Chapter 5: The Key That Disappeared
I ran upstairs so quickly that I nearly slipped on the last step.
My bedroom door was open.
I knew I had closed it that morning.
The desk drawer hung halfway out.
My notebooks were scattered across the floor, and the small wooden organizer where I kept old birthday cards had been turned upside down.
I dropped to my knees.
The brass key was missing.
"No. No, no.""
Dad appeared in the doorway.
"What happened?""
"Someone was in my room.""
He examined the drawer.
"Did you leave it like this?""
"No.""
He looked toward the hallway.
"Rebecca!""
A door slammed downstairs.
Dad immediately ran toward the stairs.
I followed him.
Rebecca was standing in the kitchen with her handbag over her shoulder.
Hailey was beside her.
"Where are you going?"" Dad demanded.
Rebecca looked at him coldly.
"To my sister's house.""
"Not until we find out who entered Nia's room.""
She laughed.
"Are you accusing me of breaking into my own house?""
"I'm asking a question.""
"And I'm telling you that I'm done being interrogated.""
Dad pointed toward the dining table.
"Put your bag down.""
Rebecca tightened her grip.
"No.""
Hailey looked between them.
"Mom, let's just go.""
I stepped forward.
"Where's my key?""
Rebecca's eyes flickered.
"What key?""
"The brass key my mother gave me.""
"I have no idea what you're talking about.""
"Someone took it from my bedroom.""
Rebecca shrugged.
"Perhaps you misplaced it.""
I held up my phone.
"Then explain this.""
I showed her the photograph.
For a second, she looked genuinely surprised.
Then she recovered.
"Someone is trying to frame me.""
Dad took the phone.
"Who sent this?""
"I don't know.""
Rebecca gave a short laugh.
"Of course you don't.""
Dad turned toward her.
"Did you enter Nia's bedroom?""
"No.""
"Did Hailey?""
Hailey shook her head quickly.
"No, Dad.""
I looked at her.
"Are you sure?""
She swallowed.
"Yes.""
Dad picked up his phone.
"I'm calling the police.""
Rebecca immediately dropped her handbag onto the counter.
"You're not doing that.""
"Watch me.""
She stepped closer.
"Marcus, think about what you're doing. We can resolve this privately.""
"Someone entered my daughter's room and stole something belonging to her dead mother.""
"Maybe it wasn't stolen!""
"Then where is it?""
Rebecca had no answer.
Dad called the police.
While he spoke, Hailey moved toward the hallway.
I noticed her hand.
Something small and metallic was tucked between her fingers.
"Hailey.""
She stopped.
"Give it to me.""
"What?""
"Your hand.""
She shook her head.
"Leave me alone.""
I walked closer.
"Please.""
For a moment, she looked like she might cry.
Then she opened her fingers.
The brass key lay in her palm.
My breath caught.
"Why do you have that?""
Hailey stared at the floor.
"I found it.""
"Where?""
"In your room.""
"You said you didn't go in there.""
"I didn't!""
"Then how did you find it?""
She looked toward Rebecca.
My stepmother's expression changed instantly.
"Hailey, don't say anything.""
Dad ended his call.
"What did you just say?""
Hailey began crying.
"Mom gave it to me.""
I felt the room tilt.
Rebecca stepped forward.
"She's confused.""
Hailey shook her head.
"No, I'm not!""
She held out the key.
"Mom told me to take it before Nia found the other documents.""
Dad stared at his wife.
"Why?""
Rebecca's lips parted.
No sound came out.
Hailey wiped her cheeks.
"She said the key opened something in the old garage.""
I looked at Dad.
"The garage?""
He nodded slowly.
There was an old storage cabinet in the garage that Mom had used for gardening supplies. Dad had never thrown it away, even after we replaced the shelves.
I reached for the key.
Hailey pulled it back.
"Wait.""
I stopped.
"What?""
She looked at me with wet eyes.
"Mom said if I gave it to you, she would tell Dad what happened at the hospital.""
Dad's face changed.
"What happened at the hospital?""
Hailey shook her head.
"I don't know. I just heard them arguing about it.""
Rebecca grabbed her daughter's arm.
"That's enough.""
Hailey pulled away.
"You told me Dad would never find out!""
The words landed like a bomb.
Dad took one step toward Rebecca.
"What wouldn't I find out?""
Rebecca's eyes filled with tears.
"Marcus, she doesn't understand.""
"Then explain it to me.""
She shook her head.
"Not here.""
"Now.""
Rebecca looked at me.
Then at Hailey.
Then she whispered:
"Your mother wasn't supposed to have that surgery.""
Dad went completely still.
"What are you talking about?""
Rebecca pressed a hand against her chest.
"She was getting worse. The doctors said there was a chance she wouldn't survive.""
"I know that," Dad replied.
"But there was another option. A different hospital. A specialist.""
Dad's voice dropped.
"Why didn't we take her there?""
Rebecca looked away.
"Because it was too expensive.""
Dad stared at her.
"Your mother had insurance.""
"Not enough.""
"She had money.""
Rebecca's expression hardened.
"Money that was supposed to go into this house.""
I stepped forward.
"What does that mean?""
Dad looked at Rebecca.
"Did you interfere with her treatment?""
She shook her head.
"No. I didn't make any medical decisions.""
"Then what are you hiding?""
Before she could answer, someone knocked loudly at the front door.
Dad turned.
A uniformed police officer stood outside.
Behind him was a man in a dark gray suit carrying a leather briefcase.
I recognized him from an old photograph in Mom's jewelry box.
Daniel.
My uncle.
He stepped inside and looked directly at me.
"Nia, we need to get that key to the garage.""
Dad frowned.
"How did you know about the key?""
Daniel placed his briefcase on the table.
"Because I was the one who gave Sarah the lock.""
He opened the briefcase.
Inside was a photograph of my mother holding me as a baby.
On the back, in her handwriting, were five words:
Trust Daniel if I cannot speak.
My uncle looked at Dad.
"Marcus, there's something you need to know.""
May you like
Then he turned toward Rebecca.
"And I think your wife knows exactly why Sarah never made it to the specialist.""
