Chapter 5 - THE KEY ON LAURA’S CHAINBy two in the morning, the rain had weakened.
Daniel returned to Blackwood Ranch accompanied by Deputy Marcus Hale and another officer.
Claire was waiting on the front porch.
She had changed clothes.
Her hair was dry.
Her expression was composed.
If Daniel hadn’t seen Ethan’s fear, he might have believed nothing unusual had happened.
“Where is Ethan?” Claire demanded.
“Safe.”
“You took my stepson without telling me where.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“Mrs. Mercer, we need to ask you some questions.”
Claire looked at Daniel.
“You called the police on me?”
Daniel didn’t answer.
Her eyes flicked toward the metal box under his arm.
“I told you that thing is probably worthless.”
Daniel stared at her.
“You seemed interested in it earlier.”
“I was worried Ethan had stolen something dangerous.”
“From behind a wall?”
Claire’s face tightened.
Marcus noticed.
“Mrs. Mercer, who was the man here tonight?”
“No one.”
Daniel laughed once without humor.
“My son saw him.”
“Your son is six and terrified of storms.”
Marcus said, “We have tire tracks and Daniel saw a vehicle leaving.”
Claire folded her arms.
“A contractor stopped by.”
“At midnight?”
“He was checking storm damage.”
“What’s his name?”
Claire hesitated.
Daniel already knew the answer.
“Victor Shaw.”
Claire looked at him.
Marcus watched her carefully.
“You know Mr. Shaw?”
“Barely.”
“Ethan says you called him Vic.”
Claire’s composure slipped.
Only for a second.
Marcus saw that too.
While the deputy continued questioning her, Daniel went upstairs to his bedroom.
Laura’s possessions remained in a small locked drawer Claire rarely touched.
At least Daniel hoped she rarely touched them.
He opened it.
Laura’s wedding ring lay inside.
Beside it was the necklace.
And hanging from the chain was the tiny brass key.
Daniel picked it up.
His hands shook.
He remembered asking Laura about it once.
“What’s this open?”
“A secret.”
She had smiled.
“What kind of secret?”
“The kind I’ll tell you when I’m ready.”
Daniel had forgotten the conversation.
Now every word returned.
He brought the key downstairs.
Claire saw it.
Her face went colorless.
That was all Daniel needed.
“You know what this opens.”
“No.”
“You’re lying.”
“Daniel—”
“You recognized it.”
Marcus stepped between them.
“Everyone stay calm.”
Daniel placed the box on the dining table.
Marcus photographed it before Daniel inserted the key.
It fit.
The lock clicked.
No one spoke.
Daniel opened the lid.
Inside were several objects wrapped in plastic.
A USB drive.
A folded handwritten letter.
Photographs.
An old voice recorder.
A brown ledger book.
And a tiny silver horse charm.
Daniel recognized the charm immediately.
Laura had worn it on her bracelet.
He picked up the letter.
Written across the front:
DANIEL — IF I DON’T GET THE CHANCE TO EXPLAIN.
Claire moved suddenly.
Marcus blocked her.
“Don’t.”
“I’m his wife.”
“Then stay where you are.”
Daniel unfolded the letter.
The handwriting was unmistakably Laura’s.
Daniel,
If you are reading this, then either I finally found the courage to tell you everything, or something happened before I could.
I’m sorry I kept this from you.
Your father’s ranch is not what you think it is.
Daniel stopped.
His father?
Thomas Mercer had died five years before Laura.
Blackwood Ranch had belonged to the Mercer family for generations.
Daniel continued.
For the last year, I have been reviewing financial records from the ranch foundation. Money is disappearing. Land deals are being hidden. Someone has been forging your signature.
Daniel looked toward Claire.
She stood completely still.
The letter continued.
I confronted Victor Shaw because his name appears on several transfers.
He told me to stop asking questions.
I didn’t.
There is something else.
Claire Beaumont is involved.
Daniel felt the room tilt.
Claire had used her maiden name when Laura was alive.
Daniel had not met her, at least not officially, until more than a year after Laura’s death.
He read the line again.
Claire Beaumont is involved.
Daniel lifted his eyes.
Claire was staring at the floor.
“You knew Laura.”
Claire said nothing.
“YOU KNEW LAURA.”
Marcus put a hand on Daniel’s shoulder.
“Daniel.”
Claire finally spoke.
“Yes.”
The word changed everything.
Daniel stepped toward her.
“You told me you’d never met her.”
“I lied.”
“Why?”
Claire looked at the box.
“Because Laura hated me.”
“She wrote that you were involved in stealing from my family.”
“That’s not what happened.”
“Then tell me.”
Claire’s expression hardened.
“Your precious Laura wasn’t as innocent as you think.”
Daniel nearly moved toward her again.
Marcus stopped him.
“Enough.”
Daniel returned to the letter.
Laura wrote that she had hidden copies of everything.
She trusted Atlas because nobody except her handled the rear wall of his stall.
Then came the final paragraph.
Daniel, if anyone tells you my concerns are paranoia, don’t believe them.
If something happens to me, look at the road camera from the north gate.
And please protect Ethan.
I think someone has been watching us.
Daniel stopped reading.
His hands trembled.
The road camera.
The north gate camera had been destroyed the night Laura died.
Police had blamed lightning.
Marcus looked at him.
“What does it say?”
Daniel handed him the letter.
Claire stepped backward.
Marcus read silently.
Then he looked at her.
“Mrs. Mercer, I think you should come with us.”
Claire’s eyes flashed.
“For what?”
“For further questioning.”
“You can’t arrest me because a dead woman wrote my name.”
“No,” Marcus said. “But I can ask why you lied about knowing her, why Victor Shaw was here tonight, and why a six-year-old says you threatened him.”
Claire looked at Daniel.
“You’re making a mistake.”
Daniel stared at her.
“No.”
He looked at Laura’s box.
“My mistake was trusting you.”
As Marcus led Claire outside, Daniel noticed one photograph inside the box.
He picked it up.
Laura stood beside Atlas.
Behind her were two people near the north gate.
Victor Shaw.
And Claire.
The date printed at the bottom was six days before Laura died.
But that wasn’t the most disturbing part.
Claire was holding a set of keys.
May you like
Daniel recognized the key ring.
It belonged to Laura’s car.
