Chapter 13 - THE SECOND FILE
Nora searched the entire house.
Julian was nowhere.
His phone was still on the kitchen counter.
His wallet was still upstairs.
His car remained in the garage.
He had not left through the front door.
Then Nora found the hidden passage.
Behind a bookshelf in the study was a narrow door.
Inside was a small room.
On the wall were photographs.
Dozens of them.
Nora.
Chloe.
Julian.
Eleanor.
David.
Claire.
Her entire family had been watched for years.
Nora covered her mouth.
On a desk sat a single black folder.
SECOND FILE.
She opened it.
Inside was a letter.
Nora,
If you are reading this, then I failed to keep you away from the truth.
Do not trust anyone who tells you the story is finished.
Nora recognized the handwriting.
Claire.
She read on.
Your mother protected you.
David protected me.
Julian protected Chloe.
But none of us understood who was watching all three of us.
Nora's hands trembled.
There was another page.
The person controlling the trust is not the person whose name appears on the documents.
Look beneath the name.
Nora stared.
Beneath the name.
She examined the trust documents.
There was a signature.
Julian Bennett.
But beneath it was another mark.
A small symbol.
The same symbol appeared on the photograph.
Nora searched the room.
Then she found an old key.
Attached to it was a note.
For the house where Claire was supposed to have died.
Nora's breathing quickened.
She knew the address.
Eleanor had mentioned it once.
A property outside San Diego.
Nora grabbed her coat.
Before she could leave, her phone rang.
Claire.
Nora answered immediately.
“Claire?”
“Nora, listen carefully.”
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
“Then tell me what I need to know.”
“You found the second file.”
“Yes.”
“Then you know enough to leave the house.”
“Why?”
“Because Julian isn't there anymore.”
Nora froze.
“What do you mean?”
Claire's voice trembled.
“He went to meet someone.”
“Who?”
A long pause.
“Me.”
Nora's heart stopped.
“Why?”
“Because he thinks I'm the person who betrayed him.”
Nora whispered:
“Did you?”
Claire didn't answer.
Then she said:
“Ask him what he found in David's office.”
The call ended.
Nora stared at the phone.
A notification appeared.
A photograph.
Julian was standing beside a woman.
The woman was Claire.
May you like
And behind them stood David Vance.
Alive.
