Chapter 9: The Locked Bedroom
We reached the house in eighteen minutes.
Christopher’s car was still outside.
Michael barely waited for me to unbuckle before running toward the front door.
I followed.
He unlocked it.
“Rachel!””
She appeared in the hallway.
“I’m here.””
“Where’s Chris?””
“Upstairs.””
Michael stopped.
“What?””
“He said you told him to come.””
“I did not.””
My blood went cold.
“Where are the kids?””
“Lily’s asleep in your room. Ethan’s with her.””
“Christopher?””
Rachel pointed upstairs.
“He said he needed to get something from the office.””
Michael took the stairs two at a time.
I followed.
The office door was open.
Empty.
Then I heard a drawer slam inside our bedroom.
Michael shoved the door open.
Christopher spun around.
He was standing beside my desk.
The blue folder was open.
“What the hell are you doing?”” Michael shouted.
Christopher raised both hands.
“Listen.””
“Step away from the desk.””
“I can explain.””
“That phrase is getting pretty popular in this family.””
I looked toward the bed.
Empty.
“Where are Ethan and Lily?””
Christopher pointed toward the bathroom.
“With Rachel’s daughter. They went downstairs when I came in.””
Relief hit me.
Then anger replaced it.
“You lied to Rachel.””
“I needed to get inside.””
“You were already allowed inside.””
“Not this room.””
Michael grabbed his brother by the shirt.
“What are you looking for?””
“Mike, stop.””
“What?””
Christopher looked at me.
“The original trust documents.””
“Why?””
“Because Mom called me.””
Michael released him.
“When?””
“Ten minutes before I came here.””
“What did she say?””
“That you’d discovered everything.””
“Everything about what?””
Christopher looked miserable.
“I didn’t know until tonight.””
“Stop talking in circles!””
“She told me where the money is.””
Silence.
I stepped forward.
“Where?””
“An escrow account.””
“Whose?””
“Mine.””
I felt all the air leave my lungs.
Michael stared at his brother.
“You said you weren’t involved.””
“I wasn’t!””
“The stolen money is in your name!””
“I didn’t know!””
“You expect us to believe that?””
Christopher pulled out his phone.
“Look.””
He opened his banking app.
There it was.
A pending escrow transfer.
$397,800.
My children’s money.
I grabbed the phone.
“Can you move it back?””
“I tried.””
“And?””
“The account is restricted.””
“By whom?””
“The attorney who opened it.””
“What attorney?””
Christopher swallowed.
“Mom.””
I stared at him.
“Diane isn’t an attorney.””
“No. But she used one.””
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
Michael looked at the blue folder.
“Then why are you searching Claire’s desk?””
“Because Mom said the original trust contains a termination clause.””
Peter had mentioned nothing about that.
“What termination clause?”” I asked.
Christopher rubbed his forehead.
“If someone proves the trustee obtained authority through fraud, control can temporarily transfer to the designated successor.””
“Who is the successor?””
He looked at Michael.
“Dad.””
Michael frowned.
“Our father is dead.””
“I know.””
A terrible thought hit me.
“Then what happens?””
Christopher opened the photocopied amendment.
“That’s why she added me.””
Michael stared at him.
“She wanted you positioned as successor.””
“Yes.””
“So she forged Claire’s authorization, forged your signature, redirected the trust, and used you as a legal shield.””
Christopher nodded.
“I think so.””
“You think so?””
“I found out twenty minutes ago!””
I took a breath.
“Why tell you where the money was?””
Christopher looked at me.
“Because she wants something.””
Of course.
“What?””
“The original paternity records.””
My stomach twisted.
“She wants proof Michael is Ethan’s father?””
“No.””
Christopher’s expression frightened me.
“She wants them destroyed.””
Michael and I exchanged a look.
“Why?”” I asked.
Christopher shook his head.
“She wouldn’t say.””
A floorboard creaked behind us.
We turned.
Ethan stood in the doorway.
He was holding Lily’s stuffed rabbit.
“Mom?””
I immediately softened.
“Sweetheart, you should be downstairs.””
“I heard Uncle Chris.””
He looked at Michael.
“Is Dad my real dad?””
Nobody spoke.
His eyes filled.
“Grandma said he is.””
I crossed the room and knelt.
“Ethan, this is complicated.””
“That means yes.””
“No. It means we need facts before we tell you anything.””
“But Dad is still Dad, right?””
Michael dropped to his knees beside us.
“Always.””
“Even if the paper is wrong?””
“Always.””
Ethan looked down at the rabbit.
Then he whispered, “Grandma knows where the real paper is.””
I froze.
“What real paper?””
“The one she took from Grandpa’s box.””
Michael frowned.
“What box?””
Ethan pointed toward the hallway.
“Grandma showed it to me once.””
My stomach tightened.
“When?””
“Last Christmas.””
Michael’s voice became careful.
“Why would Grandma show you a box?””
“She said someday everything inside would belong to me.””
Christopher looked at Michael.
“What the hell?””
I kept my eyes on Ethan.
“Where was the box?””
“At Grandma’s house.””
“What was inside?””
“Pictures. Letters. Papers.””
“Anything else?””
Ethan nodded.
“A little black recorder.””
Michael went still.
“What kind of recorder?””
“The kind people talk into.””
“Did you hear anything on it?””
Ethan’s face changed.
“Yes.””
I touched his shoulder.
“Whose voice?””
“David’s.””
My heart slammed against my ribs.
“You remember David’s voice?””
Ethan nodded.
“I watch his birthday videos.””
“What did he say?””
Ethan looked scared.
“He was talking to Grandma.””
Michael whispered, “About what?””
Ethan swallowed.
“About me.””
The room became completely silent.
“What did David say?”” I asked.
Ethan squeezed the stuffed rabbit.
“He told Grandma she had to stop.””
“Stop what?””
“I don’t know. Grandma turned it off.””
“Did she say anything?””
Ethan nodded.
“She told me David was a liar.””
Michael stood.
“We’re going to Mom’s house.””
Christopher shook his head.
“She won’t let you in.””
“I have a key.””
“She changed the locks last month.””
Michael stared at him.
“Why?””
“I don’t know.””
Then Ethan tugged my sleeve.
“There’s another way.””
I looked down.
“What do you mean?””
“Grandma hides a spare key.””
“Where?””
“Under the stone angel in her backyard.””
Michael grabbed his coat.
Christopher stepped toward him.
“You can’t just break into her house.””
“If Ethan is right, we need that recorder.””
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
Nobody spoke.
Then I heard a familiar voice.
Diane.
“Don’t go to my house, Claire.””
My skin went cold.
I looked around the bedroom.
“How do you know where we’re going?””
She laughed softly.
“Because I can hear every word you’re saying.””
Everyone froze.
I stared at my phone.
Then at the room.
Diane whispered one final sentence.
“You really should have checked Lily’s stuffed animals.””
May you like
My eyes dropped to the rabbit in Ethan’s hands.
And from somewhere inside its soft white body, a tiny red light began blinking.
