Chapter 5: The Person Lily Feared Most
The police searched Lily’s house again.
This time, they weren’t looking for an accident.
They were looking for a crime.
And they found one.
Hidden inside Jason’s office was a second phone.
A phone nobody knew existed.
The messages on it were enough to destroy him.
But there was one name that appeared over and over.
Not Rachel.
Not anyone from his office.
Someone unexpected.
Someone who made my blood run cold.
Jason’s mother.
Margaret Reed.
When Officer Miller said the name, I thought I had heard wrong.
“His mother?””
She nodded.
“She was communicating with him regularly.””
Daniel looked through the documents.
“Lily suspected this.””
I remembered something.
A conversation months earlier.
Lily had said:
“Emily, have you ever met someone who smiles while they’re hurting you?””
At the time, I thought she meant Jason.
I was wrong.
Margaret arrived at the station before anyone contacted her.
That was the strangest part.
She walked in wearing a calm expression.
Like she had rehearsed it.
“I assume you have questions.””
Officer Miller looked at her.
“We do.””
Margaret smiled faintly.
“My daughter-in-law was emotional. She had pregnancy complications. People often misunderstand situations like that.””
I felt anger rise.
“You’re blaming Lily.””
Margaret looked at me.
“I’m explaining reality.””
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“You’re protecting your son.””
Her smile disappeared.
Only slightly.
But I saw it.
The same small crack Jason had shown.
Officer Miller placed the phone on the table.
“Do you recognize this device?””
Margaret looked at it.
Then looked away.
“No.””
A lie.
A terrible one.
Because Daniel immediately opened a file.
“We recovered messages between you and Jason.””
Margaret remained silent.
Then she said something I would never forget.
“Lily was weak.””
My hands curled into fists.
“She was kind.””
“She was naive.””
“She was brave.””
Margaret looked at me.
“No.””
Her voice was quiet.
“She trusted people.””
A pause.
“That is why she lost.””
The room went cold.
Officer Miller stood.
“Mrs. Reed, you need to understand—”
But Margaret interrupted.
“You think Jason killed her?””
Nobody answered.
Because that was exactly what everyone thought.
Margaret smiled.
“You’re wrong.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
She looked directly at me.
“Jason didn’t push Lily.””
Silence.
“Rachel did.””
Everyone froze.
Margaret continued.
“But Jason helped cover it up.””
Daniel leaned forward.
“Why are you telling us this?””
Her expression changed.
For the first time, she looked afraid.
“Because Jason was never supposed to let Lily find out about the money.””
Money.
“What money?”” I asked.
Margaret looked at me.
“The inheritance.””
I frowned.
“What inheritance?””
She whispered:
“The one Lily discovered three days before she died.””
My stomach dropped.
Because Lily’s letter had never mentioned money.
Only fear.
Only evidence.
Only the truth.
Officer Miller looked at Daniel.
“Did Lily know about this?””
Daniel slowly opened his briefcase.
Then removed a final envelope.
One he had not shown anyone.
“I was instructed to open this only after Jason and Rachel were exposed.””
My breath caught.
Daniel looked at me.
“This one is addressed only to Emily.””
My hands trembled as I took it.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
One sentence.
One final message from my sister.
“Emily, if you are reading this, then you know who helped Jason.””
I looked up.
Daniel was watching me.
Officer Miller was waiting.
Even Margaret had gone silent.
I turned the page.
May you like
And read the next line.
“But you still don’t know who ordered it.””
