Chapter 5 - The Name Drew Remembered
Drew gripped my sleeve and whispered: "It was Mr. Vale." I stared at him and asked why Aaron's attorney had been inside the house. Drew calmly pointed toward the hallway. Then the elevator doors opened.
Gordon Vale stepped out.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Detective Harper immediately stood between Gordon and Drew.
Gordon raised both hands.
"I'm here to help."
Harper's voice hardened.
"You need to wait outside."
Gordon looked at me.
"I heard there had been a development."
I didn't answer.
Drew moved closer to me.
Lily was still asleep.
Gordon glanced toward her.
"How are the children?"
I felt anger rising.
"You knew about the room."
His expression barely changed.
"What room?"
"The blue door."
He looked at Harper.
Then at me.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Drew whispered behind me.
"He's lying."
Gordon's eyes shifted.
It was subtle.
But I saw it.
So did Harper.
The detective stepped forward.
"You were Aaron's attorney."
"Yes."
"You had access to his house."
"Yes."
"You visited regularly."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Legal matters."
"What legal matters?"
Gordon smiled faintly.
"Private ones."
Harper didn't smile.
"Not anymore."
He took out his phone.
"We found your fingerprints on the inside of the blue door."
Gordon's face changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
"I've never touched that door."
"Then we'll let the evidence speak."
Gordon turned toward me.
"You are making a serious mistake."
I stepped closer.
"My brother left records."
Gordon went still.
"What records?"
"That's the part you're worried about, isn't it?"
He didn't answer.
The elevator doors opened again.
Two officers entered.
Gordon looked at them.
Then at Reena, who had arrived behind them.
She looked exhausted.
She wasn't wearing makeup.
Her hair was loose.
For the first time, she didn't look like the confident woman who had controlled every conversation for three years.
She looked afraid.
"Reena," I said.
She looked at me.
"I'm sorry."
Those words hit harder than anything else.
"Sorry for what?"
She started crying.
"I didn't know how to stop it."
Harper stepped forward.
"Stop what?"
Reena looked at Gordon.
Gordon shook his head.
"Don't."
She flinched.
That one movement told me everything.
She was afraid of him.
Not of me.
Not of the police.
Him.
Reena whispered:
"Aaron found out."
"About the room?"
She nodded.
"He wanted to take the children."
"Why didn't he?"
Her face crumpled.
"Because Gordon said he would destroy us."
Gordon stepped forward.
"That's enough."
Harper stopped him.
"Don't move."
Reena looked at me.
"I lied."
I swallowed.
"About what?"
"Everything."
The word echoed inside the room.
She explained that after Aaron died, Gordon had convinced her that exposing the truth would destroy the children.
He told her Aaron had debts.
He told her the children could be taken away.
He told her she would be blamed.
And she believed him.
But there was more.
"Who else knew?" I asked.
Reena closed her eyes.
"Your brother's business partner."
My heart stopped.
"Who?"
She whispered the name.
I knew him.
Everyone did.
He had stood beside us at Aaron's funeral.
He had hugged me.
He had told me how sorry he was.
And according to Reena, he had been the person who first introduced Gordon to her.
Harper immediately left the room.
I looked at Drew.
He was watching me.
"Is that the person Dad was afraid of?"
Drew nodded.
Then Lily suddenly woke.
She sat upright.
Her eyes opened wide.
She looked toward the hospital door.
"No."
I turned.
"What?"
She pointed.
"The man."
May you like
A shadow moved beneath the door.
Then the handle began to turn...
