Chapter 5: The Housekeeper's Secret
The Reed family estate stood behind a row of ancient oak trees, twelve miles outside Charleston.
Marcus hadn't visited in nearly six months.
The white columns were still stained by rain, the front lawn was overgrown, and the bronze letters bearing his father's name remained attached to the entrance.
RICHARD A. REED.
Detective Brooks arrived with two officers.
Marcus sat in the passenger seat, staring at the house.
"Do you know where Margaret went?"" he asked.
"We're checking her phone records and the vehicle she normally drives," Brooks replied.
"She doesn't drive.""
The detective turned.
"What?""
"Margaret never learned. She used the company car service.""
Brooks looked at the officer behind her.
"Check the estate's transport records.""
Marcus climbed out.
"Can we go inside?""
"Yes. But nobody touches anything until we document it.""
The front door was unlocked.
Inside, the house smelled of old wood and furniture polish.
Marcus walked through the foyer.
His father's portrait still hung above the fireplace.
Richard wore his usual navy suit, one hand resting on a mahogany desk.
Marcus remembered that desk.
He remembered sitting beneath it as a child, hiding whenever his father entertained business associates.
Daniel had always been allowed to sit beside Richard.
Marcus had always been told to behave.
"Mr. Reed?""
A female voice came from the staircase.
Marcus turned.
A woman stood on the landing.
Margaret Ellis.
She was in her late sixties, with silver hair pulled into a neat bun. She wore a dark green cardigan and held a small leather handbag.
"Margaret?""
Her eyes widened.
"Marcus.""
"Where have you been?""
She descended slowly.
"Home.""
"Which home?""
She looked at Detective Brooks.
"Who is this?""
"Detective Brooks. We're investigating an attempted murder involving Claire Reed.""
Margaret's face changed.
"Is Claire alive?""
"Yes.""
Margaret closed her eyes.
"Thank God.""
Marcus stepped closer.
"You were married to my father.""
Margaret stopped moving.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she nodded.
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you tell us?""
"Your father wanted to protect you.""
"From what?""
Margaret looked at him.
"From Daniel.""
The detective opened her notebook.
"Mrs. Ellis, where were you this afternoon?""
"Here.""
"Were you driving a vehicle registered to Daniel Reed?""
"No.""
"Did you remove a metal box from this property?""
Margaret's lips parted.
"Who told you that?""
"Answer the question.""
She looked at Marcus.
"I took something that belonged to Richard.""
"What?""
"A photograph.""
Brooks studied her.
"Just a photograph?""
Margaret hesitated.
Marcus noticed the handbag.
"What's inside?""
"Personal belongings.""
"Margaret, please.""
She looked down.
Then she opened the bag and removed a small photograph.
It showed Richard standing beside a younger Margaret outside a courthouse.
They were holding hands.
On the back was a handwritten date.
Six months before Richard's death.
Marcus stared at the image.
"Why would you take this?""
"Because I knew someone would come looking for it.""
"Who?""
Margaret's eyes filled.
"Daniel.""
The detective stepped closer.
"Mrs. Ellis, do you know where Daniel Reed is now?""
"No.""
"Have you spoken to him today?""
Margaret shook her head.
Marcus frowned.
"Then why did you say he would come looking for it?""
Margaret looked at him.
"Because he has been threatening me for four years.""
The house seemed to become colder.
"Why?""
"Because your father left something to me.""
"What?""
"The truth.""
Marcus stared.
Margaret reached into her cardigan pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper.
It was a marriage certificate.
Richard's signature appeared at the bottom.
Marcus read the document twice.
His father had legally married Margaret Ellis.
He had left her a substantial portion of his private estate.
Including ownership of the family home.
"Why didn't the will mention this?"" Marcus asked.
"Because the will was changed after Richard died.""
Brooks looked up.
"Changed by whom?""
Margaret answered immediately.
"Daniel.""
Marcus stepped backward.
"That's impossible. The attorneys handled everything.""
"Daniel hired them.""
"You're saying my brother forged our father's will?""
Margaret nodded.
"Richard told me he had already signed a new one. He left the company to you and Daniel, but he left me the house and a private investment account.""
"Where is that will?""
Margaret looked toward the study.
"In the safe.""
Marcus remembered the clock.
"The safe behind Dad's office clock?""
"Yes.""
Detective Brooks immediately signaled the officers.
"Let's secure the study.""
They entered the office.
Nothing had changed.
The mahogany desk.
The leather chair.
The brass clock.
The photograph of Marcus and Daniel as children.
Marcus moved toward the clock.
He removed it from the wall.
Behind it was a small metal panel.
A keyhole.
Margaret handed him a silver key.
"Your father gave me this the night before he died.""
Marcus inserted it.
The panel opened.
Inside was a small safe.
Brooks watched carefully as Marcus entered the combination written on the back of the key.
The safe clicked.
Inside were three folders, a sealed envelope, and a small digital recorder.
Marcus picked up the first folder.
Financial transactions.
Company ownership documents.
Photographs of bank transfers.
Then he saw a name.
Vanessa Cole.
A series of payments had been made to a company registered under her maiden name.
Brooks examined the papers.
"This is significant.""
Marcus opened the second folder.
It contained copies of the original will.
His father had signed it.
A notary's seal was attached.
Margaret was named as his legal wife and primary beneficiary of the family residence.
Daniel and Marcus were named joint beneficiaries of the company.
Marcus felt sick.
"Daniel knew.""
Margaret nodded.
"He knew before your father died.""
"What did he do?""
"He told Richard he would destroy me if the marriage became public.""
"Why would he care?""
"Because he had already arranged to sell part of the property to a development company. Your father's marriage would have complicated the transaction.""
Brooks placed the documents in an evidence sleeve.
"Who was the buyer?""
Margaret pointed to the third folder.
Marcus opened it.
The company name was unfamiliar.
But the director's signature wasn't.
Gregory Shaw.
Marcus let out a slow breath.
"Greg.""
Margaret nodded.
"Your father found out that Daniel and Vanessa were working with him.""
Marcus picked up the sealed envelope.
His name was written across the front.
FOR MARCUS. ONLY IF I AM GONE.
His hands began shaking.
He opened it.
Inside was a handwritten letter.
Marcus,
If you are reading this, I have failed to protect you from the people closest to me.
Do not trust Daniel.
Do not trust Gregory.
And above all, do not believe that Vanessa entered your life by accident.
I made a mistake allowing her near this family.
She knows things about you that you have never told her.
She knows about the accident when you were sixteen.
She knows about the money I paid to keep it quiet.
And she knows why your mother never wanted you to drive that old Mercedes again.
Marcus stopped reading.
His face went pale.
The accident.
He had never told anyone about it except his father.
At sixteen, Marcus had crashed a car on a rural road outside Charleston.
His best friend, Ethan Miller, had been in the passenger seat.
Ethan had died.
Marcus had survived.
His father had told him that the brakes had failed.
Richard had paid the family and handled the legal matters.
Marcus had spent years believing the tragedy was an accident.
He looked at the letter again.
The final lines were underlined.
If they ever use that accident against you, remember this: I was the one who took the car to the mechanic. I was the one who discovered what had been done to the brakes.
Marcus dropped the letter.
"Detective.""
Brooks looked up.
"What's wrong?""
He pointed to the words.
She read them.
Then looked at Margaret.
"Did you know about this?""
Margaret nodded slowly.
"Richard told me.""
Marcus could barely speak.
"Who tampered with the brakes?""
Margaret looked at him.
"Daniel.""
Marcus stumbled against the desk.
"No.""
"Your father discovered it two days after the accident. Daniel had borrowed the car earlier that week.""
"Why would he do that?""
Margaret's voice broke.
"Because Ethan had seen something he wasn't supposed to see.""
Brooks stepped forward.
"What?""
Margaret looked at the detective.
"Ethan had photographs of Daniel meeting Gregory Shaw. He had evidence of the financial fraud.""
Marcus felt the room spin.
His best friend hadn't died because of a mechanical failure.
Someone had deliberately tampered with the car.
And his brother had known.
A sound came from upstairs.
A floorboard creaked.
Brooks immediately drew her weapon.
"Police! Come out!""
Nobody answered.
The officers moved toward the staircase.
Marcus remained beside the desk, staring at his father's letter.
Then a loud crash came from the rear of the house.
"Back door!"" one officer shouted.
Brooks ran.
Marcus followed despite her order to stay.
By the time they reached the kitchen, the back door was swinging open.
A dark vehicle disappeared beyond the trees.
On the floor lay Margaret's handbag.
Its contents were scattered.
And beside it was a small photograph.
Marcus picked it up.
It showed Daniel standing beside Vanessa outside the hospital.
The photograph had been taken that afternoon.
On the back, someone had written:
THE NEXT ONE WON'T SURVIVE.
Marcus looked at Margaret.
She was trembling.
"Who was inside the house?"" he asked.
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Then she looked toward the open back door.
"But I know that handwriting.""
"Whose?""
May you like
Margaret swallowed.
"Your father's.""
