Chapter 14 - The Last Door
Laura ran upstairs.
Emily stood in the hallway.
She was holding a folded piece of paper.
“Someone left this on my bed.”
Laura took it.
Inside was a single sentence.
Ask your mother what happened before you were born.
Laura turned toward Margaret.
Margaret closed her eyes.
“It's time.”
They returned to the hidden room.
Margaret sat down.
“Your father and I didn't meet after college.”
Laura waited.
“We met years before.”
“How many?”
“Five.”
Laura frowned.
“You were both involved with Richard and Elliot.”
“Yes.”
“In what?”
“A property development company.”
Daniel looked down.
Margaret continued.
“The company acquired abandoned properties. Your father discovered that some acquisitions were based on fraudulent claims.”
“And he tried to expose them.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did he stay?”
“Because he believed he could fix it from inside.”
Laura shook her head.
“And you?”
“I helped him.”
“Then why did you betray him?”
Margaret looked at her.
“I didn't.”
Laura stared.
Margaret's voice trembled.
“Someone wanted your father to believe I had betrayed him.”
Laura remembered the warning.
The truth is in the person you believe you can trust.
Margaret continued.
“Your father died believing someone close to him had sold him out.”
“Who?”
“We never found out.”
Laura looked at Daniel.
“What about you?”
Daniel spoke quietly.
“I found evidence after his death.”
“What evidence?”
“That Richard had been manipulating both sides.”
Laura's eyes widened.
“Then why blame Elliot?”
“Because Elliot was his shield.”
Margaret nodded.
“Richard made everyone believe Elliot was the mastermind.”
Laura looked at the photographs.
“Where is Richard now?”
Neither answered.
Then the lights flickered.
A phone rang.
It was not Laura's.
Not Daniel's.
Not Margaret's.
The ringing came from inside the wall.
Laura stared.
Daniel moved toward it.
He found a hidden compartment.
Inside was an old phone.
It began ringing again.
Daniel answered.
A man's voice spoke.
“You finally found the room.”
Daniel froze.
Laura stepped closer.
“Richard?”
The man laughed softly.
“You sound exactly like your father.”
Laura grabbed the phone.
“Where are you?”
“Closer than you think.”
“Why did you destroy my family?”
“I didn't.”
“Then who did?”
A pause.
Then Richard said:
“Ask Daniel why your father stopped trusting him.”
Laura turned.
Daniel's face had gone completely pale.
The call ended.
Laura stared at her husband.
“What did you do?”
Daniel looked at her.
“I never meant for this to happen.”
Laura's voice hardened.
“What did you do?”
May you like
Daniel finally answered.
“I gave Richard the key.”
