Chapter 4: The Midnight Visitors
I read Martin's message three times.
My father.
Richard Cole had entered my grandmother's private study with Natalie.
I immediately called Martin.
"Where are you?""
"In the security office, sir.""
"Don't touch anything. I'm coming down.""
I left Eleanor's bedroom and walked through the upstairs corridor. My shoes struck the marble floor, each step louder than the last.
When I entered the security office, Martin was standing beside a computer monitor. His expression was unusually tense.
"Show me.""
He opened a recording dated twelve days earlier.
The timestamp read 11:47 p.m.
The hallway outside my grandmother's study was empty.
Then Natalie appeared.
She wore a black coat over her nightdress and carried a small leather handbag. She looked over her shoulder before approaching the door.
A few seconds later, my father entered the frame.
He wasn't wearing his usual formal clothes. He had on a dark sweater and trousers.
Natalie unlocked the study.
They disappeared inside.
"How long were they there?"" I asked.
Martin checked the recording.
"Thirty-eight minutes.""
"Did anyone else enter?""
"No, sir.""
I watched the footage again.
At 12:25 a.m., Natalie emerged holding a thick brown folder.
My father followed her.
He looked directly toward the security camera.
Then he raised his hand.
The screen went black.
I stared at it.
"What happened?""
Martin swallowed.
"Someone manually disabled that camera. The recording resumed approximately four minutes later.""
"Who has access to the security system?""
"Your father, yourself, and me.""
"Did you disable it?""
"No, sir.""
I looked at him.
"Can you recover the missing footage?""
"I've already contacted the security contractor. They're checking the backup server.""
I pointed toward the monitor.
"Do not mention this to anyone. Especially Natalie or my father.""
"Understood.""
I left the office with a growing sense of dread.
For years, I had believed my father was simply emotionally distant. He had always prioritized business over family, but I had never considered him dishonest.
Now I was beginning to wonder how much of my childhood understanding of him had been wrong.
The next morning, I found him in the breakfast room.
He was reading the financial pages of the newspaper while drinking black coffee.
"Morning, Dad.""
He lowered the paper.
"Adrian. You're up early.""
I poured myself coffee.
"Couldn't sleep.""
He glanced at me.
"Business?""
"Family matters.""
His expression remained neutral.
"Anything I should know about?""
I sat across from him.
"Have you been in Grandma's study recently?""
His hand paused around the coffee cup.
"Why?""
"I'm asking.""
He folded the newspaper.
"I visit my mother occasionally. Is that suddenly forbidden?""
"No. I was just wondering why you went there with Natalie twelve nights ago.""
Silence.
For a moment, the only sound was the ticking clock above the doorway.
Then he leaned back.
"Who told you that?""
"Does it matter?""
"Of course it matters. Your grandmother has been confused lately. She sometimes forgets where she puts things.""
"She's not confused.""
"Adrian, she's eighty.""
"And you're avoiding my question.""
His jaw tightened.
"Natalie was helping me locate some documents. That's all.""
"What documents?""
"Old estate paperwork.""
"Why didn't you ask me?""
"Because I didn't think I needed your permission to enter my mother's study.""
I took a sip of coffee.
"Did you find what you were looking for?""
He looked directly at me.
"Yes.""
"What was it?""
"Nothing important.""
I placed my cup down.
"Then you won't mind if I ask Martin to retrieve the folder.""
My father stood abruptly.
"Don't turn this into a confrontation.""
"Then don't give me reasons to ask questions.""
He picked up his newspaper.
"Your mother was a good woman, Adrian. But she left this family with a tendency to make everything unnecessarily complicated.""
I looked up sharply.
"Don't bring Mom into this.""
"I'm simply saying that your mother always believed people were better than they actually were.""
He walked toward the door.
"And look where that got her.""
I stood.
"Watch what you say.""
He stopped but didn't turn around.
"Be careful, son. You don't know what you're getting involved in.""
Then he left.
I remained in the breakfast room, staring at the empty chair.
For the first time, my father's warning sounded less like advice and more like a threat.
That afternoon, I visited Elena in the laundry room.
She was folding freshly washed tablecloths when I entered.
"Elena, do you have a moment?""
She immediately put the fabric down.
"Of course, Mr. Cole.""
"Have you noticed anyone entering Eleanor's study at night?""
Her hands stopped moving.
"Why do you ask?""
"Because I believe some documents have gone missing.""
She looked toward the open doorway.
"Mr. Cole, I don't want to cause trouble.""
"You won't.""
She hesitated.
Then she spoke quietly.
"Mrs. Warren asked me to give her the key to your grandmother's cabinet.""
"When?""
"About two weeks ago.""
"Did you?""
"No. Mrs. Cole had specifically instructed me not to let anyone remove those papers without her permission.""
I nodded.
"What happened next?""
"Mrs. Warren became angry. She said I was forgetting my place.""
"Did she threaten you?""
Elena looked down.
"She told me that people who refused to cooperate usually didn't last long in this household.""
I felt anger rise in my chest.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Elena gave a tired smile.
"Because I need this job, sir. My brother depends on me. My mother depends on me. I can't afford to lose my income over something I can't prove.""
Her words silenced me.
I thought about all those reports.
All those accusations.
Natalie had been making sure Elena had no one to turn to.
I lowered my voice.
"Elena, I need you to tell me something. Did you see what was inside the missing folder?""
She nodded slowly.
"There was a document with your mother's name on it.""
"My mother?""
"Yes. Patricia Cole.""
My heart skipped.
"What did it say?""
Elena swallowed.
"I couldn't read everything. But I remember seeing a photograph of your mother attached to one of the pages.""
I stared at her.
"Are you certain?""
"Yes, sir.""
Before I could ask another question, footsteps sounded in the hallway.
Natalie appeared at the doorway.
She looked from me to Elena.
"Adrian. There you are.""
Then her eyes settled on Elena.
"Why are you standing around?""
Elena immediately picked up the tablecloth.
"Sorry, ma'am.""
Natalie smiled at me.
"Darling, your father is looking for you.""
I didn't move.
"Is he?""
"Yes. He said something about an important family matter.""
She approached and slipped her arm through mine.
"Come upstairs. We need to discuss the wedding.""
I looked at Elena one last time.
She had already lowered her eyes.
As Natalie led me away, I noticed something in her handbag.
A small silver key.
The same kind used on my grandmother's private cabinet.
And suddenly, I understood why she had been so desperate to get Elena out of the house.
May you like
Elena wasn't simply a witness.
She knew what Natalie had taken.
