Chapter 2: The Key
I didn't sleep much that night.
At 2:17 a.m., I was sitting at the kitchen island with every light turned off, watching the security camera feed on my laptop.
The beach outside was almost completely black.
Only the moonlight touched the dunes.
I kept thinking about Greg's message.
My mother already has a key.
How?
I hadn't given her one.
I hadn't given Greg one.
I hadn't even given Marissa one.
The only spare key I had made was sitting inside my apartment's safe, waiting for my closest friend, Claire, who lived three hours away.
I called Greg at 8:03 the next morning.
He answered on the fourth ring.
"Hello?""
"Where did your mother get a key to my house?""
Silence.
Then he sighed.
"Marissa said you gave her one.""
"I didn't.""
"Maybe she misunderstood.""
"Greg.""
"What?""
"Your mother has a key to a house I closed on yesterday.""
He hesitated.
Then I heard him move away from the room.
"Look, I don't want to get involved.""
"You already are.""
"Marissa said you were okay with everyone staying.""
"I told her no.""
"She said you were just upset about the number of people.""
"No. I said no.""
Another pause.
Then he said, "She told everyone you changed your mind because you're stressed.""
I closed my eyes.
"Greg, did you know she invited twenty-two people?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know I never agreed?""
"I assumed she'd talked to you.""
"She didn't.""
He exhaled.
"Okay.""
"Where did your mother get the key?""
"I don't know.""
"Ask her.""
"Now?""
"Yes.""
He groaned.
"You know how she is.""
"I don't care how she is.""
He didn't answer.
"Greg?""
"Fine.""
We hung up.
Twenty minutes later, he called back.
"My mom says Marissa gave it to her.""
I stood up.
"Marissa had a key?""
"Apparently.""
"To my house?""
"She said you gave her one when you were still buying the place.""
"I never did.""
"Then I don't know what to tell you.""
"I do.""
"What?""
"Your sister stole it.""
Greg was quiet.
Finally he said, "You should probably change the locks.""
"I already did.""
He laughed nervously.
"Of course you did.""
"Tell your mother the old key doesn't work.""
"I will.""
"And Greg?""
"Yeah?""
"If anyone comes onto my property without permission, I'll call the police.""
His laughter stopped.
"You'd really do that to family?""
"I'd do it to anyone.""
He didn't respond.
I hung up.
At 10:30, Claire arrived.
She walked through the front door carrying two coffees and stopped when she saw the cameras.
"You've been busy.""
"Very.""
She handed me a cup.
"So tell me everything.""
I sat at the kitchen table.
Claire had known me since college. She was one of the few people who understood what Marissa was like without needing an explanation.
When I finished, Claire looked toward the windows.
"Twenty-two people?""
"Twenty-two.""
"For two weeks?""
"That's what she said.""
"Who is supposed to cook?""
"Me.""
"Clean?""
"Me.""
"Buy groceries?""
"Me.""
"Pay for everything?""
"Probably me.""
Claire took a slow sip of coffee.
"And what exactly was Marissa planning to do?""
"Relax.""
Claire stared at me.
Then she laughed.
"I shouldn't laugh.""
"I know.""
"But this is insane.""
"It gets better.""
I told her about the key.
Her smile disappeared.
"Wait. She gave someone a key?""
"Apparently.""
"That changes things.""
"I know.""
Claire leaned forward.
"What are you going to do?""
I looked at the laptop.
"I could spend the next three days fighting with her.""
"Or?""
"Or I can let her show everyone exactly what she intended to do.""
Claire smiled.
"Now you're thinking.""
I opened a folder on the table.
Inside were the closing documents.
The deed.
The insurance policy.
The property survey.
The mortgage paperwork.
And the one document Marissa clearly hadn't expected me to have.
A printed copy of the county property record.
My name was on every page.
Claire raised an eyebrow.
"You're going to make them read?""
"No.""
"Then what?""
"I'm going to make them ask.""
At noon, I made one phone call.
Then another.
By two, the house had become almost unrecognizable.
The three bedrooms had new keypad locks.
The office had a lock.
The den had a lock.
The exterior cameras were connected to my phone.
I also called a local cleaning service and scheduled a full cleaning for Thursday afternoon.
Not because I needed it.
Because I knew twenty-two people could turn a spotless house into a disaster before dinner.
Then I called a caterer.
Claire stared at me.
"You're hiring a caterer?""
"For Friday.""
"You're feeding them?""
"No.""
"Then why?""
I smiled.
"Because I'm going to give them the vacation they were promised.""
Claire frowned.
"That makes no sense.""
"Wait.""
At 4:16 p.m., Marissa called again.
"Did Greg tell you?""
"About the key?""
"Yes.""
"He did.""
"Mom has a key.""
"She used to.""
"What?""
"She doesn't anymore.""
"Don't be dramatic.""
"I'm not.""
"You need to stop this.""
"No.""
"Everyone is coming Friday.""
"I know.""
"You can't stop twenty-three people.""
"I don't have to.""
"What does that mean?""
I looked out toward the road.
A delivery truck was pulling into the driveway.
"My plan changed.""
"What plan?""
"I'll tell you Friday.""
She laughed.
"You're trying to scare me?""
"No.""
"Then what are you doing?""
I smiled.
"Giving you exactly what you asked for.""
"What?""
"A beach vacation.""
She paused.
"Really?""
"Absolutely.""
Her voice softened immediately.
"I knew you'd come around.""
"I didn't say you were staying here.""
"What?""
"I'm still saying no to the house.""
"You just said—"
"I said I was giving you a beach vacation.""
She began shouting.
I ended the call.
Claire stared at me.
"What did you do?""
I picked up the catering contract.
"I rented twenty-three rooms at the nicest hotel in town.""
Claire blinked.
"Twenty-three?""
"One for every person.""
"That's going to cost a fortune.""
"Less than letting them destroy this house.""
"And you're paying?""
"No.""
I slid another document across the table.
Claire read it.
Then looked at me.
"You billed Marissa?""
"I reserved the rooms under her name.""
"She is going to lose her mind.""
"Probably.""
Claire laughed.
"You really have changed.""
I shook my head.
"No. I just stopped letting her change me.""
That evening, I sent Marissa one message.
*Your rooms are reserved at the Seabrook Grand. Check-in Friday at 3 p.m. Two weeks.
Twenty-three rooms. Since you organized the trip, the reservation is under your name. Enjoy your vacation.*
Three dots appeared almost instantly.
Then disappeared.
Then appeared again.
Finally, her reply came.
You are paying for this.
I typed back:
No.
Another message.
Then cancel it.
I smiled.
I won't.
Her response came seconds later.
Why would you book something you refuse to pay for?
I sent one final message.
Because you promised your family a vacation. I promised myself a peaceful home.
Then I turned off my phone.
At 9:40 that night, the security app sent me an alert.
*Motion detected — front driveway.*
I opened the camera.
A black SUV was parked near the mailbox.
Someone stepped out.
An older woman.
She walked straight toward my front door.
Then she pulled something from her purse.
A key.
I zoomed in.
It was the old key.
She inserted it into the lock.
It didn't turn.
She tried again.
Then she looked directly at the camera.
My phone rang.
Greg's mother.
I answered.
"Why doesn't the key work?""
"Because I changed the locks.""
"You had no right.""
"It's my house.""
"We're family.""
I watched her through the camera as she stood on my porch.
"You have five seconds to leave my property.""
She laughed.
"You wouldn't dare.""
"Five.""
She didn't move.
"Four.""
Her smile vanished.
"Three.""
She pulled the key from the lock.
"Two.""
She stepped backward.
"One.""
She turned around and walked away.
I thought it was over.
Then the camera caught something else.
There was another car behind hers.
And someone inside it was holding a cardboard box.
May you like
On the side of the box, written in thick black marker, were three words:
*MARISSA'S HOUSE KEYS.*
