Chapter 7: The Woman Behind## Chapter 7: The Woman Behind the Locked Door
Richard reached the Locked Door
Richard reached the staircase before Daniel could stop him.
Victoria stood the staircase before Daniel could stop him.
Victoria stood at the bottom of the stairs, gripping the banister with one hand. Her cream robe at the bottom of the stairs, gripping the banister with one hand. Her cream robe was stained with something dark near the hem. Beside her stood a man Richard recognized from the photographs.
Edward.
His younger brother looked almost exactly as he had was stained with something dark near the hem. Beside her stood a man Richard recognized from the photographs.
Edward.
His younger brother looked almost exactly as he had the last time they had met: expensive suit, silver cuff links, and the relaxed confidence of someone who believed every problem could be solved with enough money.
Only his eyes the last time they had met: expensive suit, silver cuff links, and the relaxed confidence of someone who believed every problem could be solved with enough money.
Only his eyes had changed.
They darted toward the study, then the front entrance, calculating distances and exits.
“Richard,” Edward said, lifting both had changed.
They darted toward the study, then the front entrance, calculating distances and exits.
“Richard,” Edward said, lifting both hands.
“Thank God you're here. Something has gone terribly wrong.””
Richard descended the remaining steps.
“You have five seconds to explain why you're in my house hands.
“Thank God you're here. Something has gone terribly wrong.””
Richard descended the remaining steps.
“You have five seconds to explain why you're in my house.””
Edward glanced at Victoria.
She shook her head almost imperceptibly.
Richard saw it.
“Don't look at her,” he said.
“Look at me.””
Edward swallowed.
“I received a call from Victoria. She said Peter.””
Edward glanced at Victoria.
She shook her head almost imperceptibly.
Richard saw it.
“Don't look at her,” he said.
“Look at me.””
Edward swallowed.
“I received a call from Victoria. She said Peter had come here and that you were making accusations about Eleanor. I came to stop things from getting out of hand.””
“Four years ago, you were at Northbridge Medical Consulting had come here and that you were making accusations about Eleanor. I came to stop things from getting out of hand.””
“Four years ago, you were at Northbridge Medical Consulting with Peter and Victoria. Last night, someone used my security credentials to disable my cameras. And now you're standing in my house telling me you came to help.””
“I can explain all of that.””
“Then explain.””
with Peter and Victoria. Last night, someone used my security credentials to disable my cameras. And now you're standing in my house telling me you came to help.””
“I can explain all of that.””
“Then explain.””
Edward looked toward the staircase.
“Not in front of James.””
James appeared behind his father.
“Why? Are you afraid I'llEdward looked toward the staircase.
“Not in front of James.””
James appeared behind his father.
“Why? Are you afraid I'll hear what happened to Mom?””
Edward's face tightened.
“James, this has nothing to do with you.””
“You told me that four years ago, too. You said hear what happened to Mom?””
Edward's face tightened.
“James, this has nothing to do with you.””
“You told me that four years ago, too. You said Mom was sick and I should stop asking questions.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“From what? The truth?””
Edward's composure cracked.
“From a woman who was destroying Mom was sick and I should stop asking questions.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“From what? The truth?””
Edward's composure cracked.
“From a woman who was destroying this family!””
Richard stepped forward so quickly that Edward stumbled backward.
“Choose your next words carefully.””
Edward straightened his jacket.
“You don't know what Eleanor was planning. She intended to expose the company this family!””
Richard stepped forward so quickly that Edward stumbled backward.
“Choose your next words carefully.””
Edward straightened his jacket.
“You don't know what Eleanor was planning. She intended to expose the company, destroy your reputation, and drag everyone connected to it into prison. She didn't care what happened to you or James.””
“She was my wife,” Richard said., destroy your reputation, and drag everyone connected to it into prison. She didn't care what happened to you or James.””
“She was my wife,” Richard said.
“She cared about us more than you ever have.””
Edward's mouth twisted.
“That's what she wanted you to believe.””
Victoria suddenly moved “She cared about us more than you ever have.””
Edward's mouth twisted.
“That's what she wanted you to believe.””
Victoria suddenly moved toward the front door.
Daniel blocked her path.
“Mrs. Whitmore, please remain here.””
“Get out of my way.””
“I'm toward the front door.
Daniel blocked her path.
“Mrs. Whitmore, please remain here.””
“Get out of my way.””
“I'm afraid I can't.””
She slapped his hand away and tried to push past him. Daniel caught her arm, but Richard raised his voice.
“Let her go.””
Daniel afraid I can't.””
She slapped his hand away and tried to push past him. Daniel caught her arm, but Richard raised his voice.
“Let her go.””
Daniel released her.
Victoria turned to Richard, breathing hard.
“You have no idea what you're doing. Those documents released her.
Victoria turned to Richard, breathing hard.
“You have no idea what you're doing. Those documents are stolen property. Peter is a criminal.
Margaret has been obsessed with Eleanor for years. And James is a child who cannot accept that his mother died.””
Richard looked at his wife.
“Then why did you tell Eleanor that are stolen property. Peter is a criminal. Margaret has been obsessed with Eleanor for years. And James is a child who cannot accept that his mother died.””
Richard looked at his wife.
“Then why did you tell Eleanor that James was the reason she should keep quiet?””
Victoria went silent.
Edward stared at her.
“What?””
Richard nodded toward the study.
“We have the recording.””
For the first time, Victoria seemed to understand that the James was the reason she should keep quiet?””
Victoria went silent.
Edward stared at her.
“What?””
Richard nodded toward the study.
“We have the recording.””
For the first time, Victoria seemed to understand that the carefully constructed story she had told for years was collapsing.
She backed toward the wall.
“You don't understand the context.””
“Then give it to me.””
“She was threatening to destroy everything!””
“She was asking you carefully constructed story she had told for years was collapsing.
She backed toward the wall.
“You don't understand the context.””
“Then give it to me.””
“She was threatening to destroy everything!””
“She was asking you about her son.””
Victoria's eyes flashed.
“Because Eleanor knew James was the only thing that could make you hesitate. She used him to control you. Every decision about her son.””
Victoria's eyes flashed.
“Because Eleanor knew James was the only thing that could make you hesitate. She used him to control you. Every decision you made had to be filtered through her wishes.””
Richard stared at her in disbelief.
“You're standing in a house she helped build, wearing jewelry I you made had to be filtered through her wishes.””
Richard stared at her in disbelief.
“You're standing in a house she helped build, wearing jewelry I bought you, defending a man who abandoned her while she was dying, and you still think you're the victim.””
Edward suddenly reached into bought you, defending a man who abandoned her while she was dying, and you still think you're the victim.””
Edward suddenly reached into his jacket.
Daniel moved immediately, forcing him against the wall.
“Hands where I can see them!””
“ his jacket.
Daniel moved immediately, forcing him against the wall.
“Hands where I can see them!””
“It's my phone!”” Edward shouted.
“Then you can explain that to the police.””
Edward struggled, knocking a decorative vase from the console table. ItIt's my phone!”” Edward shouted.
“Then you can explain that to the police.””
Edward struggled, knocking a decorative vase from the console table. It shattered across the floor.
Richard watched his brother fight the security officer.
The sight was almost absurd. Edward had always been able to charm his way out of consequences. He had shattered across the floor.
Richard watched his brother fight the security officer.
The sight was almost absurd. Edward had always been able to charm his way out of consequences. He had smiled through bankruptcy, lied through investigations, and borrowed money from relatives who could barely afford to lend it.
He had never imagined his smiled through bankruptcy, lied through investigations, and borrowed money from relatives who could barely afford to lend it.
He had never imagined his brother would physically resist being questioned in his own home.
“Stop,” Richard ordered.
Edward froze.
Richard stepped close enough that they stood face-to-face.
brother would physically resist being questioned in his own home.
“Stop,” Richard ordered.
Edward froze.
Richard stepped close enough that they stood face-to-face.
“Did you take the security footage from November 19?””
Edward's jaw tightened.
“No.””
“Did you take Eleanor's medication case?””
“No.””
“Did you leave her alone“Did you take the security footage from November 19?””
Edward's jaw tightened.
“No.””
“Did you take Eleanor's medication case?””
“No.””
“Did you leave her alone when she was dying?””
Edward looked away.
Richard felt the last of his hope disappear.
“Answer me.””
Edward's voice dropped when she was dying?””
Edward looked away.
Richard felt the last of his hope disappear.
“Answer me.””
Edward's voice dropped.
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“Losing everything.””
Richard stared at him.
“You were afraid of losing money, so you let my wife die?””
“I.
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“Losing everything.””
Richard stared at him.
“You were afraid of losing money, so you let my wife die?””
“I didn't know she was going to die!””
“You knew she needed an ambulance.””
Edward said nothing.
Margaret appeared at the top of the stairs, holding the digital recorder.
“Richard,” she called.
“There's another file.””
Peter didn't know she was going to die!””
“You knew she needed an ambulance.””
Edward said nothing.
Margaret appeared at the top of the stairs, holding the digital recorder.
“Richard,” she called.
“There's another file.””
Peter emerged from the study behind her.
“Don't play it,” he said urgently.
Margaret turned toward him.
“Why?””
Peter's face was ashen.
“Because emerged from the study behind her.
“Don't play it,” he said urgently.
Margaret turned toward him.
“Why?””
Peter's face was ashen.
“Because it isn't just Victoria's voice.””
He looked at Richard.
“Eleanor recorded the entire room that night. Including what Edward said after she fell.””
Edward's expression collapsed.
Richard held out his hand.
“Give me the recorder.””
Margaret descended the stairs and handed it over.
Richard it isn't just Victoria's voice.””
He looked at Richard.
“Eleanor recorded the entire room that night. Including what Edward said after she fell.””
Edward's expression collapsed.
Richard held out his hand.
“Give me the recorder.””
Margaret descended the stairs and handed it over.
Richard pressed the button.
At first, there was only static.
Then Eleanor's voice emerged, faint and breathless.
“Please, Edward. Call Richard. He'll know what to do.””
Edward's recorded pressed the button.
At first, there was only static.
Then Eleanor's voice emerged, faint and breathless.
“Please, Edward. Call Richard. He'll know what to do.””
Edward's recorded voice answered.
“He can't know about the money.””
“I don't care about the money!””
“You should.””
A crash followed.
Then Eleanor cried out.
James squeezed voice answered.
“He can't know about the money.””
“I don't care about the money!””
“You should.””
A crash followed.
Then Eleanor cried out.
James squeezed his eyes shut.
Richard continued listening.
On the recording, someone moved across the floor. A door opened. Victoria spoke, her voice shaking.
“Edward, she's not getting his eyes shut.
Richard continued listening.
On the recording, someone moved across the floor. A door opened. Victoria spoke, her voice shaking.
“Edward, she's not getting up.””
Edward answered with a sentence that would haunt Richard for the rest of his life.
“Then we have to decide what happens next.””
The recording continued for up.””
Edward answered with a sentence that would haunt Richard for the rest of his life.
“Then we have to decide what happens next.””
The recording continued for several seconds before ending abruptly.
Nobody spoke.
Richard lowered the recorder.
“You knew she was alive,” he whispered.
Edward's face crumpled.
“Yes.””
“And you decided not to call for help several seconds before ending abruptly.
Nobody spoke.
Richard lowered the recorder.
“You knew she was alive,” he whispered.
Edward's face crumpled.
“Yes.””
“And you decided not to call for help.””
“I thought we could fix it. I thought—”
“You thought about yourself.””
Edward began to cry.
Richard had seen his brother cry before. Usually, it happened when money.””
“I thought we could fix it. I thought—”
“You thought about yourself.””
Edward began to cry.
Richard had seen his brother cry before. Usually, it happened when money ran out or a business failed. The tears had always disappeared once someone offered him a solution.
This time, Richard ran out or a business failed. The tears had always disappeared once someone offered him a solution.
This time, Richard felt nothing.
No sympathy.
No anger strong enough to justify another word.
Only a terrible, quiet certainty felt nothing.
No sympathy.
No anger strong enough to justify another word.
Only a terrible, quiet certainty that the brother he remembered had been gone for years.
Sirens sounded outside.
Daniel checked his phone.
“The police are here.””
Victoria suddenly lunged toward the that the brother he remembered had been gone for years.
Sirens sounded outside.
Daniel checked his phone.
“The police are here.””
Victoria suddenly lunged toward the staircase.
James caught sight of her hand reaching inside her robe.
“Dad!””
Richard turned.
Victoria pulled out a small key and ran toward Eleanor's bedroom.
Daniel pursued her, but she reached the landing staircase.
James caught sight of her hand reaching inside her robe.
“Dad!””
Richard turned.
Victoria pulled out a small key and ran toward Eleanor's bedroom.
Daniel pursued her, but she reached the landing first and disappeared through the doorway.
A second later, the lock clicked.
Richard ran upstairs.
“Victoria! Open the door!””
first and disappeared through the doorway.
A second later, the lock clicked.
Richard ran upstairs.
“Victoria! Open the door!””
Silence.
Then her voice came through the wood.
“You wanted the truth, Richard? Fine. Come and get it.””
A metallic sound followed.
Richard recognized it immediately.
The sound of a lock turning from the inside.
And then Victoria began to laugh.
##Silence.
Then her voice came through the wood.
“You wanted the truth, Richard? Fine. Come and get it.””
A metallic sound followed.
Richard recognized it immediately.
May you like
The sound of a lock turning from the inside.
And then Victoria began to laugh.
