Chapter 5 - Behind Locked Doors)
Laura remembered the key clearly.
Eric had kept it on a thin chain around his neck during the last year of their marriage.
A small silver key with a narrow rectangular head.
Laura never knew exactly what it opened.
She only knew that after arguments Eric sometimes disappeared into the basement.
He would return calmer.
More organized.
And usually carrying documents.
"Did Vanessa know about it?"
Margaret asked.
Laura laughed bitterly.
"Vanessa knew everything."
"How close were they?"
"Too close."
"Meaning?"
"They didn't trust anyone except each other."
Laura paused.
"At least, that's what Eric believed."
"What do you mean?"
"Vanessa kept copies too."
"Copies of what?"
"Insurance forms. Account numbers. Recordings."
"Where?"
"I found a flash drive once."
Margaret leaned forward.
"What was on it?"
"Videos of me."
Margaret closed her eyes.
"Edited?"
"Some."
"Why?"
"To make me look unstable."
Margaret's fingers tightened around the phone.
Exactly.
Laura continued.
"There were also documents about another woman."
Margaret frowned.
"Before you?"
"Yes."
"What woman?"
"Her name was Rebecca Marsh."
Margaret wrote the name down.
"What happened to her?"
"I don't know."
"Did Eric marry her?"
"No."
"Then why was she in the files?"
Laura went quiet.
"She owned a house."
Margaret understood immediately.
"Money."
"Yes."
"What happened?"
"I found a property transfer showing Eric's company bought her house for almost nothing."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"Did you contact her?"
"I tried."
"And?"
"She had moved."
Margaret looked at her notes.
One woman.
Then Laura.
Now Sophie.
A pattern.
"Eric finds women with assets."
"Yes."
"He isolates them."
"Yes."
"Vanessa helps."
"Always."
"They create records suggesting the woman is unstable."
"Yes."
"Then they gain financial control."
Laura's voice dropped.
"Yes."
Margaret felt sick.
"What happens when they get the money?"
"I left before I found out."
Margaret looked toward the clock.
Nearly one in the morning.
"Laura, would you testify?"
Silence.
"I don't know."
"Please."
"I spent years trying to forget."
"My granddaughter is three weeks old."
Laura inhaled slowly.
Margaret continued.
"I think they're using Sophie exactly the way they used you."
Another long silence.
Then Laura said, "If you find the room, call me."
"What room?"
"The room the key opens."
"Why?"
"Because Eric never destroys anything."
The following afternoon Margaret returned to Sophie's house while Eric was at work.
She knew this because she had watched him leave.
Vanessa's car was gone too.
Margaret knocked.
Sophie opened the door.
Her eyes widened.
"Mom."
"I need ten minutes."
"You can't keep doing this."
"Ten minutes."
Sophie looked over her shoulder.
"Eric will be home soon."
"Then we have less than ten minutes."
Margaret stepped inside.
Emma slept against Sophie's shoulder.
Margaret softened.
"How is her feeding?"
"Better."
"Are you taking the sleep pills?"
Sophie hesitated.
Margaret waited.
"No."
"Good."
"I didn't take one last night."
"How did you feel?"
"Tired."
"Confused?"
Sophie frowned.
"No."
"Any memory gaps?"
"No."
Margaret saw the realization beginning.
Sophie looked away.
"Maybe it was just exhaustion."
"Maybe."
"You don't believe that."
"No."
Sophie sat on the couch.
Margaret sat beside her.
"Sweetheart, I need you to listen without defending Eric."
Sophie closed her eyes.
"Mom."
"He was married before."
Sophie opened them.
"What?"
"Her name is Laura Stanton."
"That's not true."
"I spoke to her."
Sophie stood.
"Eric would have told me."
"He didn't."
"You're lying."
Margaret reached into her purse.
She handed Sophie a printed marriage certificate.
Sophie stared at it.
Her face drained of color.
"No."
Margaret said nothing.
Sophie read the document again.
Then again.
"Maybe it's another Eric."
"Same birth date."
Sophie looked at her.
"Why would he lie?"
"That's what we need to find out."
Sophie sank back down.
Emma stirred.
Sophie immediately cradled her.
Margaret watched her daughter's hands.
They were shaking.
Then the front door opened.
Both women froze.
Eric's voice came from the hall.
"Sophie?"
Her eyes widened.
Margaret whispered.
"Don't tell him about Laura."
Footsteps approached.
Eric appeared in the living room.
He looked at Margaret.
Then at the marriage certificate in Sophie's hand.
His expression changed.
"What's that?"
Sophie looked at him.
For one second Margaret thought she would confront him.
Instead she folded the page.
"Nothing."
Eric stared at her.
Then Margaret.
"Why are you here?"
Margaret stood.
"I came to see my granddaughter."
"I told you to stay away."
Margaret stepped past him.
Eric caught her wrist.
Hard.
Margaret looked down at his hand.
Then at his face.
"Let go."
Sophie stood.
"Eric."
He released her.
Margaret rubbed her wrist.
She walked toward the front door.
Then heard a faint metallic click behind her.
She turned.
Eric had walked to the basement entrance.
He removed something from his pocket.
A silver key.
He inserted it into the new deadbolt.
Margaret watched carefully.
Eric looked up.
Their eyes met.
He knew she had seen it.
Margaret smiled faintly.
Then she left.
Three minutes later her phone rang.
Sophie.
Margaret answered.
Her daughter whispered.
"Mom."
"What?"
"Eric went downstairs."
"Where are you?"
"In the hallway."
"Don't follow him."
"I can hear him moving something."
"Sophie."
Then came another sound through the phone.
A heavy metal door closing.
May you like
Sophie whispered.
"There's another locked door down there."
