Chapter 3 - THE SECRET IN THE WALL
Richard didn't sleep.
At 2:00 a.m., he was still sitting in his study with Eleanor's photograph on the desk.
He had read the message at least fifty times.
Don't trust the man closest to you.
Who had written it?
Eleanor?
Rebecca?
Someone else?
He thought about Sarah.
Her reaction had been genuine.
She had been terrified.
But why?
At 6:30 the next morning, Richard called his private investigator.
"Find Rebecca."
"Rebecca who?"
"I don't know."
There was silence.
Richard rubbed his eyes.
"That's all I have."
"That's not much."
"I'll pay you double."
"Send me the photograph."
Richard did.
Then he heard a noise upstairs.
He ran.
The boys' bedroom door was open.
Marcus was standing beside the wall.
Daniel held a screwdriver.
"What are you doing?"
Marcus looked guilty.
"We found another loose board."
Richard froze.
"What?"
Marcus pointed.
"Behind the bed."
Richard moved the bed.
One section of the wall looked different.
He pulled at it.
The panel came loose.
Behind it was a narrow compartment.
Inside sat a small metal box.
Richard's heart pounded.
He opened it.
There was a USB drive.
A stack of letters.
And one envelope with his name.
His hands trembled as he opened it.
The letter was from Eleanor.
Richard,
If you are reading this, something has happened that I prayed would never happen.
I didn't leave because I stopped loving you.
Richard stopped breathing.
He read on.
I left because someone close to us was using the children.
I tried to protect them.
You won't believe me if I tell you who.
So I left evidence.
But I couldn't take the boys with me.
They were being watched.
Richard stared at the page.
His mind raced.
Someone had been watching his children?
For three years?
He turned the page.
The final sentence was underlined.
If Sarah Henderson ever enters your home, trust her.
Richard's heart stopped.
Sarah.
The woman he had almost fired.
The woman Eleanor had apparently trusted.
He grabbed his phone.
He called Sarah.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then the investigator called.
"Mr. O'Connell?"
"What did you find?"
"Rebecca Henderson."
Richard stood.
"What?"
"That's the woman's name."
His heart dropped.
"Henderson?"
"Yes."
Richard looked at Eleanor's letter.
"Where is she?"
"Dead."
Richard's hand tightened around the phone.
"When?"
"Three years ago."
"How?"
"Officially? Car accident."
"Officially?"
The investigator hesitated.
"Her death was never fully explained."
Richard stared at the wall.
"Find everything."
"I already started."
Richard hung up.
The boys stood silently behind him.
Marcus asked, "Is Mom coming back?"
Richard turned.
"I don't know."
"Did she leave because of us?"
"No."
"Then why?"
Richard looked at the letter.
"Because she was trying to protect you."
Marcus's face changed.
"From who?"
Richard couldn't answer.
That afternoon, Sarah returned.
Richard met her at the door.
"You knew Eleanor."
Sarah nodded.
"You knew Rebecca."
Sarah nodded again.
"Rebecca was your sister."
Sarah's eyes filled with tears.
"Yes."
Richard stepped aside.
"Come in."
Sarah entered.
The four boys ran toward her.
Thomas hugged her waist.
Sarah closed her eyes.
Richard watched.
"You should have told me."
"I was afraid."
"Of me?"
"No."
"Then who?"
Sarah looked toward the windows.
"The same person your wife was afraid of."
Richard lowered his voice.
"Who?"
Sarah took a deep breath.
"Your business partner."
Richard's face hardened.
"David Mercer?"
Sarah nodded.
Richard laughed bitterly.
"David has been my closest friend for twenty years."
"I know."
"He was at my wedding."
"I know."
"He helped me build this company."
"I know."
"Then why would he hurt my family?"
Sarah looked at him.
"Because your wife discovered what he was doing with your money."
Richard went silent.
Sarah continued.
"Three years ago, Eleanor found accounts you didn't know existed."
"How much?"
Sarah whispered:
"Twenty-eight million dollars."
Richard's face went pale.
"And she found something else."
"What?"
Sarah looked toward the boys.
"Payments."
"To whom?"
"People who were supposed to watch your children."
Richard felt the room spin.
"Why?"
Sarah's voice broke.
"Because Eleanor believed someone wanted one of your sons."
Richard stared at the four boys.
"Which one?"
Sarah shook her head.
"We don't know."
Then Marcus suddenly screamed from upstairs.
They ran.
Marcus was standing in his bedroom.
The window was open.
His face was white.
"What happened?"
Marcus pointed outside.
"Someone was here."
Richard looked at the garden.
Footprints led from the hedge to the children's window.
And on the windowsill sat a single black rose.
Sarah whispered:
"He's back."
Richard looked at her.
"Who?"
May you like
Sarah's eyes filled with fear.
"The man Eleanor ran from."
