Chapter 6 - The House Where Richard Whitmore Died)
The Whitmore estate had been empty for almost three years.
Officially.
The family stopped using it after Richard Whitmore died there during a winter holiday weekend.
Daniel had visited only twice since.
Emily refused to return.
“She hated the place after her father died,” Daniel explained as Detective Ortiz drove.
Ava sat in the back.
“Why did he die there if his death was recorded at Westbridge?”
“Heart attack at the estate. Vale was attending a private dinner. He stabilized Richard and transferred him.”
“To his own hospital.”
“Yes.”
Ortiz looked through the rearview mirror.
“And Richard was pronounced dead there?”
Daniel nodded.
The lake house appeared beyond the trees.
It was not a house.
It was a mansion.
Gray stone walls.
Black iron gates.
Long frozen drive.
No visible vehicles.
Ortiz stopped outside the gate.
“Wait here.”
Daniel immediately opened his door.
“No.”
“Mr. Whitmore.”
“My mother-in-law may have evidence that someone tried to murder my wife.”
Ortiz stared at him.
“Which is exactly why you stay here.”
Ava touched Daniel’s arm.
“She’s right.”
He closed the door.
Ortiz called for backup.
Then her radio crackled.
Possible sighting of Julian Mercer downtown.
Two patrol units were responding.
Ortiz frowned.
“That could be a distraction.”
Ava looked at the mansion.
A curtain moved on the second floor.
“Someone’s inside.”
Ortiz called it in.
Backup would take fifteen minutes.
Daniel suddenly opened his door again.
“Daniel.”
“That’s Emily’s bedroom.”
He ran toward the gate.
Ava swore and followed.
Ortiz had no choice.
The side gate was unlocked.
They crossed the grounds.
The front door stood slightly open.
Ortiz drew her weapon.
“Stay behind me.”
The interior smelled old.
Dust covered most surfaces.
But fresh footprints marked the entrance hall.
Two sets.
One pair of high heels.
One pair of men’s shoes.
Ortiz followed them.
They led toward the library.
The door was closed.
Voices came from inside.
Victoria.
“I told you to destroy it.”
Julian answered.
“I needed to know what she found.”
“You should have burned it.”
“And lose leverage?”
Daniel’s face twisted.
Ortiz signaled for silence.
Julian spoke again.
“Simon is already in custody.”
“He won’t talk.”
“He will if they threaten him with attempted murder.”
“Then give him someone else.”
“Who?”
“Martin.”
Ava’s jaw tightened.
Julian laughed quietly.
“You really have no loyalty.”
Victoria replied, “Loyalty is why people become poor.”
Ortiz pushed the door open.
“Police. Hands where I can see them.”
Victoria turned.
Julian stood beside the fireplace.
A blue file lay open on the table.
Daniel stared at it.
Victoria’s eyes moved to him.
“Daniel.”
“Don’t.”
She looked almost offended.
“You don’t understand.”
“My wife was alive in a coffin.”
Victoria’s composure cracked.
“She wasn’t supposed to wake up there.”
Everyone froze.
Ortiz said, “Would you like to repeat that?”
Victoria realized what she had said.
Julian moved suddenly.
His hand went inside his jacket.
Ortiz raised her weapon.
“Don’t.”
Julian stopped.
Slowly, he removed his hand.
Empty.
Daniel stepped toward the table.
Victoria blocked him.
“That belongs to the family.”
“Emily is the family.”
“You married into it.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“And you tried to bury your daughter.”
“I saved her.”
Daniel stared.
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.
“For years.”
Ava frowned.
“From who?”
Victoria looked toward Julian.
He did not move.
Daniel whispered, “What are you talking about?”
Victoria pointed at the blue file.
“Read it.”
Ortiz allowed Daniel to take it.
Inside were copied medical records.
Richard Whitmore.
Medication logs.
Vital signs.
Nursing notes.
One page had been circled in red.
02:43 a.m.
Spontaneous movement noted after declaration of death.
Daniel looked up.
“Richard woke up.”
Victoria nodded.
“For four minutes.”
Ava felt sick.
“Who was there?”
“Simon.”
“Dr. Vale?”
“And Julian.”
Julian finally spoke.
“Be very careful.”
Victoria ignored him.
“Richard could not move. He could barely breathe. But he opened his eyes.”
Daniel turned the page.
Another handwritten note.
Patient attempted speech.
A nurse named Teresa Lane had signed it.
Ava asked, “What happened to the nurse?”
Victoria looked at her.
“She disappeared.”
Ortiz’s expression sharpened.
“When?”
“Two days later.”
Daniel stared at Victoria.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“For three years?”
“Yes.”
“And you said nothing?”
Victoria’s tears fell.
“I thought they would kill Emily.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“So you helped them instead?”
“No.”
“You were at Westbridge.”
“I was trying to control what happened.”
“You let them put her in a coffin.”
Victoria’s voice broke.
“Because the coffin was supposed to be transferred here.”
Ava felt the room change.
“Why?”
Victoria looked at her.
“Because Emily was never supposed to be cremated.”
Daniel whispered, “Then what was supposed to happen?”
Before Victoria could answer, glass shattered behind them.
Julian threw a heavy lamp through the window.
He vaulted through the opening.
Ortiz shouted.
Daniel ran after him.
Ava reached the broken window in time to see Julian racing toward the woods.
Then a gunshot echoed from outside.
Julian collapsed.
For one horrible second, everyone assumed Ortiz had fired.
She had not.
A second gunshot struck the stone wall inches from Daniel.
Ortiz dragged him down.
“Sniper.”
Ava dropped behind the window frame.
Victoria screamed.
Another shot shattered a bookshelf.
Ortiz called for emergency units.
Then Ava saw Victoria staring toward the woods.
Not in confusion.
In recognition.
“You know who that is,” Ava said.
Victoria slowly looked at her.
“No.”
“You do.”
Victoria began shaking.
Ava grabbed her arm.
“Who is shooting?”
May you like
Victoria whispered the answer.
“The person I was trying to keep Emily from finding.”
