn't the only person who knew what it meant.”
“Who else?”
Victor whispered one name.
“Her doctor.”
Before Daniel could respond, the house lights suddenly came back on.
Every security monitor in the basement flickered.
Then one screen showed a live image.
Eleanor Vale.
Standing in the old clock room.
May you like
Alive.
And behind her stood Sophie.
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