Chapter 8 - The Door That Should Never Have Opened
The observatory doors shook.
Claire grabbed Pamela's arm.
“Back exit?”
Pamela pointed toward a narrow stairwell.
They ran.
A loud crash came from the main entrance.
Mateo was not with them.
He had stayed with Maria.
Claire stopped.
“My son.”
Pamela grabbed her.
“Maria has him.”
Another crash.
They reached the lower level.
A hidden tunnel led beneath the observatory.
Pamela unlocked an old metal door.
“Where does this go?”
“Richard's father's property.”
Claire stared.
“You knew about this?”
“I found it while investigating the trust.”
They entered.
The tunnel was cold and narrow.
At the end was an underground room.
There were filing cabinets.
Old computers.
Boxes.
Claire opened one.
Inside were photographs.
Hundreds.
Her family.
Her home.
Mateo.
Maria.
Pamela.
All photographed secretly.
Claire felt sick.
“This isn't a business operation.”
Pamela shook her head.
“No.”
“What is it?”
“Surveillance.”
Claire found another box.
It contained recordings labeled by dates.
She recognized one.
The night Mateo stopped speaking.
She played it.
This time there was audio.
Evelyn was crying.
Richard's father was shouting.
Pamela was pleading.
And Mateo was screaming.
Claire covered her mouth.
The recording ended abruptly.
Then came seven minutes of silence.
Seven minutes.
Claire understood.
Those were the missing minutes.
But before she could continue, the door behind them opened.
Richard stood there.
His suit was torn.
His face was exhausted.
He didn't attack.
He simply looked at Claire.
“I wanted to tell you.”
Claire stepped backward.
“You had seven years.”
“I know.”
“You let me believe my son was broken.”
Richard's eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“You threatened him.”
“I was trying to keep him alive too.”
Pamela stepped forward.
“You don't get to rewrite what you did.”
Richard looked at her.
“You have no idea what my father is capable of.”
“Then tell us.”
Richard shook his head.
“He has people everywhere.”
Claire looked at him.
“Where is he?”
Richard whispered:
“I don't know.”
A phone rang.
Richard looked down.
His face changed.
The caller ID displayed one word.
Dad.
Richard didn't answer.
The phone rang again.
Then a message appeared.
Bring Claire to the house.
Alone.
Richard showed it to her.
Claire stared.
“Why does he want me?”
May you like
Richard answered:
“Because the trust activates tomorrow.”
