Chapter 11: Lily
Richard pulled the door open.
The hallway was empty.
“Where did he go?””
Lily shook her head.
“He was just there.””
Emily untied her wrists.
“Are you hurt?””
“No.””
“Did he hurt you?””
“He wanted me scared.””
I crouched in front of Lily.
“Who is he?””
She stared at me.
“I don't know his name.””
“You said he killed Dad.””
“I said that's what he told me.””
My heart sank.
“What exactly did he say?””
Lily looked toward the hallway.
“He said your father knew too much.””
Richard asked, “About Marcus?””
“No.””
“Then what?””
Lily hesitated.
“About your mother.””
I turned.
Mom was still downstairs.
“What about her?””
Lily looked at me.
“She wasn't supposed to survive that night.””
The room seemed to shrink.
“Explain.””
Lily rubbed her wrists.
“Your father had evidence that someone had been stealing from his companies.””
“Marcus.””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“Marcus was taking orders.””
Richard went pale.
“From who?””
Lily looked directly at him.
“Your father never told me.””
“Then how do you know?””
“Because he told me something else.””
She reached into her jacket.
There was a small brass key attached to a chain.
“This belonged to him.””
I recognized it.
My father had worn that key around his neck.
I remembered it from childhood.
He used to let me hold it whenever we walked to his office.
“What does it open?””
Lily shook her head.
“I don't know.””
I took it.
It was warm from her hand.
“Where did you get this?””
“My mother gave it to me.””
“Sarah?””
“Yes.””
“Where is she?””
Lily's eyes dropped.
“She died.””
“When?””
“Six years ago.””
I froze.
“That's the same year Daniel died.””
Lily nodded.
“She knew she was being watched.””
Richard looked toward the door.
“We need to leave.””
Lily stood.
“There's something else.””
“What?””
“Your father left me a message.””
She reached into her shoe and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
My hands shook as I opened it.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
*Claire, if you're reading this, trust Lily.*
I stopped.
Below that:
*Your mother will tell you I was sick. She will tell you Marcus was responsible. Both are partly true.*
My breath caught.
*But neither of them knows who controls the money.*
Richard leaned over my shoulder.
“What money?””
I kept reading.
*The trust is not the inheritance. It is the key.*
Then the final sentence:
*When the two sisters stand together, the account becomes accessible.*
I looked at Lily.
“What account?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Emily whispered, “Maybe Mom does.””
We hurried downstairs.
Mom was gone.
The front door stood open.
Richard ran outside.
“Evelyn!””
Nothing.
I saw her purse on the kitchen table.
Her phone beside it.
She wouldn't leave without those.
Then I noticed something under the phone.
A handwritten note.
I picked it up.
It contained only one sentence.
*Don't trust Richard.*
I stared at it.
Emily read over my shoulder.
“That's ridiculous.””
Richard walked back inside.
“What happened?””
I showed him.
His expression changed.
“Your mother wrote that?””
“I don't know.””
Lily looked at the note.
Then shook her head.
“That isn't her handwriting.””
I turned toward her.
“You're sure?””
“My mother taught me to recognize it.””
Richard took the paper.
He examined it.
“Then someone planted this.””
My phone buzzed.
A video appeared.
I opened it.
Mom was sitting in a dark room.
Her hands were tied.
A man stood behind her.
His face was hidden.
He spoke directly into the camera.
“Claire, you have one hour.””
He placed a folder beside my mother's head.
“Bring the trust documents.””
I watched silently.
Then he leaned closer.
“And bring Lily.””
The video ended.
Emily started crying.
“We have to save Mom.””
Lily looked at me.
“There's a reason he wants both of us.””
“What?””
“He isn't after the money.””
May you like
She pointed at the brass key.
“He's after what that key opens.””
