Chapter 5 - The Locked Basement)
Brooke found Gary in the basement.
He stood beside the security camera.
The little red light was off.
That frightened her.
Gary never turned it off.
He was holding the green paper.
Brooke stopped on the stairs.
Gary unfolded it.
“Looking for this?”
She forced herself not to react.
“It’s Ethan’s.”
“I know.”
“He draws on everything.”
“Does he?”
Gary held the page up.
“BOX 317.”
Brooke shrugged.
“Probably part of his project.”
“Watershed project?”
“Maybe.”
Gary smiled.
“Come down.”
“No.”
“Brooke.”
“I can hear you from here.”
His smile vanished.
“Come down.”
Brooke descended three steps.
No farther.
Gary studied the paper.
“Your grandmother liked riddles.”
“Apparently.”
“She also liked interfering.”
“You mentioned that.”
“Did she ever tell you about Adam?”
“Not much.”
“That’s interesting.”
“Why?”
“Because she blamed me for what happened to him.”
“Did she have a reason?”
Gary walked toward the stairs.
Brooke stayed still.
“Your father stole from people.”
“Mom says you stole it.”
Gary’s expression changed.
Brooke realized the mistake instantly.
Too late.
“What did you say?”
Brooke’s heart pounded.
“Nothing.”
Gary reached the stairs.
“Say it again.”
“She told me you and Dad were partners.”
“That isn’t what you said.”
Brooke stepped backward.
Gary followed.
“You said Laura told you I stole it.”
“I was guessing.”
“No, you weren’t.”
He grabbed Brooke’s wrist.
She jerked away.
“Don’t touch me.”
Gary stared at her.
“Your mother and I have disagreements.”
“Sounds like one of them involves eight hundred thousand dollars.”
For half a second, Gary looked shocked.
Then something colder replaced it.
“Who told you that?”
Brooke said nothing.
“Adam?”
Still nothing.
Gary moved faster than Brooke expected.
He seized her jacket and pulled her down the last steps.
Brooke hit the basement floor but stayed upright.
“Let go!”
“Did Adam contact you?”
“No.”
“Did Evelyn?”
“She’s dead.”
“Before she died.”
“Get away from me.”
Gary released her suddenly.
Brooke nearly fell.
He walked toward one of the locked filing cabinets.
“Adam was very good at convincing people he was innocent.”
“Maybe because he was.”
“You have no idea what that man did.”
“Neither do you apparently, because your story keeps changing.”
Gary opened the filing cabinet.
Brooke expected documents.
Instead she saw dozens of envelopes.
All addressed to Laura Hale.
And Brooke Hale.
And Ethan Hale.
Her breath stopped.
The return address varied.
Correctional institution.
Attorney’s office.
Post office boxes.
Some were dated eight years earlier.
Others seven.
Six.
Five.
Brooke stepped closer.
“What are those?”
Gary shut the drawer.
Too late.
“Letters,” Brooke whispered.
Gary locked it.
“He wrote us.”
“He was manipulating you.”
“You said he never tried to contact us.”
“It was better that way.”
“You stole our mail.”
“I protected this family.”
Brooke felt years of anger rearranging themselves.
Birthday mornings when she wondered why her father did not call.
Christmas.
School plays.
Ethan’s first day.
Every time Gary had said, If Adam cared, he would be here.
“You stole them.”
Gary came closer.
“Your father was a convicted felon.”
“Because you framed him.”
“Careful.”
“You lied to us.”
“Careful.”
“You stole from us.”
Gary’s face twisted.
“Enough.”
Brooke backed toward the stairs.
Gary grabbed her arm.
She screamed.
Footsteps thundered overhead.
Laura appeared.
“What are you doing?”
Gary released Brooke.
“She knows.”
Laura stopped.
Gary pointed toward Brooke.
“She knows everything.”
Laura’s face drained.
“How much?”
“Ask her.”
Brooke looked at her mother.
“Letters.”
Laura followed Brooke’s gaze toward the filing cabinet.
Understanding struck.
“You kept them?”
Gary turned.
“You knew?”
Laura stared at him.
“All these years you told me Adam stopped writing.”
“He should have.”
“You told me the prison returned the letters.”
“He was destroying your life.”
Laura looked toward Brooke.
For the first time Brooke saw her mother’s fear disappear beneath anger.
“You kept letters from my children.”
Gary laughed.
“Your children?”
Something in his tone silenced the room.
Laura went still.
Brooke looked between them.
“What does that mean?”
Neither answered.
Gary realized he had said too much.
“Nothing.”
Brooke stared at her mother.
“Mom?”
Laura whispered, “Go upstairs.”
“No.”
“Brooke.”
“What did he mean?”
Gary smiled.
“Ask your mother.”
Laura turned on him.
“Don’t.”
Gary looked almost pleased.
“All those secrets catching up.”
“Gary.”
He stepped closer to Brooke.
“You think Adam coming back fixes everything?”
Brooke’s heart jumped.
Gary saw it.
“You did talk to him.”
Brooke said nothing.
Gary laughed softly.
“There it is.”
Laura stepped between them.
“Leave her alone.”
Gary looked at Laura.
“You sign tomorrow.”
Brooke frowned.
“Sign what?”
Laura did not answer.
Gary pointed toward the basement door.
“Upstairs.”
Brooke did not move.
“I said upstairs.”
Laura whispered, “Please.”
Brooke climbed.
At the top, she found Ethan waiting.
He had heard everything.
His face was pale.
“What does Mom have to sign?”
“I don’t know.”
“Is Dad coming?”
“I don’t know.”
Brooke pulled him close.
That evening Gary carried a folder into the dining room.
He placed it before Laura.
Brooke watched through a gap in the upstairs railing.
Gary opened the folder.
“Tomorrow.”
Laura stared at the pages.
“I need more time.”
“You’ve had months.”
“I’m not signing away their trust.”
Brooke’s breath caught.
Gary lowered his voice.
“You sign guardianship authority and the trust transfer.”
“No.”
“You know what happens otherwise.”
Laura looked toward the stairs.
Gary followed her eyes.
Brooke ducked back.
Then she heard him say, “If Adam steps foot near this house, I make sure Brooke and Ethan learn the rest.”
Laura whispered, “You wouldn’t.”
Gary answered calmly.
“Try me.”
That night Brooke searched the basement after everyone slept.
The letters were gone.
But Gary had forgotten something.
The security camera had stored recordings locally.
Brooke removed the memory card.
She took it upstairs and inserted it into Ethan’s school tablet.
Most clips showed nothing useful.
Gary walking.
Boxes.
Laura.
Then Brooke found footage from three nights earlier.
Gary entered the basement carrying his phone.
He did not know the camera was recording audio.
“Tomorrow,” he said to someone. “Once Laura signs, I can move the trust.”
A pause.
“No, Adam doesn’t know about the Columbus property.”
Another pause.
Gary’s expression hardened.
“Then handle him.”
Brooke leaned closer.
Gary continued.
“And if Evelyn left something in that storage unit, I want it before the kids find out.”
The call ended.
Brooke stared at Ethan.
“We need to get to storage three seventeen.”
Ethan whispered, “How?”
Brooke thought of the one person Gary believed he had under complete control.
May you like
Their mother.
“We make Mom choose.”
