Chapter 8: The Officer Who Knew Too Much
The front door opened.
Two uniformed officers entered the mansion, followed by a detective carrying a black leather notebook.
“Everyone stay where you are.””
Marcus immediately moved in front of the children.
The detective looked around the room.
“I'm Detective Harris. We received a report of a possible unlawful detention and child endangerment.””
Marcus pointed toward Whitmore.
“This man has just admitted that he knows who murdered my father.””
Whitmore gave a polite smile.
“I haven't admitted to anything.””
Detective Harris looked at him.
“Mr. Whitmore, correct?””
“Yes.””
“You should probably keep your hands where I can see them.””
Whitmore raised both hands.
“Of course.””
Marcus glanced at the officers.
One of them was unusually quiet.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and wore a silver wedding ring.
His name badge read *MILLER*.
Marcus recognized the surname.
Andrew Miller.
The man who had arrived earlier in the black SUV.
He looked toward Detective Harris.
“Is that officer with you?””
Harris frowned.
“Which one?””
“Officer Miller.””
The detective turned.
Miller stepped forward.
“Sir, I'm here to assist.””
Marcus shook his head.
“He was outside our gate. He threatened me.””
Harris looked at Miller.
“Is that true?””
Miller shrugged.
“I was dispatched to secure the property.””
“By whom?””
Miller didn't answer.
Whitmore cleared his throat.
“Detective, I believe there's been a misunderstanding. My client is experiencing significant emotional distress.””
Marcus stepped toward him.
“I'm not your client.””
Whitmore's smile disappeared.
Harris raised one hand.
“Everyone calm down.””
Elizabeth approached.
“Detective, there is a woman trapped beneath the swimming pool.””
Harris looked at her.
“What?””
“My sister. She's been locked in a concealed room.””
“Is she injured?””
“I don't know.””
Harris immediately turned toward the other officer.
“Get medical support.””
Miller moved toward the hallway.
Elizabeth grabbed Harris's sleeve.
“Not him.””
The detective frowned.
“Why?””
“Because he's working with Whitmore.””
Miller's expression hardened.
“That's a serious accusation.””
Elizabeth stared at him.
“I know your face.””
Miller laughed.
“You've never met me.””
“I saw you at Sarah's funeral.””
The officer stopped smiling.
Elizabeth continued.
“You stood beside Richard Reed. You told Sarah's family the accident was unfortunate.””
Miller's hand moved toward his belt.
Harris noticed.
“Officer, step away from your equipment.””
For one tense second, nobody moved.
Then Miller took two steps backward.
“Detective, she's clearly confused.””
Harris looked at Marcus.
“Can you explain?””
Marcus told him everything.
The hidden hatch.
The medicine bottles.
The locked room.
The hospital records.
The recording of his father.
He showed Harris the photograph and the DNA report.
The detective examined the documents carefully.
Then he looked at Whitmore.
“Where did you obtain these records?””
“From my personal archive.””
“Are they authentic?””
Whitmore smiled.
“You're welcome to verify them.””
Harris closed the folder.
“Mr. Reed, I need you to take the children somewhere safe.””
Marcus nodded.
He turned toward Ava.
“Come here, sweetheart.””
But Ava didn't move.
She was staring at Officer Miller.
“Daddy?””
Marcus crouched.
“What is it?””
Ava pointed at the officer.
“He was the man who came to Mommy's room.””
Marcus looked up.
Miller's face changed.
“When, sweetheart?”” Harris asked gently.
Ava hid behind Marcus.
“Last night.””
Vanessa began trembling.
Marcus turned toward her.
“Who came into your room?””
She looked at the floor.
“Miller.””
The officer's hand moved again.
Harris immediately drew his weapon.
“Don't move!””
Miller raised his hands.
“Detective, you're making a mistake.””
“Get on your knees.””
Miller obeyed slowly.
Harris placed him in handcuffs.
Then he called for additional units.
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“Why was he here?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“He wanted the memory card.””
“Why?””
“Because it contains the original hospital records.””
Marcus looked toward the pink rabbit.
The memory card was still in his hand.
“What's on it?””
Elizabeth answered.
“The truth about the babies.””
Marcus looked at her.
“You've seen it?””
“No. Sarah made a copy before she died. She hid the original in the rabbit.””
Harris approached.
“Can I have it?””
Marcus hesitated.
“Why?””
“So we can preserve it as evidence.””
Elizabeth stepped forward.
“Make a copy before anyone takes it.””
Harris nodded.
“That's reasonable.””
He called a forensic technician.
Meanwhile, the other officer accompanied Elizabeth to the pool.
Marcus insisted on going with them.
The detective allowed it, but instructed him to remain behind the safety line.
They reached the turquoise water.
The hatch was still locked.
Harris crouched and examined the metal.
“Who has the key?””
Marcus held up the brass key.
“I found it in Vanessa's handbag.””
The detective studied the lock.
“Do not attempt to open it yourself.””
He called the fire department.
Twenty minutes later, rescue personnel arrived with cutting equipment.
The pool was drained to expose the hatch.
A loud mechanical whine filled the garden as the padlock was cut.
When the metal door finally opened, a wave of stale air rushed out.
Marcus covered his mouth.
A narrow concrete staircase descended into darkness.
“Elizabeth?”” he called.
A weak voice answered.
“I'm here.””
The rescue team lowered a light.
At the bottom was a small room containing a mattress, a table, bottled water, and several cardboard boxes.
A woman sat against the wall.
Her hair was tangled.
Her face was thin.
But her eyes were alive.
Marcus stared.
Elizabeth began crying.
“Lena.””
The woman looked up.
“Marcus?””
He stepped closer.
“Are you all right?””
She tried to stand, but her legs gave way.
The rescue workers rushed down and supported her.
When she emerged into the sunlight, Vanessa covered her face.
Lena looked at her sister.
“You came back.””
Vanessa began sobbing.
“I'm sorry.””
Lena stared at her.
“You locked me in there.””
“I was protecting you.””
“You locked me in a room with no windows!””
Vanessa dropped to her knees.
“I didn't know what else to do.””
Lena looked at Marcus.
“Don't believe her.””
Marcus frowned.
“What do you mean?””
Lena reached into her pocket.
She removed a small folded paper.
“I kept this because I knew she would eventually deny everything.””
Marcus opened it.
It was a handwritten letter.
The signature belonged to Vanessa.
If Elizabeth ever attempts to leave, keep her inside until the trust is transferred. She knows too much about Richard's death.
Marcus looked at his wife.
“What's this?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“It's not what it looks like.””
Lena laughed weakly.
“It's exactly what it looks like.””
Marcus looked at the letter again.
“Why would Vanessa want you locked away until the trust was transferred?””
Lena's eyes filled with tears.
“Because Richard left the money to someone else.””
“Who?””
She looked at the children standing near the garden doors.
Then she whispered:
“Lily.””
Marcus turned toward the little girl.
Whitmore, who had remained silent throughout the rescue, suddenly stepped forward.
“That's impossible.””
Lena stared at him.
“Hello, Richard.””
Whitmore froze.
The detective looked between them.
“Do you know each other?””
Lena nodded.
“He was there the night Richard died.””
Whitmore's face hardened.
“You're mistaken.””
“No.””
Lena pointed toward his briefcase.
“Ask him about the second will.””
Marcus looked at Whitmore.
“What second will?””
The lawyer slowly closed his briefcase.
“There is no second will.””
Lena smiled sadly.
“Then why did you bury it?””
Whitmore turned toward the entrance.
But Harris stepped in front of him.
“Mr. Whitmore, you're not going anywhere.””
For the first time, the lawyer looked frightened.
Lena reached for Marcus's hand.
“Your father knew he was going to die.””
Marcus stared.
“How?””
“Because he was poisoned.””
The detective immediately leaned closer.
“Who poisoned him?””
Lena looked toward Vanessa.
Vanessa began shaking.
But Lena's next words changed everything.
“Not Vanessa.””
She turned toward Whitmore.
“He did.””
Whitmore laughed nervously.
“You have no proof.””
Lena looked at Marcus.
“There's proof in the second will.””
“Where?””
She took a breath.
“Inside your father's old piano.””
Marcus froze.
The piano had been sold after his father's death.
Or so he had been told.
He remembered signing the paperwork.
He remembered Whitmore arranging the sale.
He remembered the buyer's name.
And suddenly, he recognized something.
The buyer hadn't been a stranger.
It had been Whitmore's own company.
Marcus looked at the detective.
“Can you get a search warrant?””
Harris nodded.
But before he could answer, Whitmore suddenly laughed.
A cold, terrible laugh.
“You're all wasting your time.””
He looked at Lily.
Then at Marcus.
“Even if you find the will, it won't change the inheritance.””
“Why?””
“Because the person named in that document is already dead.””
Lena's face drained of color.
Marcus stared.
“Who?””
Whitmore smiled.
“Sarah Collins.””
Lily began crying.
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her.
And Lena whispered something that made Marcus's blood run cold.
“That's impossible.””
Marcus turned.
“Why?””
May you like
Lena looked directly at him.
“Because Sarah didn't die.””
