Chapter 5 - The Woman Richard Married
Vanessa arrived at Richard's office the next morning.
She closed the door behind her.
“You spoke to Emily.”
Richard did not look up.
“She found the storage room.”
Vanessa's face went pale.
“You said she didn't know.”
“She does now.”
“Then fix it.”
Richard looked at her.
“You're forgetting who you're talking to.”
“No,” Vanessa replied. “I'm reminding you.”
Richard stood.
“You don't threaten me in my own office.”
Vanessa smiled.
“You should ask yourself why Daniel left everything in your daughter's hands.”
Richard stared at her.
“What do you know?”
“Enough.”
“You knew Daniel.”
Vanessa's expression changed.
“Of course I knew him.”
“How?”
She turned toward the window.
“We were partners once.”
Richard's eyes widened.
“You never told me.”
“You never asked.”
“What kind of partners?”
Vanessa smiled.
“The kind that know where the bodies are buried.”
Richard stepped closer.
“Don't play games.”
Vanessa turned.
“I didn't marry you for your money.”
Richard laughed bitterly.
“Then why?”
“Because Daniel took something from me.”
“What?”
“My future.”
Richard's face tightened.
Vanessa leaned closer.
“And I want it back.”
Meanwhile, Emily returned home.
She found an unfamiliar car parked across the street.
She watched it for several minutes.
Then her phone buzzed.
A message.
YOU ARE LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE.
Emily looked at the car.
It drove away.
She entered the house.
Noah ran toward her.
“Mommy!”
Emily hugged him.
Then she noticed the living room.
One of Daniel's old photographs was missing.
She searched everywhere.
Nothing.
Then she saw the back door.
Unlocked.
Her heart raced.
She ran upstairs.
Noah's room was untouched.
Her bedroom was untouched.
But Daniel's old closet was open.
Inside, his wedding suit was hanging exactly as she remembered.
Emily touched it.
Something fell from the pocket.
A hotel key card.
She turned it over.
The name of the hotel was printed on it.
THE RAVENWOOD.
Underneath was a room number.
317.
Emily stared at it.
She knew that hotel.
It was where Daniel had taken her on their tenth anniversary.
But they had stayed in room 402.
Not 317.
She checked the date on the key card.
It was dated three days before Daniel's death.
Emily grabbed her phone.
She called Marcus.
He answered immediately.
“You found it.”
“How did you know?”
“I was waiting for you to.”
“What is room 317?”
Marcus went silent.
May you like
Then he said,
“Emily, whatever you do, don't open that door alone.”
