Chapter 7: Three Knocks
Three knocks echoed through the house.
Nobody moved.
Dad still held the phone against his ear even though the call had ended.
Mom whispered, “Don’t open it.””
Dad looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because you know who it is.””
“I don't.””
“Yes, you do.””
Another three knocks.
Lily stepped behind me.
“Dad, maybe we should call the police.””
“We will.””
Dad reached for the front-door handle.
Mom grabbed his wrist.
“John, please.””
He pulled free.
“You've said please all night.””
He opened the door.
Cold rain blew into the hallway.
A man stood on the porch.
He was tall, soaked, and wearing a dark blue jacket.
Lily gasped.
“That's him.””
The man looked directly at her.
“I’m Marcus.””
Dad stared.
“You're the man from the video.””
Marcus nodded.
“Yes.””
Dad stepped outside.
“What did you do to my son?””
Marcus didn't move.
“I saved him.””
Dad's face hardened.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“No.””
Marcus reached into his jacket.
Dad immediately stepped backward.
“Keep your hands where I can see them.””
Marcus slowly pulled out a small metal key.
He held it between two fingers.
“This belongs to Ethan.””
Dad looked at it.
“What is it?””
“The key to the room upstairs.””
Mom appeared behind Dad.
“John, don't let him inside.””
Marcus looked at her.
“You're still lying.””
Mom's face went pale.
Dad turned.
“What is the key for?””
Marcus looked back at him.
“Something your wife hid twelve years ago.””
Dad took the key.
“What?””
“A box.””
“What box?””
Marcus glanced at Chloe.
“She knows.””
Chloe shook her head violently.
“No.””
Marcus sighed.
“You were there.””
“I was eight.””
“You were old enough to remember.””
Dad looked at Chloe.
“What happened that night?””
Chloe began crying.
“Mom told us to stay upstairs.””
Dad's eyes narrowed.
“Why?””
“She said there was a gas leak.””
Marcus interrupted.
“There wasn't.””
Mom whispered, “Stop.””
Marcus ignored her.
“She locked the back door. She took the money. Then she started the fire.””
Dad turned slowly toward Mom.
“You started it?””
“No.””
Marcus looked at him.
“She didn't mean to burn the house down.””
Mom's shoulders shook.
“I only wanted the papers.””
“What papers?””
“Insurance documents,” Marcus said.
Dad stared.
“Why?””
Marcus reached into his jacket again.
This time he pulled out a photograph.
He handed it to Dad.
It showed the old house.
Smoke poured from the upstairs windows.
Two firefighters stood in front.
And on the bottom corner was a timestamp.
2:13 a.m.
Dad looked confused.
“The fire department said it started at three.””
Marcus shook his head.
“They were wrong.””
Dad stared at the picture.
Then his eyes moved to the driveway.
A small figure stood near the garage.
A child.
Ethan.
And beside him stood another child.
Chloe.
Dad looked at his daughter.
“You said you were upstairs.””
Chloe couldn't speak.
Marcus said quietly, “Ethan wasn't supposed to survive.””
Dad's hand began shaking.
“What did you do?””
“I found him outside.””
“Why was he outside?””
Marcus looked toward Mom.
“Because your wife locked him in the garage.””
Mom suddenly screamed.
“That isn't true!””
Marcus took another photograph from his pocket.
Dad looked down.
His face collapsed.
The picture showed a little boy standing beside the garage door.
His hands were pressed against the glass.
Smoke filled the background.
And written on the back, in faded blue ink, were four words:
*HE SAW EVERYTHING THAT NIGHT.*
Dad looked toward the stairs.
“Where is Ethan now?””
Marcus answered:
“He went back to the old house.””
My heart stopped.
“Why?””
Marcus looked directly at me.
“Because he found something there.””
“What?””
Marcus didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Dad.
“And if Ethan gets there before your wife does, the truth will finally come out.””
Mom suddenly ran upstairs.
Dad shouted after her.
May you like
“DON'T!””
But she was already gone.
