Chapter 9 - The Truth Behind the Door
It was Michael.
Daniel's brother.
He stood in the doorway holding a paper cup of coffee.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Michael looked at the detective.
"I know who sent the messages."
Daniel stepped forward.
"Who?"
Michael closed the door behind him.
"Linda."
Margaret wasn't there.
But when Daniel heard the name, his expression hardened.
"Where is she?"
"Outside."
The detective immediately moved toward the hallway.
Michael stopped him.
"She doesn't want police around her."
"Why?"
"Because she's afraid."
"Of Richard?"
Michael shook his head.
"Of everyone."
He pulled a small memory card from his pocket.
I stared at it.
"What's that?"
"The original camera footage."
Daniel's eyes widened.
"The police already have the footage."
"Not all of it."
Michael placed the card on the table.
"This camera wasn't part of the system."
He pointed toward the window.
"There was another camera."
My heart began pounding.
"Where?"
"Inside the garage."
The detective inserted the card into a laptop.
A video opened.
The timestamp showed the afternoon.
Richard entered the garage.
Thomas followed him.
Then Michael appeared.
The three men argued.
The audio was faint.
But we could hear enough.
Richard was furious.
"You promised me she wouldn't interfere."
Thomas answered:
"She's your granddaughter."
Richard slammed his hand against the table.
"I wanted a grandson."
I felt sick.
The video continued.
Michael looked toward the camera.
Then he whispered something.
The audio caught it.
"We can't do this."
Richard turned.
"You're either with me or against me."
Michael lowered his head.
Then the video changed.
The next clip showed Michael outside.
He walked toward the kennel.
But he didn't open it.
Instead, he looked toward the house.
Then he walked away.
Daniel stared at him.
"You knew."
Michael nodded.
"I knew Dad was planning something."
"Why didn't you stop him?"
"I was afraid."
"Of him?"
"Yes."
The next clip showed Richard approaching the kennel.
He carried the baby blanket.
Then another person appeared.
Thomas.
He grabbed Richard's arm.
They argued.
Thomas pointed toward the house.
Richard pulled away.
Then the video ended.
The detective looked at Michael.
"Where is Thomas?"
"At Linda's house."
"And Linda?"
Michael looked at me.
"She's been trying to protect your family."
"Why didn't she come forward?"
"Because Richard threatened her."
Daniel sat down.
Everything suddenly made sense.
Linda had been sending the messages.
Thomas had been secretly helping her.
Michael had known enough to be afraid but not enough to understand the entire plan.
And Richard had been trying to control all of them.
But one question remained.
"Who put my daughter in the kennel?"
Michael stared at me.
"I don't know."
The detective frowned.
"Someone does."
Michael nodded.
"Yes."
"Who?"
Michael looked toward the hallway.
Then he whispered:
"The person who did it wasn't part of the family."
I felt a strange relief.
Until he continued.
"But they were paid by someone in this family."
Daniel stood.
"Who paid them?"
Michael looked at him.
"Your father."
Silence.
The detective immediately ordered officers to secure the building.
Then the hospital lights flickered.
My daughter's monitor began beeping faster.
I rushed toward her.
A nurse ran in.
"What happened?"
The monitor stabilized.
The nurse checked our daughter.
Then she looked at me.
"She's okay."
I exhaled.
Then I noticed something on the floor.
A small envelope.
It had been pushed beneath the hospital door.
My name was written across it.
I picked it up.
Inside was a single photograph.
On the back were six words:
"Ask Richard about the blue house."
Daniel looked at the photograph.
His face went white.
"I know this place."
The detective stepped closer.
"Where?"
Daniel slowly turned the photograph over.
May you like
And beneath the image was an address.
The same address where Linda was supposed to be hiding.
