Chapter 6: Unit 117
At eight the next morning, four of us stood outside Mercer Storage.
Me.
Dad.
Daniel.
And Nathan.
The facility sat behind an old industrial park twenty minutes outside town.
Most of the units had new blue doors.
One row in the back still had faded brown ones.
Unit 117.
My mother’s unit.
I held the brass key.
Dad stood beside me.
“You okay?””
“No.””
He gave me a sad smile.
“Me neither.””
I inserted the key.
It turned.
The door groaned upward.
Dust floated through the morning light.
Inside were six cardboard archive boxes, a small metal cabinet and one wooden chair.
That was all.
Nathan remained outside.
“I haven’t entered since Laura sealed it.””
Daniel looked at him.
“Then how do you know no one got in?””
“I replaced the exterior lock after the attempted break-in.””
Dad stepped inside.
Every box had labels in Mom’s handwriting.
HOUSE.
TRUST.
MERCER PROPERTY.
EMILY.
CORRESPONDENCE.
PRIVATE.
I touched the box labeled EMILY.
Dad noticed.
“Maybe save that one.””
I nodded.
Daniel opened TRUST.
Inside were copies of legal documents.
He examined them carefully.
“These appear consistent with my records.””
Dad opened HOUSE.
Tax documents.
Insurance papers.
The original deed.
Then I saw an envelope taped beneath the lid.
RICHARD.
Dad stared at it.
“You should open it,” I said.
His hands shook.
Inside was a single sheet.
He read silently.
Then passed it to Daniel.
“What does it say?”” I asked.
Dad couldn’t answer.
Daniel did.
“Laura discovered an unauthorized inquiry into obtaining a loan secured by the property.””
“When?””
“Seven weeks before she died.””
My stomach tightened.
“Did anyone get money?””
Daniel kept reading.
“Apparently not.””
Dad whispered, “Then why hide all this?””
Daniel looked toward the box marked PRIVATE.
“Maybe the answer is there.””
I opened it.
A digital voice recorder sat on top.
Beneath it were photographs.
The first showed Mom leaving a bank.
The second showed her speaking to a man beside a black sedan.
The third made me freeze.
Nathan.
Years younger.
Dad grabbed the photograph.
“You said you worked for her father.””
“I did.””
“You were meeting Laura privately.””
Nathan didn’t flinch.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because she asked me to investigate the loan inquiry.””
Dad stepped toward him.
“And you never thought her husband should know?””
“Laura specifically asked me not to involve you until she knew what was happening.””
“Why?””
“I don’t know.””
Dad’s fists tightened.
I stepped between them.
“Stop.””
Both men looked at me.
“This is exactly what Vanessa wants.””
Dad slowly backed away.
Daniel picked up the recorder.
“Let’s find out what Laura wanted documented.””
He pressed play.
Static filled the unit.
Then my mother’s voice came through.
I stopped breathing.
“September fourteenth.””
Her voice was weaker than I remembered.
But it was her.
“If Emily is hearing this someday, sweetheart, I’m sorry.””
My eyes filled instantly.
Dad turned away.
The recording continued.
“I discovered someone requested information about borrowing against the house. Daniel confirmed no loan could proceed without the proper trustee authority, so Emily’s home is protected.””
Daniel nodded faintly.
Then Mom said something strange.
“I originally thought the inquiry was a clerical mistake.””
A pause.
“It wasn’t.””
Dad turned back.
“I asked Nathan to trace the contact information used in the request. The phone number belonged to someone I knew.””
My heart hammered.
Another pause.
Longer this time.
“The number belonged to a woman named Vanessa Hale.””
Dad dropped the photograph.
The sound echoed through the unit.
I stared at him.
“Vanessa?””
Nathan closed his eyes.
Daniel immediately looked at Dad.
“Did you know her then?””
Dad looked like someone had punched him.
“No.””
Mom’s recording continued.
“I have never met Vanessa Hale.””
My knees weakened.
“But according to Nathan, she has been requesting information about my property for months.””
Dad sank onto the wooden chair.
Vanessa had been investigating my mother’s house before Mom died.
Before she met Dad.
At least, before Dad thought they met.
The recorder crackled.
Mom coughed.
Then continued.
“If something happens to me, the trust protects Emily. Richard is the only trustee until she turns thirty.””
Daniel whispered, “Correct.””
“But there is one thing I cannot explain.””
Mom paused.
“Nathan discovered Vanessa Hale has copies of documents that were kept inside my home.””
Dad lifted his head.
My skin went cold.
“She had never been invited here,” Mom continued.
“So someone gave them to her.””
Dad whispered, “Who?””
As if Mom could hear him, the recording answered.
“I believe I know who.””
Then the audio stopped.
“What happened?”” I asked.
Daniel checked the recorder.
“That file ended.””
“There has to be another.””
I grabbed the device.
The screen showed several recordings.
September 14.
September 18.
September 22.
The final one was recorded four days before Mom died.
I selected it.
Dad caught my wrist.
“Emily.””
I looked at him.
Fear filled his face.
Not fear of Vanessa.
Fear of what my mother was about to say.
I pressed play.
For several seconds, there was only breathing.
Then Mom whispered:
“Richard, if you ever hear this, I need you to understand why I changed the trust.””
A faint knock sounded somewhere in the recording.
Mom went silent.
A door opened.
Then a woman’s voice spoke in the background.
Dad shot to his feet.
Nathan turned pale.
I recognized the voice immediately.
Vanessa.
And then another voice answered her.
May you like
A man’s voice.
Dad’s voice.
