Chapter 2: The Safe Behind the Bookshelf
My father didn't move for several seconds.
The phone lay on the carpet beside his shoe.
“Dad?”” I asked.
He stared at the frozen security footage.
“Did you say Daniel?””
“No. Vanessa did.””
Marcus slowly bent down and picked up his phone.
“Daniel is my attorney.””
I looked at the screen again.
“Why would she be calling your attorney while stealing Mom's records?””
“I don't know.””
But his voice told me he suspected something.
The police officers downstairs were waiting for us. My father told me to stay in the security room while he spoke with them.
I refused.
“I'm the person she accused. I'm coming with you.””
“Ethan, please.””
“No. I'm done being told to stay out of things that happen in this house.””
For a moment, he looked like he wanted to argue.
Then he nodded.
We entered the living room together.
Vanessa was sitting on the sofa with a blanket around her shoulders. A female officer stood beside her, while another officer examined the broken vase.
The moment she saw us, Vanessa began trembling.
“Marcus, please don't let him near me.””
My father didn't sit beside her.
He walked directly to the television.
“Officer, before you take any statement, I want you to see something.””
Vanessa's eyes widened.
“What are you doing?””
“Showing them the truth.””
He connected his phone to the security system.
The recording appeared on the screen.
Nobody spoke as the footage played.
Vanessa watched herself slap her own face.
Then she watched herself throw the vase.
Then came the moment she collapsed dramatically onto the floor.
The female officer crossed her arms.
“Ma'am, is there any explanation for this?””
Vanessa stared at the screen.
“That footage is edited.””
I almost laughed.
“It's from the security server. You can inspect the original files.””
“You don't understand,” she snapped.
“He must have manipulated it.””
My father stepped forward.
“Vanessa, stop.””
She turned toward him.
“Marcus, darling, you know what he's like. He's been trying to turn you against me since we got married.””
Marcus looked at her for a long moment.
“Did Ethan touch you?””
She hesitated.
“I was frightened.””
“That's not what I asked.””
Her lips tightened.
“He came toward me.””
“Did he hit you?””
She looked away.
The officer stepped between them.
“Ma'am, we need a clear answer.””
Vanessa suddenly stood.
“I want my lawyer.””
Marcus nodded.
“That's probably a good idea.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You're choosing him over me?””
“No,” my father said quietly.
“I'm choosing the evidence.””
The officer informed Vanessa that they would document the incident and investigate the false allegation. Since the footage contradicted her account, they would need to preserve the recordings and interview everyone involved.
Vanessa was allowed to contact her attorney, but she wasn't permitted to remove anything from the property while the matter was being investigated.
She looked at me as she passed.
“You think you've won?””
I didn't answer.
She leaned closer.
“You have no idea what your mother did.””
My entire body went cold.
“What did you just say?””
Vanessa smiled faintly.
“Ask your father.””
Then she walked upstairs.
I turned toward Marcus.
“What did Mom do?””
He rubbed his forehead.
“Not now.””
“Dad, she just threatened me using Mom's name.””
“I said not now.””
His voice cracked.
That frightened me more than anything Vanessa had said.
For the next hour, we reviewed the study footage with the police.
The recording clearly showed Vanessa opening the safe.
However, the camera angle didn't capture exactly what she removed.
My father entered the study and stared at the open safe.
It was a large commercial-grade model hidden behind a movable bookshelf.
Inside were several empty folders, a stack of property deeds, and a small locked metal box.
Marcus opened the box.
It was empty.
“What's supposed to be in there?”” I asked.
He ran a hand through his hair.
“Your mother's original estate documents. The papers relating to her inheritance, the trust, and several properties she owned before we married.””
“Where are they?””
“I thought they were here.””
“Didn't you check?””
Marcus looked at me.
“I haven't opened this safe in nearly a year.””
I stared at him.
“You let Vanessa have access to it?””
“I gave her the code to the study safe. I didn't think…”
He stopped.
“Didn't think what?””
“That she'd steal from us.””
I walked closer to the empty box.
Something was scratched into its inside cover.
A small set of initials.
L.C.
My mother's initials.
Beneath them was a handwritten number.
I recognized the handwriting immediately.
It belonged to my mother.
“Dad, look.””
He leaned over.
His face changed.
“That's your mother's handwriting.””
“What does the number mean?””
“I don't know.””
I photographed it.
Then I noticed a small piece of paper wedged between the bottom of the box and the lining.
I pulled it out.
It was a receipt from a bank.
The date was almost eight years old.
At the top was the name of a safety deposit facility.
Below it were the words:
*Box 317 — Laura Cole.*
I read it twice.
“Mom had a safety deposit box?””
Marcus took the receipt from my hand.
His eyes narrowed.
“She never told me about this.””
I looked at him.
“Maybe she had a reason.””
He flinched.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
My mother had been dead for nine years. Whatever she had placed in that box had remained untouched for almost a decade.
Why had she hidden it?
And why had Vanessa been so interested in the estate documents?
My father sat behind his desk.
“Ethan, your mother was very careful with money. She maintained a few private accounts before we married.””
“Private accounts?””
“Yes. But I thought everything had been consolidated after her death.””
“Who handled the estate?””
“Daniel.””
I looked up.
“Your attorney?””
Marcus nodded.
“Daniel Whitmore handled the probate process, the trust, and the property transfers.””
The name made me remember the footage.
Vanessa had whispered it into her phone.
“Dad, I think you need to call him.””
“I will.””
He dialed the number.
Daniel answered after two rings.
“Marcus! I heard there was some trouble at the house. Is Vanessa all right?””
My father glanced at me.
“Daniel, I need to ask you something. Did you know Laura had a safety deposit box at First National Bank?””
There was a pause.
A very brief one.
But I heard it.
“Why are you asking?””
“Because I found a receipt.””
Another pause.
Then Daniel cleared his throat.
“Marcus, I thought we settled all of Laura's financial affairs years ago.””
“That's not an answer.””
“It's possible she maintained a private box. But I don't remember anything significant.””
My father gripped the phone.
“Vanessa has been accessing Laura's estate records. Some documents are missing.””
Silence.
Then Daniel spoke in a lower voice.
“Marcus, listen to me. Don't open that box without speaking to me first.””
My father looked at me.
“Why?””
“Because there may be documents inside that are subject to legal restrictions.””
“What restrictions?””
Daniel sighed.
“I'll come by tomorrow morning.””
Marcus ended the call.
I stared at him.
“That's suspicious.””
“He's been my attorney for twenty years.””
“And Vanessa knew his name before you even called him.””
My father didn't respond.
I looked again at the receipt.
The bank's address was printed beneath the account number.
I pulled out my phone and searched the location.
It was a branch in downtown Hartford.
Still operating.
I checked the time.
The bank would open at nine.
“We should go tomorrow,” I said.
Marcus shook his head.
“Daniel wants us to wait.””
“Why?””
“He may know something about the estate.””
“Or he may be the reason Vanessa knew where to look.””
My father stared at the receipt.
For the first time, he seemed to consider that possibility.
Then his phone rang.
It was Vanessa.
He answered.
“Where are you?”” she asked.
“Downstairs.””
“I need you to come up.””
“Why?””
“Because I think Ethan has stolen something from me.””
I closed my eyes.
Even after being exposed, she was still trying to control the story.
Marcus put the call on speaker.
“What did he steal?””
“My jewelry box. It's missing.””
I looked at my father.
“I haven't been upstairs.””
Vanessa's voice sharpened.
“Then who has?””
Marcus ended the call.
He looked at me.
“Stay here.””
He walked toward the staircase.
I followed him anyway.
When we reached the bedroom hallway, Vanessa was standing beside the open closet.
A small velvet jewelry box lay on the floor.
She pointed at me.
“There! He took it!””
I looked down.
The box was empty.
Then I noticed the bedroom camera.
It had been disconnected.
My father slowly turned toward the hallway.
The security light was still blinking.
May you like
Someone had disabled the camera deliberately.
And whoever had done it knew exactly where the recording system was.
