Chapter 5: The Letter in the Office
Adrian hit the staircase two steps at a time.
“Lily!””
His voice tore through the mansion.
No answer.
Behind him, Marcus struggled to keep up.
“Sir, wait!””
“No.””
Adrian reached the upper landing and sprinted toward his office.
The corridor seemed longer than it had ever been.
His shoes struck the hardwood.
His heart hammered against his ribs.
At the end of the hall, the heavy oak door to his study stood closed.
He could hear something from inside.
Lily was crying.
“Daddy!””
Adrian grabbed the handle.
Locked.
“Lily, step away from the door!””
“I’m trying!””
He looked at Marcus.
“Move!””
Marcus rushed forward.
Together they slammed their shoulders against the door.
Once.
Twice.
On the third impact, the old lock snapped.
The door flew open.
“Lily!””
She was standing beside Adrian’s desk, tears running down her face.
The room was in disarray.
A drawer had been pulled open.
Papers covered the floor.
The lamp beside the window was overturned.
But Lily was safe.
Adrian crossed the room and dropped to his knees.
“Are you hurt?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Who locked you in?””
“I don’t know.””
“Did you see anyone?””
“No.””
Adrian pulled her into his arms.
Lily buried her face against his chest.
“I was scared.””
“I know.””
His hand moved over her hair.
“I’m here now.””
Behind them, Marcus shut the broken door.
Evelyn entered a moment later.
Adrian stood instantly.
“What did you do?””
Her eyebrows pulled together.
“What?””
“You knew where she was.””
“No.””
“You knew what she found.””
“No.””
“Then how did you know to come here?””
Evelyn stared at him.
“I followed you.””
Adrian stepped closer.
“Lily said someone locked this door from the outside.””
“I didn't lock it.””
“Then who did?””
“I don't know.””
Lily suddenly spoke.
“The person was looking for something.””
Everyone turned.
Adrian crouched again.
“What happened?””
Lily wiped her cheeks.
“I came here because I remembered Mommy used to come into Daddy’s office.””
Adrian nodded slowly.
“She told me not to touch anything,” Lily said.
“But today I found a loose piece of wood.””
She pointed behind the desk.
“There.””
Adrian followed her finger.
A narrow wooden panel sat slightly open near the floor.
He moved the desk chair aside.
There was a small compartment hidden in the wall.
Inside was a cream-colored envelope.
Adrian reached for it.
His name was written on the front.
Not printed.
Handwritten.
He knew that handwriting.
Grace.
Lily stepped closer.
“Mommy wrote it.””
Adrian carefully opened the envelope.
One sheet of paper slid out.
There was only one sentence.
*ADRIAN, YOU MUST READ THIS BEFORE YOU BELIEVE ANYONE.*
His breath caught.
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Let me see it.””
Adrian immediately folded the letter.
“No.””
Her face hardened.
“I have a right to know what Grace left behind.””
“You had your chance.””
“Adrian—”
“You lied to me.””
“I protected you.””
“You hid an entire room from me.””
“So did Grace.””
“She had a reason.””
Evelyn’s eyes narrowed.
“And you think I didn’t?””
Adrian looked at her.
“Then prove it.””
She said nothing.
Lily tugged at his sleeve.
“There’s more.””
Adrian turned.
“What?””
She pointed beneath the desk.
“Mommy put something there too.””
He bent down.
Taped underneath the desk was a small envelope no larger than a credit card.
He removed it.
On the front:
*FOR LILY.*
Adrian hesitated.
Then handed it to her.
Lily looked at him.
“Can I open it?””
“Yes.””
Her small fingers carefully broke the seal.
Inside was a tiny photograph.
Grace.
Lily.
And Adrian.
The picture had been taken at the lake several years earlier.
They were all smiling.
On the back, Grace had written:
*When people tell you who to blame, ask who benefits from the blame.*
Lily frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Adrian looked at Evelyn.
She had gone completely still.
He folded the photograph.
“It means your mother wanted us to ask questions.””
Lily nodded.
Then she noticed something else.
“There’s a number.””
Adrian looked at the back again.
Below the sentence was a series of digits.
A phone number.
He stared.
It was not Grace’s number.
It was not his father’s.
He knew the number.
He had seen it on old company records.
A private security line.
The same company Grace had paid before her death.
Adrian pulled out his phone.
“I’m calling it.””
Evelyn grabbed his wrist.
“No.””
He looked down at her hand.
Slowly, she released him.
“Why?””
“Because if that number is active, whoever answers may know you found the evidence.””
“That’s the point.””
“You don't understand.””
“Then explain it.””
Evelyn’s eyes filled with something close to panic.
“They were not working for Grace.””
Adrian stared at her.
“What?””
“The security company.””
Evelyn swallowed.
“They were hired by your father.””
The room went silent.
Marcus looked stunned.
“Richard?””
“Yes.””
Adrian shook his head.
“My father died five years before Grace.””
“Exactly.””
Evelyn lowered her voice.
“He was monitoring someone.””
“Who?””
She hesitated.
“You.””
Adrian almost laughed.
“That makes no sense.””
“It does.””
“Why would my father spy on me?””
“Because he believed someone close to him was stealing from the company.””
“Who?””
Evelyn looked toward the letter.
“He thought it was Grace.””
Lily immediately protested.
“Mommy would never steal.””
Evelyn looked at her.
“I know.””
Adrian stared.
“You just said he suspected Grace.””
“He suspected everyone.””
“That’s not what you said.””
Evelyn took a breath.
“Your father was wrong about Grace.””
“Then who was he watching?””
She didn't answer.
Adrian’s phone began vibrating.
The number he had just dialed was calling back.
Unknown.
Everyone froze.
Adrian accepted.
“Hello?””
A man’s voice came through.
“Mr. Vale.””
Adrian stiffened.
“Who is this?””
“I was told that one day you would call.””
“When?””
“When the teddy bear was opened.””
Adrian looked at Lily.
Her face went pale.
“Who are you?””
“My name is Daniel Mercer.””
Adrian knew the name.
A retired investigator.
The investigator Grace had hired.
“What do you want?””
“I want you to stop looking for the truth.””
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“Why?””
“Because your wife did not die because she knew too much.””
A pause.
“She died because she trusted the wrong person.””
Adrian’s chest tightened.
“Who?””
The man exhaled.
“You are asking the wrong question.””
“What question should I ask?””
“Ask who had the authority to access your family accounts the night your father died.””
Adrian looked at Evelyn.
Then Marcus.
Neither spoke.
Daniel continued.
“Your father left a paper trail.””
“Where?””
“In the one place he believed nobody would ever search.””
Adrian gripped the phone.
“Tell me where.””
“I can't.””
“Why not?””
“Because the person who killed Richard is still alive.””
The line went silent.
Adrian’s voice dropped.
“Daniel.””
Nothing.
“Daniel!””
The call had ended.
Lily stared at him.
“Daddy…”
He lowered the phone.
“It’s okay.””
But it wasn’t.
Because he had just realized something.
The person responsible for his father’s death might still have access to the mansion.
Still have access to family records.
Still have access to Lily.
Adrian looked toward the broken office door.
Someone had locked Lily inside.
Someone had searched his desk.
Someone had known about the letter.
And someone knew he had found the bear.
He turned to Marcus.
“Lock every exterior door.””
Marcus nodded.
“What about the staff?””
“Nobody leaves.””
Evelyn’s eyes widened.
“You can't do that.””
“Why not?””
“You're treating everyone here like a suspect.””
“Someone here is one.””
“That is dangerous.””
“So is letting Lily stay in a house with someone who wants Grace’s evidence destroyed.””
Lily quietly hugged the teddy bear.
Adrian walked toward the open wall compartment.
There was something else inside.
A small metal box.
He pulled it free.
No keyhole.
No combination.
Just one engraved word.
*MERCER.*
Adrian looked at Evelyn.
She whispered:
“Daniel.””
Adrian opened the box.
Inside was a folded legal document.
A bank statement.
And a photograph of four people standing outside a hospital.
His father.
Grace.
Evelyn.
And a fourth person whose face had been scratched out.
Adrian stared at the photograph.
“Who is that?””
Nobody answered.
Then Lily slowly pointed at the image.
“I know him.””
Adrian turned toward her.
“What?””
Lily lifted one trembling finger.
“He was at Mommy’s funeral.””
Adrian looked back at the photograph.
The scratched-out face.
The hospital.
The four people.
Then Lily whispered the name she remembered.
“Uncle Thomas.””
Adrian’s blood ran cold.
Because Thomas was not a stranger.
May you like
He was the man Adrian had trusted for twenty years.
And he was currently standing somewhere inside the mansion.
