Chapter 7 - Under the Kitchen Floor
Laura returned home with Daniel and Emily before sunset.
Margaret refused to come.
She said she needed to disappear for a few hours.
Laura no longer knew whether to believe her.
Inside the house, Laura went straight to the kitchen.
She examined the floorboards.
Nothing looked unusual.
Daniel stood behind her.
“Your father told me there was a hidden compartment somewhere.”
“Where?”
“He never said.”
Laura looked at the brass key.
She walked slowly across the kitchen.
Then she noticed something.
One floorboard was slightly darker.
She knelt.
Daniel helped lift it.
Beneath the board was a shallow cavity.
Inside was a metal box.
Laura inserted the brass key.
The lock opened.
Inside were dozens of documents.
Property records.
Bank transfers.
Photographs.
A list of addresses.
And one sealed envelope.
Laura opened it.
Her father's handwriting appeared again.
If you found this, Elliot has probably returned.
Laura's hands shook.
The letter continued.
The truth is not in the documents.
The truth is in the person you believe you can trust.
Laura stopped reading.
She looked at Daniel.
He was staring at the letter.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Laura continued.
I was betrayed by someone close to me.
Someone I invited into our home.
Someone I loved.
Laura's eyes narrowed.
She read the final line.
Do not assume the traitor is the person everyone suspects.
Laura slowly lowered the paper.
A sound came from upstairs.
Emily screamed.
Laura and Daniel ran.
They reached the hallway.
Emily stood near her bedroom door.
“What happened?”
“There was someone in my room.”
Laura rushed inside.
The window was open.
A curtain moved in the wind.
On Emily's desk sat a small envelope.
Laura opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
It showed Laura, Emily, and Daniel standing together outside the house.
The photograph had been taken that afternoon.
On the back were six words.
You are running out of people to trust.
Laura turned toward Daniel.
He looked horrified.
Then his phone rang.
Daniel answered.
His expression changed.
“Who is this?”
He listened.
Then slowly lowered the phone.
Laura stared at him.
“What did they say?”
May you like
Daniel looked at her.
“They said Margaret has been taken.”
