Chapter 10: The Door That Should Have Stayed Locked
I drove faster than I should have.
Every red light felt like an insult.
Every slow-moving car in front of me felt like an obstacle someone had placed there intentionally.
Because for the first time since Daniel died, I wasn’t chasing the truth.
I was running toward a threat.
My hands shook around the steering wheel.
Not because I was afraid for myself.
Because of Noah.
That was the thing Daniel understood better than anyone.
People could hurt me.
They could insult me.
They could destroy my reputation.
But the second someone came near my son, I stopped being the woman who stayed quiet.
I became his mother.
And mothers don’t negotiate with danger.
When I turned onto our street, my stomach dropped.
The front door was open.
I knew I had locked it.
I always locked it.
Especially after Margaret came.
I parked the car crooked in the driveway and ran inside.
“Noah!””
Silence.
My heart nearly stopped.
“Noah!””
Then I heard a sound upstairs.
A drawer opening.
I grabbed the closest thing I could find.
A heavy picture frame from the hallway.
I hated that my first instinct was fear.
I hated that Daniel’s warnings had become my reality.
I climbed the stairs slowly.
One step.
Two.
Three.
Then I saw him.
Victor.
Standing in Noah’s room.
My son was sitting on the bed, frozen.
Victor held Daniel’s old backpack.
The one Noah took to school.
The one where Daniel had hidden the phone.
“Get away from him.””
My voice surprised even me.
Victor turned.
For a moment, he looked almost relieved.
Like he had been waiting for me.
“Emily.””
“Move away from my son.””
He slowly lowered the backpack.
“I’m not here to hurt him.””
“You broke into my house.””
His face tightened.
“I needed the phone.””
“No.””
I stepped between him and Noah.
“You needed to erase what Daniel found.””
Victor looked away.
That was the answer.
“You killed him.””
The words left my mouth before I could stop them.
Victor’s expression changed.
Not guilt.
Anger.
“You have no idea what you’re saying.””
“I know Daniel was investigating you.””
“I know you were with him the night he died.””
His face went pale.
“You talked to the police.””
I stared.
Because I hadn’t told him.
I hadn’t told anyone about Detective Harris.
Except Ethan.
And Claire.
Then I understood.
Victor wasn’t afraid because he was accused.
He was afraid because he knew.
“You’ve been watching me.””
“No.””
“Then how did you know?””
Silence.
Behind me, Noah whispered:
“Mom.””
I reached back and grabbed his hand.
Victor noticed.
His expression softened for a second.
“I would never hurt Noah.””
“You hurt Daniel.””
His jaw tightened.
“You think you know what happened?””
“Yes.””
“No, you don’t.””
He stepped forward.
I raised the picture frame.
“Don’t.””
He stopped.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Victor said something I didn’t expect.
“Daniel wasn’t killed because he found the money.””
I froze.
“What?””
“He was killed because he found out who ordered the first crime.””
My grip loosened.
“What are you talking about?””
Victor looked toward the hallway.
Like he was afraid someone else might hear.
“Your husband thought I was the enemy.””
“Were you?””
His silence was answer enough.
“I made mistakes.””
“Mistakes?””
He laughed bitterly.
“You have no idea what happens when you’re trapped by people like Margaret.””
I stared at him.
“You’re blaming her?””
“I’m saying you don’t understand her.””
I almost laughed.
“After everything?””
Victor looked at Noah.
Then back at me.
“Daniel was going to expose her.””
“Yes.””
“But he didn’t know the entire truth.””
“What truth?””
Victor swallowed.
“The money wasn’t stolen for greed.””
I stared.
“What?””
“It was used to cover something else.””
My blood ran cold.
“What?””
Victor’s voice dropped.
“Your father-in-law’s death.””
The room went silent.
“You knew.””
“Yes.””
“You were involved.””
“Yes.””
The honesty shocked me.
“Why tell me?””
“Because Daniel was right.””
“About what?””
“That eventually someone had to tell you.””
I stepped closer.
“Then tell me everything.””
Victor looked at the phone in my hand.
“No.””
My anger exploded.
“You don’t get to come into my house, scare my son, and decide when I get answers.””
His eyes hardened.
“Because if you know everything, you become the next target.””
The words sounded exactly like Daniel.
Protective.
Terrified.
Too late.
“What did Margaret do?””
Victor closed his eyes.
Then:
“She didn’t kill Daniel.””
I stared.
“But she knew he was going to that road.””
My heart stopped.
“How?””
“Because she sent him there.””
The room spun.
“What?””
Victor continued.
“She told Daniel she had proof about his father’s death. She knew he would go.””
“And you?””
“I followed him.””
“Why?””
“To stop him.””
“From what?””
Victor looked at me.
“From meeting the person who actually killed your father-in-law.””
A cold feeling moved through my body.
“Who?””
Victor opened his mouth.
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
And his entire face changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
He answered.
Nobody spoke.
Then Victor whispered:
“No.””
A pause.
“I didn’t tell her.””
He looked at me.
The phone slipped slightly in his hand.
Then a voice came through the speaker.
Even from where I stood, I heard it.
Margaret.
“Then I guess you’ve made your choice.””
The call ended.
Victor looked at me.
“She knows.””
“Knows what?””
May you like
“That I told you.””
Then the lights in the house went out.
