Chapter 9 - Margaret's Secret
Rachel pulled Evelyn away from the window.
"Who?"
Evelyn whispered, "Margaret."
Rachel looked toward the hallway.
Footsteps approached.
Slowly.
Evelyn grabbed Rachel's hand.
"You have to leave."
"No."
"Rachel."
"I'm not leaving you."
The door opened.
But it wasn't Margaret.
It was Vanessa.
She stood there, breathless.
"Rachel."
Rachel stared at her.
"How did you find us?"
Vanessa looked at Evelyn.
"I followed you."
Evelyn's expression softened.
"You came."
Vanessa nodded.
"I should have come years ago."
Rachel looked between them.
"What is happening?"
Vanessa closed the door.
"Mom knows."
"How?"
"She has people watching the facility."
Rachel's voice hardened.
"Why?"
Vanessa looked at Evelyn.
"Because she believes Evelyn has the original trust documents."
Rachel looked at Evelyn.
"Do you?"
Evelyn nodded.
"Not all of them."
"Where are they?"
Evelyn hesitated.
"I gave them to Daniel."
Rachel's heart pounded.
"But Daniel is dead."
"Yes."
"Then where are the documents?"
Evelyn looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa whispered, "The house."
Rachel frowned.
"The old house?"
Vanessa nodded.
"The red chair."
Rachel suddenly understood.
"The secret inside it."
Evelyn closed her eyes.
"Your father hid the final evidence there."
Rachel stared.
"Why didn't he tell me?"
"Because he believed Margaret would come after you."
Vanessa added, "And because he knew you wouldn't stop."
Rachel looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
Vanessa said, "You're exactly like him."
Rachel felt tears rise.
"Then why did you let Mom control everything?"
Vanessa looked down.
"Because I was scared."
Evelyn stepped forward.
"You don't have to be anymore."
A sound came from the hallway.
Someone was walking toward the room.
Vanessa looked through the small window in the door.
Her face went pale.
"She's here."
Rachel whispered, "Margaret?"
Vanessa nodded.
Evelyn grabbed Rachel's arm.
"Listen to me."
Rachel turned.
"The chair isn't the only place."
"What?"
"There is another compartment."
"Where?"
Evelyn looked at Rachel.
"In the house you grew up in."
Rachel shook her head.
"We searched the study."
"Not the study."
"Then where?"
Evelyn whispered.
"The room Margaret never allowed you to enter."
Rachel's mind raced.
There had been one room.
A locked room upstairs.
Her mother's old bedroom.
Rachel suddenly remembered something.
Margaret had always said it was filled with personal things.
Rachel had never been allowed inside.
The door had remained locked for decades.
Rachel looked toward Vanessa.
"What's inside?"
Vanessa whispered.
"Everything."
The hallway footsteps stopped.
A shadow appeared beneath the door.
Rachel held her breath.
May you like
Then Margaret's voice came from outside.
"Rachel."
