Chapter 2 - The Sister in the Hallway
For several seconds, neither woman moved.
Bethany stood beneath the hallway arch with one hand on the door and the brass key visible between her fingers.
Her blond hair was tied back. She wore expensive boots Sally had once paid for and an expression that shifted too slowly from confidence to surprise.
“Sally,” Bethany said. “What are you doing here?”
Sally almost laughed.
“I own the house.”
“I know that.”
“Then try your question again.”
Bethany closed the door behind her.
“Dad asked me to check the pipes.”
“At ten thirty at night?”
“There is supposed to be a freeze.”
“It is twelve degrees outside.”
Bethany glanced toward the library.
Sally noticed it.
“You were looking for the safe.”
Bethany’s eyes widened for half a second.
Then she smiled.
“What safe?”
“The one behind Evelyn’s portrait.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.”
Sally raised her phone and photographed the key in Bethany’s hand.
Bethany quickly pushed it into her coat pocket.
“Where did you get that?”
“Dad gave it to me.”
“This lock was changed after Evelyn died.”
“Maybe he copied yours.”
“He has never touched mine.”
“You always were careless.”
Sally stepped forward.
“And you always confused lying with intelligence.”
Bethany’s face hardened.
“You think you are better than all of us because an old woman gave you a mansion.”
“I think breaking into my home makes you a criminal.”
“It is not breaking in when you have a key.”
“It is when you do not have permission.”
Bethany walked toward the library as if Sally had not spoken.
“You do not need six bedrooms.”
“That is not your decision.”
“Diane and Dad are losing their house.”
The statement stopped Sally.
“What?”
Bethany watched her carefully.
“The bank is taking it.”
“Why?”
“Dad’s company is in trouble.”
Richard owned Harrow Development, a construction business that had once been successful enough to place the family in glossy magazines and charity photographs. In recent years, several projects had stalled, but Richard claimed the problems were temporary.
“How bad?” Sally asked.
“Bad enough that you should stop acting like a selfish little queen.”
“Why did no one tell me?”
“Because Dad knew you would enjoy it.”
“That is not true.”
“Isn’t it?”
Bethany stepped closer.
“You hate him.”
“I do not hate him.”
“You refused to help him.”
“He never asked for help. He demanded my house.”
“He needs it.”
“For what?”
“To sell.”
Sally stared at her.
Bethany lifted her chin.
“The property is worth almost four million dollars. Dad could clear the company debts and save everyone’s jobs.”
“The property is mine.”
“It should have stayed in the family.”
“It was Evelyn’s house. She was not part of your family.”
“She was part of yours.”
“And she chose me.”
“Because you manipulated a lonely old woman.”
The insult struck harder than Sally expected.
For eight years, she had visited Evelyn every Sunday. She had brought groceries, repaired the greenhouse, organized medication, driven her to medical appointments, and listened to stories no one else had time to hear.
Richard visited twice.
Bethany visited once, when she wanted money for a fashion business that never opened.
Sally lowered her voice.
“Leave.”
Bethany crossed her arms.
“I am not leaving until you listen.”
“I have listened for three months.”
“Dad has a buyer.”
Sally felt the temperature of the room change.
“A buyer for my house?”
“He can get you a fair amount.”
“He cannot sell property he does not own.”
“He has documents.”
“What documents?”
Bethany smiled again.
This time it looked almost pitying.
“Maybe you should ask Martin Vale how secure your inheritance really is.”
Sally’s phone was still connected to Martin.
His voice came sharply through the speaker.
“Bethany, put the key on the floor and leave the property.”
Bethany froze.
Sally lifted the phone.
Martin continued, “The police have already been notified.”
That was a lie, but Bethany did not know it.
She pulled the key from her pocket and threw it onto a table.
“You will regret humiliating Dad.”
Sally picked up the key with a tissue.
“No. He will regret sending you.”
Bethany walked to the back door, then stopped.
“You think Evelyn loved you more than us.”
Sally said nothing.
“She did not leave you that house because she loved you.”
Sally’s grip tightened around the phone.
“Why did she leave it to me?”
Bethany looked toward the hidden safe.
“Because she was afraid.”
Then she left.
Sally locked the door and watched Bethany disappear between the trees.
Martin’s voice returned.
“Sally, are you alone?”
“Yes.”
“You need to leave the house.”
“I am waiting for the police.”
“Do not wait inside.”
“What did Bethany mean?”
“I cannot discuss sealed instructions over the phone.”
“Then come here.”
“It is nearly eleven.”
“Martin.”
He sighed.
“I will be there in forty minutes.”
The police arrived first.
They photographed the footprints, collected the key, and made a report. Because Bethany had left voluntarily and claimed she believed she had permission from Richard, they did not immediately arrest her.
Sally demanded to know how Richard had obtained a working key.
The officer examined it.
“This might be an original.”
“That is impossible.”
“Why?”
“Evelyn’s locks were changed six months before she died.”
The officer placed the key in an evidence bag.
“Then either your father had access after the locks were changed or someone made another copy.”
Martin arrived shortly before midnight carrying a leather case and wearing the same navy suit he had worn at the office that morning.
He waited until the officers left.
Then he closed every curtain in the library.
“What is this about?” Sally asked.
Martin stared at the portrait resting against the wall.
“Your aunt believed Richard was searching for something.”
“In the safe?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“A ledger.”
“What kind of ledger?”
“She never explained fully.”
“Then explain what you know.”
Martin sat in one of the leather chairs.
“Evelyn’s late husband, Charles Wren, invested in several of your father’s earliest developments.”
Sally knew that Charles had been wealthy, but she had never heard of a connection to Richard’s business.
“How much did he invest?”
“Enough to make Harrow Development possible.”
“Dad always said he built the company himself.”
“Richard says many things.”
Sally looked at the safe.
“What is in the ledger?”
“Payments. Property transfers. Shell companies. Possibly bribes.”
“Possibly?”
“Evelyn believed Charles discovered Richard was diverting investment money.”
Sally’s mouth went dry.
“When?”
“Twenty-two years ago.”
“Why was nothing done?”
“Charles died before he could present the evidence.”
Sally remembered the story. Charles had suffered a heart attack during a hunting trip. Richard had been with him.
She turned slowly toward Martin.
“You do not think his death was natural.”
“I did not say that.”
“But Evelyn did.”
Martin did not answer.
Sally approached the safe.
“What is the code?”
“I do not know.”
“You said she left instructions.”
Martin opened his leather case and removed a sealed gray envelope.
On the front, Evelyn had written a single sentence.
Give this to Sally only when Richard enters the house without her permission.
Martin broke the seal.
Inside was a photograph of Evelyn sitting in the conservatory.
On the back, she had written four numbers.
317.
Sally entered them.
The safe clicked.
Inside were three empty shelves.
There was no ledger.
There was only a black velvet box and a note.
Sally opened the note.
The handwriting was Evelyn’s.
If the ledger is gone, Richard was here before you.
Sally read the sentence again.
Martin looked over her shoulder.
“That cannot be.”
“Why?”
“Because the safe was sealed when the estate was transferred.”
“Who verified it?”
“I did.”
“Did you open it?”
“No. Evelyn ordered me not to.”
Sally opened the velvet box.
Inside was a small silver key.
A paper tag was tied around it.
The tag contained two words.
Station 14.
Martin’s face drained of color.
“What is Station 14?” Sally asked.
He did not respond.
“Martin.”
He moved toward the window and looked outside.
“Turn off the lights.”
“Why?”
“Do it now.”
Sally switched off the library lamps.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Martin pointed through a narrow gap in the curtain.
A black SUV was parked beyond the iron gate.
May you like
Its headlights were off.
Someone was watching the house.
