Chapter 10 - I Found Her Behind the Red Door
Elena stared at the photograph.
Her mother.
Older.
Thin.
Alive.
The woman Elena had buried had been misidentified after a badly burned vehicle crash.
Victor had staged everything.
Why?
Because Elena's mother knew what Hannah said during those seventeen minutes.
Victor had kept her alive because he couldn't be sure whether she'd hidden evidence.
The photograph contained a location clue.
A red industrial door.
Marcus identified it.
An abandoned medical facility outside the city.
We went that night.
Elena refused to stay behind.
I stopped trying to order her around.
We entered through the basement.
Three guards.
Two corridors.
One red door.
Elena opened it.
Her mother looked up.
"Ellie?"
Elena collapsed beside her.
I turned away.
Some reunions deserved privacy.
Then her mother saw me.
"Preston."
"What did Hannah say?"
Elena glared.
"Give her a minute."
Her mother shook her head.
"No. He's waited three years."
She reached for my hand.
"Hannah said Victor wasn't working alone."
My stomach tightened.
"Who?"
"She never gave me the name."
"Then what did she say?"
"She said, 'Tell Preston the traitor wears my ring.'"
I looked down.
Hannah's wedding ring was at home.
Or should have been.
Then I remembered the kidnapping.
The ring had been left on Noah's pillow.
Someone had taken it from my safe.
Someone with access.
Samuel?
Marcus?
Caleb?
Raymond?
We returned home.
The ring was gone again.
Noah was safe upstairs.
Marcus checked logs.
Only one person had entered my study that day.
Caleb.
I found my brother in the garage.
"Hannah's ring."
He froze.
"Where is it?"
"I can explain."
"Do it."
He reached into his pocket.
The ring rested in his palm.
Inside the band was something I had never noticed.
A micro-engraving.
V.S.
Victor Sloane.
"What is that?"
Caleb looked sick.
"Hannah found this ring in Victor's safe."
"That's not Hannah's?"
"No."
"Then where is hers?"
Caleb swallowed.
"Victor has it."
"Why?"
"Because Hannah hid something inside it."
"What?"
Before he could answer, a shot shattered the garage window.
May you like
Caleb fell.
And behind me, the lights went out.
