Chapter 4 - Sophia’s Locked Room
The door to Sophia’s study was open.
I had not opened it in three years.
Daniel entered first.
I followed.
Drawers had been pulled out.
Books scattered across the floor.
A painting had been removed from the wall.
Behind it was an empty compartment.
Daniel stared.
“Did you know about that?”
“No.”
Footsteps sounded behind us.
Grace stood in the doorway.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I said.
She looked at the empty compartment.
“My mom told me about that.”
I turned.
“What?”
“She said Aunt Sophia kept important things behind a painting.”
“What things?”
“Letters. A drive. Papers.”
Daniel looked at me.
“Someone knew exactly what they were looking for.”
I crouched in front of Grace.
“Did your mother ever tell you what was on the drive?”
“She said proof.”
“Proof of what?”
Grace shook her head.
“She wouldn’t tell me.”
Then she looked around.
“But she said Aunt Sophia made two copies.”
Daniel immediately asked, “Where’s the second?”
Grace walked toward Sophia’s old bookshelf.
She scanned the titles.
Then pulled out a children’s book.
A collection of fairy tales.
I recognized it.
Sophia used to read it to Isabella.
Grace opened the back cover.
Nothing.
She frowned.
“Mom said blue book.”
I took it from her.
The cover felt unusually thick.
Daniel handed me a pocketknife.
I carefully separated the lining.
A small memory card fell into my palm.
Nobody spoke.
Twenty minutes later, we were back downstairs.
Daniel inserted it into an isolated computer.
Files appeared.
Audio recordings.
Bank statements.
Emails.
Videos.
Then Sophia appeared on the screen.
Alive.
My chest tightened.
She was sitting in this very office.
“If Marcus is watching this, something went wrong.”
I gripped the desk.
Daniel said nothing.
Sophia continued.
“Lorraine has been moving money through shell companies for years. Emily discovered it first.”
Grace covered her mouth.
“Lorraine threatened Emily and forced her away from us. I believed the lies until it was almost too late.”
Sophia looked directly into the camera.
“I haven’t confronted Lorraine because I don’t know who else is involved.”
A name appeared in one document.
Richard Hayes.
Daniel whispered, “Lorraine’s brother.”
I knew him.
Accountant.
Former financial adviser to my family.
Sophia continued.
“If I can prove Richard is involved, I’ll tell Marcus everything.”
The recording ended.
I stared at the black screen.
Grace whispered, “My mom was telling the truth.”
“Yes.”
Another video loaded automatically.
Sophia again.
This one was recorded days later.
“I know Richard is involved now.”
She held documents toward the camera.
“He and Lorraine have been taking money from multiple accounts. If anything happens to me, Marcus needs to know this wasn’t random.”
I stopped the video.
Daniel looked at me.
“You okay?”
“No.”
That was all I said.
I refused to turn Sophia’s death into speculation without evidence.
We had enough crimes in front of us already.
Theft.
Fraud.
Child neglect.
Threats.
Forgery.
Daniel’s phone rang.
He answered.
“Brooks.”
His expression hardened.
“When?”
He disconnected.
“Richard Hayes was the vehicle at the east gate.”
“Where is he now?”
“Gone.”
Lorraine’s voice came from behind us.
“Not gone.”
I turned.
She stood in the hallway with a guard.
Her confidence had vanished.
“He’ll come back.”
“Why?”
“Because he knows about the memory card.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“How?”
Lorraine looked at Grace.
“Because that child led him here.”
Grace went pale.
“I didn’t.”
Lorraine smiled.
“You’ve been watched for months.”
I stood between them.
“Enough.”
Lorraine looked at me.
“You still don’t understand.”
“Then explain it.”
“Richard doesn’t care about me anymore.”
“What does he care about?”
Her eyes moved toward the staircase.
My daughters were upstairs.
Daniel was already reaching for his radio.
Lorraine whispered:
May you like
“The only leverage you have left.”
---
