Chapter 3: The Secret Behind the Locked Door
By midnight, the Hale mansion was surrounded by police vehicles.
Marcus sat in the living room with a blanket around his shoulders, staring at Elina's photograph on the fireplace.
She was smiling in the picture.
Her hair was blowing across her face, and Lily was sitting on her shoulders, laughing.
It had been taken three weeks before she supposedly died.
Three weeks before Marcus was told his wife had drowned.
Detective Harris placed a folder on the coffee table.
“We've found the rehabilitation facility,” he said.
Marcus looked up.
“Where is she?””
“It's complicated.””
“Don't tell me it's complicated. Tell me where my wife is.””
Harris opened the folder.
“Fourteen months ago, a woman matching Elina's description was admitted under a different name. She was unconscious and had suffered several injuries.””
Marcus's fingers tightened around the blanket.
“Who brought her there?””
“We're investigating that. But the admission paperwork was signed by Victoria.””
Marcus stood so quickly that the blanket fell to the floor.
“She told me Elina died.””
“I understand.””
“She held me while I cried. She helped me plan a memorial. She watched me stand beside an empty coffin.””
Detective Harris didn't interrupt.
Marcus began pacing.
“Why would she do that? Why would she keep my wife alive somewhere and tell me she was dead?””
The detective placed another document on the table.
“There's a possible financial motive.””
Marcus stopped.
“What?””
“Your wife owned forty percent of Hale Industries. According to the documents we found, her shares were transferred into a temporary trust after her reported death.””
Marcus stared at the papers.
“Who controls the trust?””
“Victoria.””
The room seemed to tilt.
Marcus sank into the sofa.
Victoria had been his executive assistant before Elina disappeared. She knew the company, the family accounts, and the legal structure of his wife's estate.
She had helped him through grief.
She had also been quietly taking control of everything Elina had left behind.
“Where is Victoria now?”” he asked.
“Being questioned at the station.””
“I want to speak to her.””
“Not yet.””
“She's going to tell me where my wife is.””
Detective Harris closed the folder.
“Mr. Hale, there's something you should know. The facility reported that Elina was discharged eleven months ago.””
Marcus stared at him.
“Discharged?””
“Yes.””
“Where did she go?””
“That is what we're trying to establish.””
Marcus's phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number appeared.
Stop looking for Elina.
Then another message arrived.
You have no idea what she did.
Marcus immediately called the number.
It was disconnected.
He showed Detective Harris.
The detective photographed the screen.
“Don't respond to anything. We'll trace it.””
Marcus looked toward the staircase.
“Where's Lily?””
“Your housekeeper is with her.””
“I need to see my daughter.””
He climbed the stairs and entered Lily's bedroom.
She was sitting on her bed in pink pajamas, hugging a stuffed rabbit. Rosa sat beside her, gently brushing her hair.
“Daddy!””
Marcus crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her.
“I'm here, sweetheart.””
“Did you find Mommy?””
He closed his eyes.
“Not yet.””
“But she's not dead, is she?””
Marcus pulled back.
“Why do you think that?””
Lily reached beneath her pillow and pulled out a folded drawing.
It showed a blue swimming pool, a little girl standing beside it, and a woman with long brown hair behind a window.
At the bottom, Lily had written three words in uneven letters.
MOMMY IS HERE.
Marcus's throat tightened.
“Who gave you this?””
“Nobody.””
“Sweetheart, when did you draw it?””
“Yesterday.””
“Yesterday?””
Lily nodded.
“Mommy came to my room.””
Marcus felt his heart slam against his ribs.
“What?””
“She stood outside the door. She was crying.””
Rosa slowly looked up.
“Mr. Hale…”
Marcus turned toward her.
“You saw her?””
Rosa hesitated.
Then she nodded.
“I thought I was imagining things. A woman was standing at the end of the hallway around two in the morning. I only saw her for a few seconds.””
Marcus grabbed Rosa's hands.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because Miss Victoria told me never to speak about what happened that night.””
“What night?””
Rosa's eyes filled with tears.
“The night your wife disappeared.””
Marcus went completely still.
Rosa lowered her voice.
“I was cleaning the downstairs hallway when I heard shouting from the study. Miss Victoria was arguing with Mrs. Elina.””
“What were they arguing about?””
“Money. The company. I couldn't hear everything, but I heard Mrs. Elina say she had discovered something.””
“Something about Victoria?””
Rosa nodded.
“She said she had proof.””
Marcus looked at the drawing in his daughter's hands.
“What happened afterward?””
Rosa swallowed.
“Mrs. Elina came out of the study. She was holding her stomach. There was blood on her dress.””
Marcus felt sick.
“And Victoria?””
“She told me to go upstairs. When I came back, Mrs. Elina was gone.””
“Gone where?””
“I don't know.””
Rosa began crying.
“But the next morning, Miss Victoria told everyone Mrs. Elina had left the house voluntarily.””
Marcus stared at her.
“Yet fourteen months ago, she told me Elina drowned.””
Rosa nodded.
“There is something else, sir.””
“What?””
“Mrs. Elina left something in the old guest bedroom. She told me that if anything happened to her, I should give it to you.””
Marcus's breathing quickened.
“Where is it?””
Rosa looked toward the hallway.
“Inside the wardrobe. Behind the false wooden panel.””
They hurried downstairs.
The guest bedroom had remained untouched since Elina disappeared. Her old perfume still sat on the dressing table, and a blue scarf hung from the bedpost.
Rosa knelt beside the wardrobe and pushed against a narrow wooden strip.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside was a black leather notebook and a small silver key.
Marcus picked up the notebook.
The first page contained Elina's handwriting.
If Marcus ever finds this, he needs to know the truth.
He turned the page.
There were bank transfers, company records, and photographs of Victoria meeting a man outside a private clinic.
On the final page was a handwritten warning.
Victoria didn't work alone.
Marcus looked at the photograph attached beneath it.
The man standing beside Victoria was wearing a dark suit.
His face was partially hidden, but Marcus recognized the watch on his wrist.
It belonged to his older brother, Daniel.
Marcus stepped backward.
“Daniel?””
Rosa covered her mouth.
Then his phone rang.
The caller ID displayed a name he hadn't seen in months.
*DANIEL HALE.*
Marcus answered.
His brother's voice came through, calm and almost amused.
“Marcus, I heard the police are asking questions.””
Marcus tightened his grip on the phone.
“Where is my wife?””
A long silence followed.
Then Daniel spoke.
“Before you find Elina, little brother, you should ask yourself why she was trying to destroy our family in the first place.””
Marcus looked down at the photograph.
“What did you do to her?””
Daniel sighed.
“Nothing she didn't bring upon herself.””
Then he added five words that made Marcus's blood run cold.
“Ask Lily what she remembers.””
The call ended.
May you like
And from behind them, a tiny voice whispered:
“Daddy… Uncle Daniel was there that night.””
