Chapter 6: The Secret Emily Left Behind
The next morning, I received a call from Officer Brooks.
He asked me to return to the station.
I was still recovering from the previous night's events, and my cheek had become noticeably swollen.
Grace was staying temporarily with a child-protection worker while the authorities determined where she could safely remain.
I hated leaving her.
Before I departed, she wrapped both arms around my waist.
"Hanna stay?""
I crouched.
"I'll come back, sweetheart.""
She frowned.
"Promise?""
I kissed the top of her head.
"Promise.""
A social worker named Patricia knelt beside her.
"Grace, remember what we talked about? You're going to have breakfast with me.""
Grace nodded reluctantly.
Then she reached into her little bag and pulled out something.
A purple ribbon.
I stared at it.
"Where did you get that?""
She held it toward me.
"Present.""
I took it carefully.
"Is this from your Christmas present?""
Grace nodded.
Then she whispered something.
"Mommy said hide.""
My stomach tightened.
"Who said hide, sweetheart?""
She pointed toward the ribbon.
"Mommy.""
Patricia looked at me.
I swallowed.
"Did someone tell you to keep this safe?""
Grace nodded again.
Then she touched my cheek.
"Hurt.""
I smiled despite the ache.
"It's okay.""
But when I looked at the ribbon in my hand, I noticed something strange.
A tiny metal piece was attached to one end.
It looked like a small decorative bell.
Except it wasn't a bell.
It was a key.
At the police station, Officer Brooks led me into a small interview room.
A second investigator sat beside him.
She introduced herself as Detective Rachel Morgan.
She had short dark hair and a serious expression.
"Hannah, we've reviewed the statements from the Christmas party.""
I sat down.
"What did you find?""
"Several guests confirmed that you entered the pool and retrieved Grace.""
"Good.""
"One guest also remembers Savannah standing near the child immediately before the fall.""
I exhaled.
"Then they'll believe me?""
Detective Morgan didn't answer directly.
"Evidence takes time.""
Officer Brooks placed a photograph on the table.
It showed Emily standing beside a dark blue car.
"Do you recognize this vehicle?""
"No.""
"It belonged to Emily.""
He placed another photograph beside it.
A close-up of the driver's door.
There was a scratch near the handle.
"What happened to it?""
"According to the original report, the vehicle was recovered from the water after the accident.""
Detective Morgan folded her hands.
"Three months before her death, Emily contacted a mechanic because she believed someone had been tampering with the car.""
I stared at her.
"Who?""
"She never identified anyone officially.""
Officer Brooks opened a folder.
"But she left a message with her brother.""
"Lucas?""
He nodded.
"She told him she was afraid.""
I thought about the photograph and note found in his SUV.
"Why didn't Lucas tell anyone?""
Detective Morgan looked down.
"Because he received a message the night Emily died.""
"What message?""
She read from a printed statement.
Stay away from my family. If you interfere again, you'll lose everything.
I felt a chill.
"Who sent it?""
"That's what we're investigating.""
Officer Brooks placed another sheet on the table.
"There's something else.""
He showed me a photograph of the old Christmas package.
The purple ribbon.
The same style Grace had been holding.
Inside the package was a small wooden ornament shaped like a heart.
It had a keyhole in the center.
I looked at the tiny metal key in my palm.
"These belong together.""
Detective Morgan leaned forward.
"Where did you get that?""
"Grace gave it to me this morning.""
Her expression sharpened.
"Do you know what it opens?""
"No.""
Officer Brooks took the key, placed it in an evidence bag, and called another officer.
Then he returned to his chair.
"We need to establish how this key came into Grace's possession.""
"Her mother gave it to her?""
"Possibly. Or Emily left it for her.""
I stared at the photographs.
"Could the heart ornament be the keyhole?""
"We'll test it.""
Detective Morgan closed the folder.
"Hannah, I want you to understand something. We are investigating two separate incidents. The pool incident and Emily's death.""
I nodded.
"Could they be connected?""
"That's what we're trying to determine.""
Then she asked a question that made me uncomfortable.
"Did Lucas ever tell you he was in love with Savannah?""
I looked up.
"What?""
"Did he?""
"No.""
She exchanged a glance with Officer Brooks.
"All right.""
"What does that have to do with anything?""
Detective Morgan hesitated.
"Lucas and Savannah were close before she married Ethan. Very close.""
I stared at her.
"How close?""
She opened another document.
"According to several witnesses, they were involved romantically.""
My mouth went dry.
"So Savannah married her former boyfriend's brother?""
"That's one way to describe it.""
I remembered the photographs from the Christmas party.
Lucas holding Grace.
Savannah reaching toward the gift.
The argument.
The mysterious messages.
Then I remembered Lucas saying, You promised me she wouldn't get hurt.
I looked at the detective.
"Could Lucas have helped her?""
Detective Morgan didn't answer.
"That's a possibility we're examining.""
At 3:15 p.m., I left the station.
Margaret called before I reached my car.
"Hannah, I have some good news.""
I stopped.
"What?""
"The agency has reviewed the medical report, your written timeline, and the initial police information. We're not terminating your employment for misconduct.""
I closed my eyes.
"Thank you.""
"However, until the investigation is complete, we cannot place you back with the Whitmore family.""
"I understand.""
She paused.
"There's something else. Ethan Whitmore called me.""
My stomach tightened.
"What did he want?""
"He asked whether you could return to the house.""
I almost laughed.
"After everything?""
"He says Grace has been asking for you.""
My throat tightened.
"Is that true?""
"I don't know. But he sounded desperate.""
I looked toward the station entrance.
"Did he explain why?""
Margaret lowered her voice.
"He said Savannah has left the house.""
I froze.
"Left?""
"Apparently, she took some personal belongings and disappeared.""
I thanked Margaret and ended the call.
Then my phone rang again.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Hannah.""
It was Ethan.
His voice sounded completely different from the angry man who had slapped me.
Exhausted.
Broken.
"Hannah, please. I need your help.""
I said nothing.
"Grace won't eat. She keeps asking for you.""
"Where is Savannah?""
Silence.
Then he answered.
"I don't know.""
"Did you know what she did to Grace?""
"No.""
"Did you know she had been trying to erase Emily?""
He inhaled sharply.
"What did Lucas tell you?""
I almost laughed.
"So you know.""
"Hannah, please. There's something I need to explain.""
"What?""
"My brother has been lying to me.""
I gripped the phone.
"About what?""
"Emily.""
I waited.
Ethan's voice cracked.
"I found a letter in my study this morning. It was hidden inside an old Christmas decoration.""
"What did it say?""
He took a shaky breath.
"Emily wrote that she knew who was responsible for the accident.""
My heart started racing.
"Who?""
He whispered a name.
"Savannah.""
I stood completely still.
Then Ethan continued.
"But that's not the worst part.""
"What could be worse?""
He paused.
"Emily also wrote that Lucas was helping her escape.""
I remembered Lucas standing in the lake house.
His frightened eyes.
His confession.
His warnings.
And suddenly, I understood why he had been so desperate to keep me away from Savannah.
"Where is Lucas now?"" I asked.
Ethan didn't answer.
"Ethan?""
His breathing became uneven.
Then he said something that made the blood drain from my face.
"He's been missing since last night.""
I looked toward the parking lot.
A black SUV was parked near the exit.
Its headlights were off.
The driver's window slowly lowered.
Lucas sat behind the wheel.
He raised one hand.
In it was a photograph.
I couldn't see the details from where I stood.
But I could see the face.
Emily's.
Then my phone vibrated again.
A new message appeared.
*Hannah, don't trust Ethan. He knows what happened to Emily.*
I looked up.
Lucas was no longer in the SUV.
The driver's seat was empty.
And on the windshield, someone had placed a small white envelope.
My name was written across it.
Inside was a photograph of Emily holding baby Grace.
On the back, five words had been written in red ink:
*The Christmas present contains everything.*
I turned the photograph over.
And beneath Emily's handwriting, I found a date.
December 24.
May you like
The same date she died.
*Three years earlier.*
