Chapter 6 - THE ESCAPE
Luke had escaped.
The news came forty minutes later.
He had been released temporarily after his attorney argued that there wasn't enough evidence to hold him on the initial charges.
The police were furious.
Daniel was furious.
I was terrified.
“He knows where I am.”
Detective Morgan nodded.
“We've increased security.”
“But he escaped.”
“He was released.”
“That's worse.”
She didn't argue.
That night, I couldn't sleep.
At 3:11 a.m., the hallway lights flickered.
I sat upright.
My heart raced.
Then I heard footsteps.
Slow.
Heavy.
Approaching my room.
I pressed the emergency button.
The door handle moved.
Then stopped.
Silence.
A minute later, two officers rushed inside.
No one was there.
But something had been left on the floor.
A white envelope.
My name was written across it.
CLOVER.
I stared at it.
Detective Morgan put on gloves.
She opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
My house.
Taken from across the street.
On the back were four words.
YOU LEFT SOMETHING BEHIND.
I felt sick.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel entered the room.
He saw the photograph.
Then his face changed.
“The safe deposit key.”
My stomach dropped.
I reached beneath my pillow.
The key was gone.
Someone had taken it.
And they had been inside my room.
The hospital suddenly felt like a cage.
Detective Morgan immediately ordered a security lockdown.
But I couldn't stop thinking.
What was inside that box?
What was Luke willing to risk to get it?
The next morning, Barron called.
His voice was shaking.
“Clover, you need to listen carefully.”
“What happened?”
“Luke came to my house.”
My heart stopped.
“Is he there now?”
“No.”
“What did he want?”
“The key.”
“Did you give it to him?”
“No.”
A pause.
Then Barron whispered:
“He knows about the trust.”
I closed my eyes.
“Where are you?”
“I'm at the police station.”
“Good.”
“No.”
His voice cracked.
“You don't understand.”
“What?”
“Celina knew about the trust years ago.”
My stomach tightened.
“How?”
“Your grandmother told her.”
“Why would she?”
“She didn't.”
Silence.
“Then who did?”
Barron swallowed.
“Luke found a letter.”
I felt cold.
“What letter?”
“The one your grandmother wrote to me.”
“What did it say?”
Barron began crying.
“She warned me that Luke was dangerous.”
My breath caught.
“And she predicted this.”
“Predicted what?”
“That one day he would hurt you.”
I couldn't speak.
My grandmother had known.
She had tried to protect me before I even understood that I needed protection.
Barron continued.
“She told me if Luke ever married you, I had to make sure you knew about the trust.”
“Why didn't you?”
“I tried.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You didn't.”
“You're right.”
His voice broke.
“I failed you.”
I closed my eyes.
Then he said:
“But I can still help you.”
“How?”
“I know where Luke keeps the original documents.”
My eyes opened.
“Where?”
“At the house.”
“The police searched it.”
“They didn't find everything.”
“What didn't they find?”
Barron whispered:
“A room beneath the garage.”
My heart pounded.
May you like
“What is inside?”
“Everything.”
