Chapter 6 - The Locked Drawer Opens AgainI dropped the phone.
We rushed back to the house.
Police cars blocked the driveway.
An ambulance was parked near the entrance.
My heart hammered.
I pushed through the officers.
“Where is Marian?”
A paramedic grabbed my arm.
“She has a superficial wound.”
“Where?”
“Shoulder.”
I almost collapsed.
Marian sat in a chair.
Blood stained her sleeve.
But she was conscious.
“I told you,” she said weakly, “I am difficult to kill.”
I laughed despite myself.
“Who shot you?”
“A man in a gray jacket.”
“Evan?”
“I don't know.”
Thomas looked at the officers.
“Any footage?”
The officer nodded.
“Someone disabled the exterior cameras.”
My stomach dropped.
“Someone knew where they were.”
Marian looked at me.
“Then we have a bigger problem.”
A detective approached.
“Ms. Vale, there is something you need to see.”
He showed me an image from a traffic camera.
A black sedan.
I recognized it.
Richard Hale's car.
My former boss.
The same man in the photograph.
The detective continued.
“The vehicle was seen near your house twice this morning.”
I stared at the screen.
“Why would Richard be here?”
Marian looked away.
That was enough.
“You know him.”
She didn't answer.
“Mom?”
Paige's voice cracked.
Everyone turned.
She stood near the hallway.
She looked terrified.
“I know why.”
We all stared.
Paige stepped forward.
“I met Richard yesterday.”
“Why?”
“He called me.”
“What did he want?”
She began crying.
“He told me Evan planned to leave the country.”
My pulse jumped.
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“With Vanessa?”
Paige nodded.
“He was going to take the money and disappear.”
Thomas asked:
“How much?”
Paige swallowed.
“Four million.”
I stared at her.
“Four million dollars?”
She nodded.
“And you helped him?”
“No.”
She looked at Marian.
“I was trying to stop him.”
Marian's expression hardened.
“Then why did you take eighty-five thousand?”
Paige broke down.
“He paid me to keep quiet.”
“About what?”
She wiped her face.
“About Elena.”
The room went silent.
“Who is Elena?”
Paige looked at me.
“The woman from the old police report.”
My breathing stopped.
“What happened to her?”
Paige whispered:
“She didn't disappear.”
Thomas closed his eyes.
“Where is she?”
“She died.”
“When?”
“Seven years ago.”
“Who killed her?”
Paige shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“Then what do you know?”
“Evan found out she had copied financial records. He panicked.”
“Did he kill her?”
“No.”
She looked toward the stairs.
“He ordered someone else to.”
I felt cold.
“Who?”
Paige couldn't answer.
Marian did.
“Richard.”
I stared at her.
“Richard Hale killed Elena?”
Marian nodded.
“My husband knew.”
“And my father?”
“Your father was trying to expose it.”
“What happened?”
“He was threatened.”
“By Richard?”
“No.”
Marian looked directly at me.
“By me.”
I froze.
“You?”
“I asked your father to stop.”
“Why?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Of what would happen if the family collapsed.”
I stared at her in disbelief.
“So you protected Richard?”
“For a time.”
“Then all of this…”
Marian looked at the floor.
“Yes.”
I stepped away.
“You're not better than Evan.”
Her face tightened.
“I know.”
That was the first time she had ever admitted it.
Thomas opened the blue folder again.
“There is another reason she kept the drawer locked.”
He removed an old cassette tape.
“Your father recorded a conversation.”
“With Marian?”
“No.”
“With Richard.”
He placed the tape into an old player.
Static.
Then two male voices.
My father's voice.
Richard's voice.
“You can't erase the account forever.”
Richard answered.
“You don't understand the family.”
My father's voice sharpened.
“I understand the law.”
Richard laughed.
“You still think the law protects people.”
Then another voice entered.
Evan.
Young.
Cold.
“I can handle him.”
My blood ran cold.
Evan had been there.
All those years ago.
My father continued:
“Evan, this isn't your business.”
Evan replied:
“It became my business when you mentioned Claire.”
I couldn't breathe.
My father's voice became angry.
“Don't ever use my daughter.”
Evan said:
“She'll be my wife soon.”
Silence.
Then my father said:
“If you marry her for money, I will expose you.”
The recording ended.
Everyone stared at me.
My father had known.
Evan had known.
Marian had known.
And I had walked into the marriage blind.
Then another sound came from the hallway.
A soft click.
The locked drawer in the antique cabinet had opened.
By itself.
Inside it was a second blue folder.
Marian looked at it.
Her face went pale.
“That one,” she whispered, “was never supposed to be opened.”
Thomas lifted it.
“What is it?”
Marian whispered:
“My husband's final will.”
Thomas opened the first page.
Then stopped.
His eyes widened.
“Claire.”
“What?”
“You're not the beneficiary.”
I stared at him.
“Then who is?”
He turned the page.
May you like
A single name appeared.
ELENA SHAW.
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