Chapter 4: Someone Was Upstairs
The sound of the slamming door echoed through the house.
Margaret grabbed Marcus's arm.
“Who else is here?””
Richard stood frozen at the bottom of the staircase.
“Nobody,” he said.
Ethan looked toward the ceiling.
“That's funny. Somebody just slammed a door.””
“It's an old house,” Richard replied.
“The windows are open. The wind—”
“It's November,” Daniel interrupted.
“And every window we've passed is closed.””
Vanessa stood beside the dining table, clutching her napkin.
“Richard, maybe you should explain.””
He shot her a warning look.
“Not now.””
Marcus noticed the exchange.
Neither husband nor wife seemed surprised that someone might be upstairs. They seemed frightened that the person might come down.
Cole moved toward the staircase.
“I'll check.””
“Don't!”” Richard shouted.
Cole stopped.
“Why?””
“Because this is private property.””
Cole nodded.
“Then call the police and tell them somebody is inside your house without permission.””
Richard said nothing.
Marcus turned toward Margaret.
“Do you know who could be upstairs?””
She shook her head.
“No. But Frank used to keep his study locked. Richard hasn't let me upstairs since he changed the locks.””
Ethan frowned.
“Your own house?””
Margaret nodded.
“He said the staircase was dangerous for me.””
Lily stepped forward.
“Grandma, it's not just that.””
Richard turned.
“Lily, I swear—”
“Dad put a new lock on Grandpa's study. And sometimes I hear people talking in there.””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Daniel looked at Richard.
“Who are you letting into your mother's house?””
Richard rubbed his forehead.
“It's complicated.””
Marcus gave a humorless laugh.
“Funny how everything becomes complicated when somebody asks a simple question.””
Another sound came from upstairs.
This time, it was a heavy object being dragged across the floor.
Cole looked at Marcus.
Marcus nodded.
Together, they walked toward the staircase.
Richard rushed forward.
“You can't go up there!””
Marcus turned.
“Then tell us who's there.””
Richard's mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Cole climbed the first few steps.
“Anybody up there?””
Silence.
He continued.
At the top of the staircase, a narrow hallway stretched toward three bedrooms and a closed study door.
A strip of warm light showed beneath the study.
Cole approached slowly.
Then he heard a man's voice.
“Just put it back where you found it.””
Another voice answered.
“I told you, the original is missing.””
Cole stopped.
He recognized the first voice.
Richard's.
But Richard was downstairs.
He looked back toward the staircase.
Then he heard footsteps approaching the study door.
Cole stepped behind the corner.
The door opened.
A thin man in a brown suit emerged carrying a black leather briefcase.
He was in his late fifties, with silver hair and round glasses.
He locked the door behind him.
Then he turned toward the stairs.
Cole stepped into view.
“Evening.””
The man nearly dropped his briefcase.
“Who are you?””
“Cole.””
“What are you doing here?””
“Looking for whoever slammed the door.””
The man adjusted his glasses.
“I was leaving.””
Cole glanced at the briefcase.
“Good. Mind telling me your name?””
The man hesitated.
“Peter Walsh.””
Cole's eyes narrowed.
“Benton, Walsh and Associates?””
Peter looked startled.
“Yes.””
“Interesting. We've been discussing your firm downstairs.””
Peter's face changed.
“Who's downstairs?””
“Your client.””
Peter hurried toward the staircase.
Cole followed.
When they reached the dining room, Richard looked as though he'd seen a ghost.
“Peter?””
Peter stopped.
“Richard. We need to talk.””
Ethan stood immediately.
“Are you the attorney who prepared this deed?””
Peter glanced at the folder.
“Yes.””
“Did you verify the signature?””
Peter hesitated.
“I received the documents from my client.””
“That's not what I asked.””
Richard stepped between them.
“This conversation is over.””
Margaret rose from her chair.
“Mr. Walsh, did you ever meet my husband?””
Peter looked at her.
“No, ma'am.””
“Then how did you verify that he signed this document?””
“I didn't personally witness the signature.””
The room went silent.
Richard grabbed Peter's arm.
“That's enough.””
Peter pulled away.
“You told me the notarization was legitimate.””
“It is!””
Peter looked toward Margaret.
“Mrs. Whitmore, I was told the paperwork had been properly executed. I did not know your husband was deceased when the deed was supposedly signed.””
Margaret's hand flew to her mouth.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Are you saying you didn't know?””
Peter swallowed.
“I discovered the discrepancy this afternoon.””
Richard's face went red.
“You promised you wouldn't discuss this!””
Peter looked at him.
“You also promised me the original deed existed.””
Ethan leaned forward.
“What original deed?””
Peter opened his briefcase and removed a thin envelope.
“An affidavit from Richard stating that his father had transferred the property voluntarily. I was supposed to compare it with the original estate documents.””
Margaret shook her head.
“Frank never transferred anything.””
Peter nodded slowly.
“I understand that now.””
Richard slammed his fist against the table.
“You're supposed to be my attorney!””
Peter looked directly at him.
“I'm an attorney. That doesn't mean I'll participate in fraud.””
For the first time that evening, Richard appeared genuinely frightened.
But Ethan wasn't finished.
He pointed toward the staircase.
“Why were you searching the study?””
Peter looked at Richard.
Richard looked at Vanessa.
And Vanessa finally spoke.
“Because he wanted to find the metal box before your mother did.””
Margaret turned toward her daughter-in-law.
“What's in that box?””
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“I don't know everything.””
Richard stepped toward her.
“Don't.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“I can't keep doing this.””
Then she reached into her purse and pulled out a small brass key.
“I found this in Richard's desk last week. I think it opens the box.””
Margaret stared at the key.
She recognized it immediately.
It was the key Frank had worn around his neck for twenty years.
But the most frightening thing wasn't that Richard had taken it.
May you like
It was what Frank had written on the tiny paper tag attached to it.
*FOR MARGARET — ONLY IF OUR SON BETRAYS US.*
