Chapter 5: The Room Nobody Was Allowed to Enter
Marcus read the message twice.
Then he looked toward the staircase.
"Zoe, sweetheart, can I ask you something?""
She put down her fork.
"Okay.""
"What's in the room at the end of the upstairs hallway?""
Zoe's face changed immediately.
Lauren dropped her glass.
It hit the table with a sharp clink.
"That's none of your concern," she said.
Marcus turned.
"I asked Zoe.""
Lauren folded her arms.
"It's a storage room. Old furniture, boxes, things we don't use.""
Zoe stared at her plate.
Marcus recognized that expression.
It was the same one she had worn when he asked about dinner.
Fear.
"Zoe?""
She swallowed.
"That's where Mrs. Carter used to keep my things.""
"What things?""
"My books. My drawings. Some of my toys.""
Marcus frowned.
"Why would they be there?""
Lauren interrupted.
"Because she never cleaned up after herself. I needed to organize the house.""
Zoe quietly added, "My birthday presents too.""
Marcus turned toward her.
"Your birthday presents?""
"Some of them.""
Lauren's voice sharpened.
"Enough, Zoe.""
Marcus stood.
"Show me the room.""
Lauren moved in front of the staircase.
"Absolutely not. It's late, and you are not going to start tearing through my house because of one ridiculous phone call.""
Marcus looked at her.
"Your house?""
"Our house.""
"Then why are you afraid of me opening one room?""
Lauren's jaw tightened.
"I'm not afraid. I'm simply tired of being questioned.""
Madison appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Mom, what's going on?""
"Go to your room!""
Madison didn't move.
Marcus walked past Lauren.
She grabbed his arm.
"Don't.""
He looked down at her hand.
"Let go.""
For a moment, she held on.
Then she stepped aside.
The hallway was quiet.
Marcus approached the final door.
It had a new silver lock.
He tried the handle.
Locked.
He turned toward Lauren.
"Key.""
"It's in my bedroom.""
"Go get it.""
Lauren remained still.
Marcus took out his phone.
"Then I'll call a locksmith.""
"You're being ridiculous!""
"That seems to be a word you use whenever someone asks you a question.""
Madison came down the stairs.
"Mom, just give him the key.""
Lauren spun around.
"Madison, I said go upstairs!""
Marcus looked at his stepsister's daughter.
"Madison, do you know what's in there?""
She looked nervous.
"No.""
Zoe quietly spoke.
"She knows.""
Everyone turned toward her.
Madison's face flushed.
"I don't!""
Zoe looked at her.
"You were there when Mom put Grandma's boxes inside.""
Lauren's eyes widened.
"Zoe!""
Marcus turned back to his wife.
"Grandma's boxes?""
Lauren walked quickly toward her bedroom.
"Fine. I'll get the key. But don't blame me when you find nothing.""
She returned a minute later and handed him a small key.
Marcus unlocked the door.
The smell of dust and old cardboard drifted into the hallway.
He switched on the light.
The room wasn't simply storage.
There were shelves along every wall.
Plastic containers.
Old suitcases.
Several boxes marked with dates.
And in the corner stood a small wooden desk.
Zoe stepped inside.
Her eyes moved across the shelves.
"That's my desk.""
Marcus looked at her.
"You recognize it?""
She nodded.
"Mrs. Carter gave it to me for my birthday when I was nine.""
He remembered that desk.
He remembered Zoe spending hours drawing there.
Then Lauren had told him the room was too crowded and that the desk had been donated.
Apparently, it hadn't.
Zoe approached a plastic container.
Inside were her old books, coloring pencils, school certificates, and photographs.
She picked up a framed picture.
It showed her sitting on Eleanor's lap in the garden.
"Grandma.""
Her voice cracked.
Marcus placed a hand on her back.
"Do you want to take it?""
She nodded.
Then she noticed another box.
It was labeled:
*ELEANOR — PERSONAL ITEMS.*
Marcus pulled it from the shelf.
Inside were several folders, photographs, and a small digital recorder.
A folded piece of paper rested on top.
Marcus opened it.
The handwriting belonged to his mother.
If Marcus ever finds this room, please tell him I came here on March 14.
He stopped reading.
"March 14?""
Lauren looked away.
Marcus continued.
I asked Lauren to let me see Zoe's belongings. She refused. When I asked why, she told me Zoe had been giving away things without permission.
He looked up.
"Is that true?""
Lauren crossed her arms.
"Your mother was confused.""
Marcus read the next paragraph.
I noticed that several of Zoe's birthday gifts were missing. When I asked about them, Lauren told me they had been thrown away. I later found them stored in this room.
He looked at Zoe.
"Did you know these were here?""
She shook her head.
"Lauren told me they were gone.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
He had missed so much.
He opened another folder.
Inside were printed photographs of the room, dated months earlier.
One showed a narrow mattress against the wall.
Another showed a small table with a plate on it.
Marcus stared.
"What's this?""
Zoe became very still.
Lauren rushed forward.
"Those pictures mean nothing!""
Marcus held them up.
"Why was there a mattress in here?""
Zoe's voice was barely audible.
"Sometimes Lauren sent me here.""
Marcus turned.
"For what?""
"When I was in trouble.""
"How long?""
"Sometimes until morning.""
The room seemed to tilt.
Marcus crouched.
"Sweetheart, were you locked in here?""
Zoe looked at her hands.
"Sometimes.""
Lauren immediately shouted.
"She was never locked in! She could open the door whenever she wanted!""
Zoe shook her head.
"The lock was on the outside.""
Marcus slowly stood.
He examined the door.
The lock mechanism was clearly installed to prevent someone inside from opening it.
His voice became dangerously quiet.
"You locked my daughter in this room?""
Lauren started crying again.
"Only when she was being disrespectful!""
"She's a child!""
"She screamed and threw things!""
"I was scared," Zoe whispered.
Marcus turned toward her.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Zoe's eyes filled.
"Because Lauren said you would believe her. And she said Grandma would stop visiting if I kept complaining.""
Marcus looked at the digital recorder.
He picked it up.
There was a label attached.
*MARCH 14 — DO NOT DELETE.*
His mother had apparently left something important behind.
He pressed the play button.
A few seconds of static followed.
Then Eleanor's voice filled the room.
"Lauren, I want to know why Zoe is sleeping in this room.""
Lauren's recorded voice answered.
"She isn't sleeping here. She's learning consequences.""
"She's nine years old.""
"She needs discipline.""
"She's frightened of you.""
"She's dramatic, Eleanor. You spoil her.""
There was a pause.
Then Eleanor spoke again.
"Did you take the money I sent for her?""
The recording crackled.
Lauren answered sharply.
"That money goes toward maintaining this household.""
"Then why is Madison wearing new jewelry while Zoe is asking me for lunch money?""
Silence.
Then Lauren said something that made Marcus's blood run cold.
"Because Madison is my daughter. I don't have to explain every decision I make about her.""
The recording continued.
Eleanor's voice became firm.
"Marcus will hear about this.""
Lauren laughed.
"Marcus hears what I tell him.""
The recording ended.
Nobody moved.
Marcus stared at the device.
Then he looked at Lauren.
"Did you really think I would never find out?""
Lauren's face crumpled.
"Marcus, please.""
He placed the recorder on the desk.
"Don't.""
Then he noticed a final folder underneath the mattress.
It contained several pages of handwritten notes from Eleanor.
The last page was dated just two weeks before her death.
I have discovered that Lauren is not only taking Zoe's money. She has been telling people that Zoe has behavioral problems and may need to be sent away. I fear she is preparing something that will make it difficult for Marcus to protect his daughter.
Marcus read the final sentence twice.
The most dangerous part is that Madison knows more than she admits.
He slowly turned toward Madison.
She was standing in the doorway.
Her eyes were fixed on the folder.
"Dad," she whispered.
Marcus looked at her.
"What do you know?""
Madison began shaking her head.
"I didn't mean for any of this to happen.""
Lauren stepped forward.
"Madison, don't say another word.""
But Marcus had heard enough.
"You're going to tell me everything.""
Madison looked at her mother.
Then at Zoe.
May you like
And finally, she whispered:
"Mom said if Zoe ever told you about the food, she would send her away before you could stop her.""
