Chapter 6 - The House at the End of the Road
The address was hidden inside Clara's notebook.
Alex drove there with Officer Reynolds while another officer followed.
Derek insisted on coming.
Teresa stayed behind under police supervision.
Lily was taken to a safe location.
Alex hated leaving her.
But she had looked at him before the officers took her away.
“Daddy, don't trust Grandma.”
He promised he wouldn't.
The house stood at the end of a narrow road.
It was abandoned.
Or supposed to be.
The front door was unlocked.
Inside, dust covered everything.
Except one chair.
It had been recently used.
Alex found Clara's scarf hanging from it.
He touched it.
Still warm.
His breathing stopped.
“She was here.”
Officer Reynolds searched the room.
Derek found a photograph.
It showed Clara standing beside a young woman.
Alex recognized the woman.
It was the woman from the coffin.
He stared.
“Who is she?”
Derek looked at the photograph.
“Emily.”
“Who?”
“She worked for Clara.”
“Why is she in that coffin?”
Derek shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Alex found a second photograph.
This one showed Teresa.
Standing beside Victor.
And another man.
The same man from Clara's photograph.
Alex looked closer.
Then his heart dropped.
The man was wearing an old Carter family ring.
A ring that belonged to his father.
Arthur.
Alex whispered.
“Dad?”
Derek went pale.
“No.”
“What?”
“That's not your father.”
“Then who is it?”
Derek didn't answer.
A sound came from upstairs.
Footsteps.
Alex raised his head.
Someone was walking slowly across the floor above them.
Officer Reynolds motioned for everyone to stay back.
The footsteps stopped.
Then a woman's voice called from upstairs.
“Alex?”
He froze.
It sounded exactly like Clara.
He ran.
“Clara!”
The bedroom was empty.
Only a phone lay on the bed.
It began playing automatically.
Clara's recorded voice filled the room.
“If you found this house, they already know.”
Alex looked around.
The recording continued.
“I need you to understand something. The person you think betrayed me may be the only person who tried to save me.”
Alex stared at Derek.
Derek looked away.
Clara continued.
“And if my father-in-law is involved…”
The recording stopped.
Alex's face went white.
Arthur.
His father.
The man who had been trying to warn him.
A loud crash came from downstairs.
Officer Reynolds shouted.
“Stay here!”
Alex ran after him.
The front door was open.
Derek was gone.
On the floor lay Derek's phone.
A message had appeared.
May you like
Don't follow him.
He's trying to lead you away.
