Chapter 6: When the Lights Went Out
The darkness lasted only three seconds.
But in those three seconds, I heard Vanessa gasp.
Then something crashed downstairs.
Glass.
My mother grabbed my wrist.
“Stay here.””
“Mom, what was that?””
“I don't know.””
My father's voice came from the hallway.
“Nobody move.””
The emergency lights flickered on, bathing the upstairs landing in a dim red glow.
I looked down the staircase.
The house had changed.
An hour ago it had been a place full of wedding decorations, flowers, champagne bottles, and thirty carefully dressed guests.
Now it felt like a building someone had abandoned in the middle of a storm.
My phone buzzed in my hand.
Daniel.
I answered immediately.
“Daniel?””
His voice was urgent.
“Are you inside?””
“Yes.””
“Listen carefully. Lock your bedroom door.””
“Why?””
“Because someone just accessed the house security system.””
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
“The outage wasn't random.””
My father stepped toward me.
“Who is that?””
“Daniel.””
He took the phone.
“Why would the security system be shut down?””
“Because whoever did it knew the code.””
My father's face hardened.
“Who has the code?””
“Vanessa.””
I looked at my sister.
She was standing several feet away, frozen in the red light.
“I didn't do it,” she said.
Nobody had accused her aloud.
My father stared at her.
“Then who did?””
“I don't know.””
Daniel spoke through the phone.
“Mr. Carter, check every exterior door.””
My father immediately went downstairs.
I followed.
“Emily, don't,” my mother said.
“I’m not staying upstairs alone.””
We reached the foyer.
The front door was still locked.
The patio door was locked.
The kitchen door was locked.
Everything looked normal.
Then my father noticed the back entrance.
A thin line of rainwater ran across the floor.
He crouched.
“This door was opened.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
My father looked at her.
“Yes.””
“I didn't open it.””
He pointed at the floor.
“Then explain that.””
Vanessa stared at the water.
Her face went pale.
My mother whispered, “Someone came inside.””
A noise sounded from the kitchen.
A metallic scrape.
My father turned sharply.
“Everyone behind me.””
He moved toward the sound.
I held my breath.
He opened the kitchen door.
Nothing.
A cabinet stood open.
One of the drawers had been pulled out.
There was nobody inside.
Then my mother screamed.
“Emily!””
I turned.
She was pointing toward the stairs.
A shadow moved across the wall.
Someone was upstairs.
My father grabbed a heavy brass candlestick from the console.
“Stay here.””
“No,” I whispered.
He disappeared up the staircase.
A few seconds later, we heard a door slam.
Then:
“Hey!””
My father shouted.
Footsteps thundered overhead.
Vanessa suddenly ran upstairs.
“Vanessa!”” I yelled.
She ignored me.
My mother grabbed my arm.
“Don't go.””
“I can't let her go alone.””
“You can't use that arm.””
“I can use my legs.””
I pulled free and climbed the stairs.
Pain shot through my shoulder from the movement, but I kept going.
At the top, Vanessa was standing in the hallway.
My father had reached the guest room.
The window was open.
Curtains whipped in the wind.
Whoever had been there was gone.
My father looked out.
The backyard was dark.
Rain streaked the glass.
“What were they doing?”” I asked.
He turned.
“The room was searched.””
“Why this room?””
He didn't answer.
Then Vanessa said softly, “This is where I kept the documents.””
I looked at her.
“What documents?””
“The originals.””
“Originals of what?””
She swallowed.
“The trust papers.””
My heart dropped.
“You kept them here?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because I didn't trust my room.””
My father looked at her.
“You didn't trust your own room?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Why?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
My phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
“Tell me you're safe.””
“We're upstairs.””
“Good.””
“Someone broke into the house.””
“I know.””
“How?””
“I got an alert from the resort security company.””
I frowned.
“What does Maui have to do with this?””
“It isn't the resort.””
My stomach tightened.
“What then?””
Daniel hesitated.
“The person who canceled our honeymoon reservation wasn't me.””
I stared at the phone.
“What?””
“I made the call to postpone the trip.””
“You said you canceled it.””
“I thought I did.””
“What are you saying?””
“There was another call made to the resort before mine.””
“From who?””
“Someone using Vanessa's account.””
Vanessa heard him through the speaker.
Her face went white.
“That's impossible.””
Daniel said, “The reservation was modified twice.””
“When?””
“First at 6:12 p.m.””
I glanced at the clock.
That was before the pool incident.
“And the second?””
“At 8:03.””
My father frowned.
“That was after you canceled it.””
“Yes.””
I looked at Vanessa.
“What did the first person do?””
Daniel's voice lowered.
“They changed the emergency contact.””
“To who?””
A pause.
Then:
“Emily.””
Nobody moved.
My mother whispered, “Why would someone put Emily down as the emergency contact for Vanessa's honeymoon?””
Daniel answered.
“I don't know.””
I suddenly remembered the list.
The witnesses.
The medical records.
The insurance documents.
The trust agreement.
The storage key.
Every strange piece seemed to point toward the same thing.
Someone wanted me involved.
Someone wanted my name on documents.
Someone wanted me present.
And tonight, someone had entered the house.
I turned toward Vanessa.
“What haven't you told me?””
She shook her head.
“I've told you everything.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
“You knew something was going to happen tomorrow.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I knew there was a deadline.””
“You knew about the trust.””
“Yes.””
“You knew I had to sign something.””
“Yes.””
“You knew about my medical condition.””
“Yes.””
“You had my records.””
She looked away.
“Yes.””
“And you planned the pool incident.””
She closed her eyes.
“I didn't plan for you to get hurt.””
“You pushed me.””
“I know.””
“Why?””
Vanessa finally looked at me.
“Because I needed everyone to see you as incapable.””
I stared.
“What?””
She wiped her face.
“I needed the family to believe you needed a guardian.””
My father went still.
“A guardian?””
Vanessa nodded.
“The trust has a condition.””
“What condition?””
“If one beneficiary is declared unable to manage her affairs, the other beneficiary can petition for temporary control.””
My mouth went dry.
“So that's what this is.””
Vanessa said nothing.
“You wanted me declared incapable.””
“No.””
“You wanted me to sign something saying I couldn't manage my own decisions.””
“No.””
“You wanted control of my share.””
She began crying.
“I didn't know how else to keep everything.””
My mother stepped forward.
“Keep what?””
Vanessa looked at her.
“Our house.””
The words stunned me.
“What house?””
“Our grandparents' estate.””
My father stared.
“That property was sold years ago.””
“No.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“It wasn't.””
She reached into her pocket and pulled out another folded paper.
“The trust owns it.””
My father took it.
His hands began shaking.
I looked over his shoulder.
There was an address printed near the top.
It was an address I recognized.
The old coastal house where our grandmother had lived before she died.
The property our family had been told was worth very little.
The property Vanessa had always wanted.
“That's worth millions,” I whispered.
Vanessa nodded.
“It was appraised again last year.””
My father looked at her.
“Who told you?””
She didn't answer.
I looked at Daniel through the phone.
“Who is controlling her?””
He was silent.
“Daniel?””
Finally, he said:
“I found the name.””
Vanessa's eyes widened.
“No.””
“Emily,” Daniel continued, “the person who has been giving Vanessa legal advice isn't a lawyer.””
“Then who?””
I heard him take a breath.
“Her name is Claire Morgan.””
Vanessa dropped the paper.
My mother frowned.
“Who is Claire Morgan?””
Vanessa whispered:
“My aunt.””
My father stared at her.
“We don't have an Aunt Claire.””
Vanessa looked toward the dark staircase.
“She isn't family.””
“Then who is she?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Daniel did.
“She used to work for your grandmother.””
I felt a chill run through me.
My grandmother had died eight years earlier.
“Why would she be helping Vanessa now?””
Daniel said, “Because she knows exactly what's inside the trust.””
A loud knock suddenly struck the front door downstairs.
Everyone froze.
Three slow knocks.
Then another.
My father grabbed the candlestick again.
“Who is that?””
No answer.
The knocking came again.
Vanessa stared at the door.
Then her face went completely white.
“I know that knock.””
I whispered, “Who is it?””
She looked at me.
And said:
“Claire.””
Before anyone could move, a voice called from outside.
“Vanessa, open the door.””
Vanessa began trembling.
May you like
Then the voice added:
“It's time to finish what your grandmother started.””
