Chapter 2: The Red Door
Peter stopped at the threshold of Lily's room.
The little girl was sitting upright in the hospital bed, drowning inside a pale blue blanket. Her knees were pulled to her chest, and both hands were wrapped around the paper cup the nurse had given her.
A detective stood near the wall.
Detective Marcus Hale looked to be in his early forties, with a tired face and a notebook already open in one hand.
Lily stared at Peter.
Her eyes were enormous.
“Uncle Pete?””
Peter crossed the room.
“I’m right here.””
She reached for him.
He sat on the edge of the bed, and Lily immediately leaned against his chest.
She weighed almost nothing.
Peter closed his eyes for a moment.
Behind them, Detective Hale spoke carefully.
“Lily has been trying to tell us something about a red door.””
Peter looked down at her.
“Can you tell me about it, sweetheart?””
Lily pressed her face into his shirt.
“Red door.””
“I heard you.””
“No.””
She shook her head violently.
“No red door.””
Peter exchanged a glance with the detective.
“What do you mean?””
Lily's fingers tightened around his shirt.
“She said don't.””
“Who said don't?””
“Reena.””
Peter felt his anger return, but he kept his voice gentle.
“Reena told you not to talk about the red door?””
Lily nodded.
“Why?””
The child's lower lip trembled.
“Because Daddy said not to.””
Peter went completely still.
“Your daddy?””
“Yes.””
“When did Daddy tell you that?””
Lily looked confused.
“Before.””
“Before what?””
“Before he went away.””
Peter's heartbeat hammered against his ribs.
He glanced at Detective Hale.
The detective immediately stepped closer.
“Lily, do you remember where Daddy was when he told you?””
She nodded.
“He was in the house.””
“Which house?””
“Our house.””
“Was Reena there?””
Lily shook her head.
“She was upstairs.””
“What did your daddy say?””
Lily leaned farther into Peter.
“He said, ‘Don't ever open the red door.’”
Peter stared at her.
“Did you open it?””
Lily shook her head.
“Drew did.””
The room went silent.
Peter looked toward the detective.
“When?””
Lily answered first.
“Drew found Daddy's box.””
“Where?””
“In the room with the broken chair.””
Peter felt a strange chill.
“What box?””
Lily pointed vaguely.
“Daddy's black box.””
Detective Hale made a note.
“Do you know what's inside?””
Lily shook her head.
“Pictures.””
Peter looked at the detective again.
“Can I talk to Drew?””
“We need to make sure his pain medication is working before we question him further.””
Peter nodded.
“Can you ask him about the box?””
“We can.””
Lily suddenly grabbed Peter's wrist.
“Uncle Pete?””
“Yes?””
“You can't let Reena take us back.””
Peter looked into her frightened eyes.
“I won't.””
“She'll find us.””
“She won't.””
“She always finds us.””
Peter gently brushed dirty hair away from Lily's forehead.
“Not this time.””
Lily's eyes filled with tears.
“She knows where the other house is.””
Peter froze.
“What other house?””
Lily's mouth opened.
Then she looked toward the door.
The nurse had stepped away.
Detective Hale noticed it too.
“What other house, Lily?””
The little girl stared at the floor.
“Daddy's old house.””
Peter frowned.
“We're talking about your house.””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“Other house.””
Peter looked at the detective.
“What old house?””
Detective Hale closed his notebook.
“Let's let her rest.””
But Peter was already thinking about Aaron.
Three years earlier, Aaron had moved into Reena's house after they married.
At least, that's what Peter had always believed.
But now Lily was talking about an old house.
A house where Aaron had kept a black box.
A house with a red door.
A house Aaron had apparently warned his daughter about.
Peter felt the pieces sliding across the table in his mind.
None fit.
A nurse entered with a tablet.
“Mr. Calder?””
Peter stood.
“Yes?””
“There’s a call for you.””
“Who?””
“She didn't give a name.””
Detective Hale's eyes narrowed.
“Where?””
“The nurses' station.””
Peter's stomach dropped.
He followed the nurse into the hallway.
The phone sat on the desk.
She had put the caller on hold.
“Should I answer it?”” Peter asked.
Detective Hale was already beside him.
“I'll be right here.””
Peter picked up.
“Hello?””
A man's voice answered.
“You don't know me.””
Peter frowned.
“Who is this?””
“My name doesn't matter.””
“It matters to me.””
“No, it doesn't. What matters is what happened to Aaron.””
Peter's eyes immediately moved to Detective Hale.
The detective's expression hardened.
“Tell me your name.””
“I used to work for your brother.””
“Where?””
“His construction company.””
Peter's pulse quickened.
Aaron had run a small renovation business before he died.
Mostly kitchens, bathrooms, additions.
Nothing significant.
At least that's what Peter had thought.
“What are you talking about?””
The man took a breath.
“Aaron didn't have a heart attack because he was overworked.””
Peter's blood went cold.
“Who told you that?””
“He told me himself.””
“When?””
“The week before he died.””
Peter gripped the phone tighter.
“What did he say?””
The man hesitated.
“He said someone was trying to make him look unstable.””
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
“That's not good enough.””
“I never met her.””
“Her?””
Silence.
“Are you talking about Reena?””
The call went dead.
Peter slowly lowered the receiver.
Detective Hale stared at him.
“What did he say?””
Peter repeated the conversation word for word.
The detective did not immediately respond.
Instead, he asked, “Did the man identify himself?””
“No.””
“Did he say where Aaron worked with him?””
“Construction.””
Detective Hale rubbed his chin.
“Interesting.””
Peter felt the word like a slap.
“That's not enough.””
“I know.””
“You said his death wasn't what we thought.””
“I said someone told you that.””
Peter stepped closer.
“Don't play games with me.””
Hale met his eyes.
“You're right.””
The detective opened his notebook.
“We just got the preliminary records from the medical examiner.””
Peter's breath caught.
“You already knew?””
“We didn't have reason to connect his death to this until today.””
“What do the records say?””
Hale lowered his voice.
“Aaron had no documented cardiac disease.””
Peter said nothing.
“He'd complained of chest pain two weeks before his death.””
Peter remembered that.
Aaron had called him late one night.
Peter had been annoyed.
He had been halfway through a movie.
His brother had said he felt strange.
Peter had told him to see a doctor.
Aaron had laughed.
“Tomorrow.””
He never made it.
“What else?”” Peter asked.
“There were traces of a sedating medication in his system.””
Peter's face went blank.
“What?””
“We're confirming the concentration.””
“But you said heart attack.””
“The original determination was natural causes based on the circumstances at the time.””
Peter stared at him.
“So Aaron could have been drugged.””
“We aren't at that conclusion yet.””
“But you're investigating it.””
“Yes.””
Peter looked down the hospital corridor.
His brother had died believing there was nobody left to protect him.
Peter had spent three years believing his brother had simply fallen apart.
Now a six-year-old had crawled to his porch with an untreated fracture.
A three-year-old was starving.
And someone had deliberately kept them from him.
Peter's phone buzzed.
A text message.
Unknown number.
He opened it.
There was one photograph.
An old brick house.
The paint around the windows was peeling.
A narrow porch ran along the front.
At the side of the house was a bright red door.
Peter's breath caught.
Beneath the image was a single sentence.
HE DIDN'T DIE HERE.
Another message appeared.
HE DIED TRYING TO LEAVE.
Peter showed the screen to Hale.
The detective's face hardened.
“Don't respond.””
“Who sent this?””
“I don't know.””
“Then find out.””
“We will.””
Peter zoomed in on the photograph.
There was something else.
A small metal plaque beside the red door.
He could barely read it.
1427.
Peter stared at the number.
Then something clicked.
“Aaron's first apartment.””
Hale looked up.
“What?””
“Before he married Reena.””
Peter pointed at the photograph.
“He lived at 1427 Mercer Lane.””
Hale took the phone.
“Are you sure?””
“Yes.””
“You've been there?””
“When I was younger.””
“Was there a red door?””
Peter frowned.
“I don't remember.””
Hale took out his own phone.
He began typing.
Peter stood beside him.
Within seconds, the detective looked up.
“It's still standing.””
Peter swallowed.
“What kind of place is it now?””
“Vacant.””
“Let's go.””
Hale shook his head.
“Not yet.””
“Why?””
“Because whoever sent you that photograph may be watching.””
Peter's anger flared.
“My niece and nephew were locked in a basement.””
“I know.””
“My brother may have been murdered.””
“I know.””
“So tell me what exactly we're waiting for.””
Hale looked at him for several seconds.
“Backup.””
Peter's phone vibrated again.
Another message.
This one wasn't a photograph.
It read:
YOU'RE LOOKING IN THE WRONG HOUSE.
Peter stared.
Then another appeared.
ASK DREW ABOUT THE KEY.
He looked up.
“Drew.””
Hale immediately turned toward the treatment room.
They hurried back.
The nurse was standing outside.
“He's awake.””
Peter pushed through the door.
Drew was sitting up.
His injured leg had been placed in a temporary splint. His face looked exhausted, but his eyes were alert.
Peter moved beside the bed.
“Buddy, I need to ask you something.””
Drew looked frightened.
“Is Reena coming?””
“No.””
“Promise?””
“I promise.””
Drew nodded.
Peter sat down.
“Do you know what a key is?””
Drew's eyes changed instantly.
He looked at Peter.
Then at the detective.
Then at the floor.
Peter felt his stomach tighten.
“Drew?””
The boy slowly reached beneath his hospital blanket.
His fingers closed around something.
He pulled out a tiny brass key.
Peter stared.
“Where did you get that?””
Drew whispered, “Dad.””
Peter took a breath.
“Aaron gave this to you?””
Drew nodded.
“When?””
“The night he was sick.””
Peter's chest tightened.
“What did he tell you?””
Drew looked at the detective.
“He said I had to hide it.””
“Why?””
“Because Reena was looking.””
Peter carefully held out his hand.
Drew placed the key in his palm.
It was warm from the boy's body.
A number had been scratched into it.
27.
Peter frowned.
“Twenty-seven?””
Drew nodded.
“Dad said the key would open something she couldn't find.””
“What?””
Drew looked toward Lily's room.
His voice became a whisper.
“The red door.””
Peter felt every muscle in his body go rigid.
Detective Hale slowly closed the door behind them.
“Drew,” he said, “what is behind the red door?””
Drew began to cry.
“I don't know.””
Peter leaned toward him.
“You've been there.””
Drew nodded.
“Once.””
“When?””
“Before Daddy died.””
“What did you see?””
Drew squeezed his eyes shut.
“Daddy was fighting with Reena.””
Peter's heart pounded.
“What were they fighting about?””
Drew's breathing became shallow.
“Daddy said she lied.””
“About what?””
“He said she couldn't keep taking his money.””
Peter stared at the child.
Money?
Reena had told everyone Aaron left behind almost nothing.
Drew continued.
“Daddy said the children were his.””
Peter's expression tightened.
“What happened next?””
“Reena locked the door.””
“And?””
Drew pointed to the key in Peter's hand.
“Daddy said if anything happened to him, I had to find Uncle Pete.””
Peter's vision blurred.
“Did he say why?””
Drew nodded.
“He said you were the only person who knew the truth.””
Peter's voice broke.
“What truth?””
Drew looked directly into his uncle's eyes.
“That Lily isn't Reena's daughter.””
The room fell silent.
Peter stopped breathing.
“What?””
Drew's eyes filled with tears.
“Mommy isn't dead.””
Peter stared at him.
He did not understand.
“Who is Mommy?””
Drew's lips trembled.
“She's behind the red door.””
Peter felt the floor disappear beneath him.
Then, from the hallway, a nurse screamed.
Every person in the room turned toward the sound.
A second later, the fire alarm began blaring.
And somewhere downstairs, a hospital door slammed shut.
Twice.
May you like
Like someone had just arrived.
Like someone was looking for the children.
