Chapter 2 - The Key That Should Not Exist
Laura drove home without turning on the radio.
Emily sat quietly in the passenger seat.
Neither of them knew what to say.
The recording remained on Laura's phone.
She played it once.
Then again.
Each time, the same sentence seemed more frightening.
Take the documents and make it look like a burglary.
The question was not whether Margaret had meant it.
The question was why.
Laura pulled into her driveway.
Her house looked normal.
White porch.
Blue shutters.
Two flowerpots beside the door.
Nothing seemed wrong.
Yet Laura sat in the car for almost a full minute.
Emily looked at her.
“Mom?”
“I want you to stay close to me.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
Emily nodded.
They entered the house.
Laura checked every room.
Kitchen.
Living room.
Hallway.
Home office.
Nothing was disturbed.
The cabinet containing her important documents was still locked.
Laura opened it.
The folders were there.
Mortgage.
Insurance.
Property deed.
Tax records.
Everything appeared untouched.
She let out a breath.
Then she noticed something.
The folder containing the original property deed was slightly out of place.
Only by an inch.
Someone had opened the cabinet.
Laura knew she had not moved it.
She reached for the folder.
Empty.
The deed was gone.
Emily came to the doorway.
“What happened?”
Laura didn't answer.
She stared at the empty folder.
Then her phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
A message appeared.
You should have left the mall when you had the chance.
Laura's face went cold.
Another message followed.
Your mother is not the person you should be afraid of.
Laura immediately called the number.
No answer.
She looked toward the window.
A dark SUV was parked across the street.
The vehicle had been there when they arrived.
Laura stepped toward the blinds.
The SUV pulled away.
Emily whispered, “Who was that?”
“I don't know.”
Laura closed the blinds.
She wanted to call the police.
But something stopped her.
If Margaret was involved, Laura needed to know why before accusing her.
And if Margaret wasn't acting alone, going to the police too soon could warn whoever was behind everything.
That night, Laura barely slept.
At 2:13 a.m., she heard a sound downstairs.
A soft click.
Then another.
She sat up.
Her heart raced.
Emily was asleep in the next room.
Laura quietly opened her bedroom door.
The hallway was dark.
She reached for her phone.
Then she heard footsteps below.
One.
Two.
May you like
Three.
Someone was inside her house.
