Chapter 8: The Estate of Lies
The Morgan estate sat forty minutes outside town.
I had never been there.
Thomas never took me.
Whenever I asked about his family’s old property, he changed the subject.
I thought it was because he hated the past.
Now I wondered if he was afraid of it.
The road became narrower as we drove.
Trees covered both sides.
The old house appeared at the end of a long driveway.
Large.
Empty.
Forgotten.
Except for one thing.
The lights were on.
Daniel parked.
I stared at the building.
“She’s inside.””
He nodded.
“We call backup.””
“No.””
“Elena.””
“If Diane sees police, she might panic.””
Daniel looked at me.
“She already took your daughter.””
“And I’m not giving her a reason to hurt her.””
He didn’t argue.
Because he knew I was right.
We walked inside.
The front door was unlocked.
That terrified me more than if it had been locked.
Diane wanted us here.
The entrance smelled like dust and old wood.
A house frozen in time.
On the wall were family portraits.
Thomas as a child.
Thomas with his father.
Thomas standing beside—
I stopped.
Diane.
Young.
Smiling.
My mother was in the Morgan family photos.
I turned toward Daniel.
“She was part of this family.””
He nodded.
“Yes.””
“Why didn’t Thomas tell me?””
“Because he was ashamed.””
“Of her?””
“Of himself.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because Thomas believed he should have seen what she was doing.””
A sound echoed upstairs.
A child crying.
“Maya.””
I ran.
Daniel grabbed my arm.
“Wait.””
“No.””
I pulled away.
I climbed the stairs.
“Maya!””
The crying stopped.
Then Diane appeared at the end of the hallway.
Holding Maya.
My daughter looked terrified.
But alive.
I nearly collapsed.
“Give her to me.””
Diane looked at me.
“You came alone.””
“Yes.””
“That was smart.””
“Give her to me.””
Diane smiled sadly.
“You sound like Thomas.””
“Stop saying his name.””
“You loved him because he was kind.””
She looked down at Maya.
“But you never knew what he was capable of.””
I stepped closer.
“What did he do?””
Diane walked into an old bedroom.
I followed.
The room was filled with boxes.
Documents.
Photos.
Old files.
“This was where Thomas kept everything.””
“Everything?””
“The truth.””
I looked at Maya.
“Put her down.””
Diane shook her head.
“No.””
My heart stopped.
“No?””
“She is the only reason you’re here.””
“You’re insane.””
“No.””
Her voice became sharp.
“I’m the only person who understands what happened.””
Daniel entered behind me.
“Diane, this ends now.””
She looked at him.
“You still defend him.””
“I defend Elena.””
Diane laughed.
“You always did prefer innocent victims.””
Daniel’s face changed.
“What does that mean?””
She looked at him.
“You know exactly what happened the night Thomas died.””
My heart froze.
I turned.
“Daniel?””
He said nothing.
“Daniel.””
Diane smiled.
“There it is.””
I looked between them.
“What aren’t you telling me?””
Daniel finally spoke.
“Elena…”
“No.””
I stepped back.
“Not another secret.””
Diane placed Maya in the crib beside the bed.
Then she walked toward a box.
She pulled out a folder.
“This is why Thomas died.””
She handed it to me.
Inside were photographs.
Bank records.
Messages.
And one document.
A confession.
Signed by Daniel Cho.
My hands went numb.
“What is this?””
Diane smiled.
“Ask your lawyer.””
I looked at Daniel.
His face was destroyed.
Not angry.
Not afraid.
Guilty.
“What did you do?””
Daniel whispered:
“I made a mistake.””
The room felt smaller.
“What mistake?””
He looked at the document.
“I helped Thomas hide something.””
“What?””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“His real reason for investigating Diane.””
I waited.
Then he said:
“Thomas wasn’t trying to expose her.””
My stomach tightened.
“He was trying to protect her.””
I stared.
“What?””
Daniel looked at Maya.
“He discovered Diane wasn’t the beginning of the problem.””
A chill ran through me.
“Then who was?””
Before Daniel could answer, the lights went out.
Diane disappeared.
And when the emergency lights came on…
May you like
Maya was gone.
Again.
