Chapter 7: The Box Beneath the Floor
I dropped to my knees and grabbed the iron handle on the hidden door.
“Lily, step away from the door.””
“Daddy, I’m scared.””
“I know, sweetheart. Stay with Mommy.””
Sarah pressed her palms against the metal.
“Lily, can you hear me?””
“Yes.””
“Is anyone hurting you?””
“No.””
A man's voice answered from somewhere behind her.
“Not yet.””
My blood ran cold.
“Ethan!””
A soft laugh came through the door.
“You should listen carefully, Daniel.””
Sarah looked at me.
“What does he want?””
I held up the flash drive.
“The original files.””
She shook her head.
“I don't remember where they are.””
Then Lily's voice came again.
“Mommy, the box is open.””
Sarah froze.
“What box?””
“The wooden one.””
I looked at Margaret.
She was standing several feet behind us, pale and shaking.
“What wooden box?””
Margaret whispered, “I know.””
Everyone turned toward her.
She swallowed.
“Years ago, Sarah gave me a box.””
Sarah stared at her.
“Why don't I remember that?””
“Because you told me to hide it if anything happened to you.””
My stomach tightened.
“Where?””
Margaret pointed toward the barn floor.
“Under the old workbench.””
I ran back.
The workbench was buried beneath tools, feed sacks, and rusted equipment. I shoved everything aside until I found a loose plank.
I pried it up.
Beneath it was a narrow compartment.
Empty.
I turned around.
“It's gone.””
Margaret's face collapsed.
“No.””
Ethan's voice came through the speaker.
“Looking for this?””
A camera clicked on.
The screen showed a wooden box sitting beside Lily.
Sarah gasped.
“That box.””
Lily touched the lid.
“Mommy, your name is carved here.””
Sarah closed her eyes.
“I remember.””
“What?””
“The lake.””
I stared at her.
She spoke slowly.
“Before the accident, I discovered Ethan had been moving company money through fake accounts. I copied everything.””
“Where did you put it?””
“In the box.””
Margaret shook her head.
“You told me never to open it.””
“I didn't.””
“Then who did?””
The speaker crackled.
Ethan answered.
“Rebecca.””
Rebecca stepped backward.
“No.””
“You opened it the night Sarah disappeared.””
“I only looked.””
“You gave me the flash drive.””
Rebecca stared at him.
“I didn't know what it contained.””
Sarah's expression hardened.
“You gave him my evidence?””
Rebecca began crying.
“I was trying to save myself.””
“And you sold me.””
Rebecca sank against the wall.
“I was afraid.””
I looked at her.
“You always say that.””
She couldn't meet my eyes.
Sarah suddenly turned toward the locked door.
“Ethan, why is Lily with you?””
“Because she found the box.””
“She can't help you.””
“She can.””
“No.””
Ethan's voice became colder.
“She remembers where you hid the original records.””
Sarah went still.
I looked at her.
“Lily?””
Sarah shook her head.
“My daughter was six months old when I hid them.””
Lily interrupted from behind the door.
“I remember, Mommy.””
Sarah's face changed.
“Remember what?””
“You gave me something.””
My heart stopped.
“What did I give you?””
“A little blue key.””
Sarah stared at me.
“A key?””
Lily sniffled.
“You said it was our secret.””
Sarah suddenly pressed both hands over her mouth.
“I remember.””
“What?””
“The key wasn't in the box.””
She looked at Margaret.
“I hid it somewhere Ethan would never search.””
Ethan's voice sharpened.
“Where?””
Sarah smiled for the first time since she returned.
“In Lily's nursery.””
Silence.
Then Ethan cursed.
I understood immediately.
The nursery was in our house.
Which meant the original records might still be there.
I turned toward the exit.
“We're going home.””
Ethan laughed.
“You're not going anywhere.””
The hidden door suddenly unlocked.
It swung open.
Lily rolled out in her wheelchair.
Margaret rushed to her.
I grabbed my daughter and pulled her against my chest.
“Daddy!””
“I've got you.””
Sarah knelt beside her.
“Are you hurt?””
Lily shook her head.
Then she looked at Sarah.
“Mommy, I didn't give him the key.””
Sarah kissed her forehead.
“I know.””
Ethan stood in the doorway behind them.
He looked at me.
“Then you're going to have to trust me.””
I tightened my arms around Lily.
“Why?””
His eyes shifted toward Rebecca.
“Because she's not the person you should be afraid of.””
Rebecca slowly looked up.
May you like
And then Ethan said,
“The person who ordered Sarah's death is still alive.””
