Chapter 5: The Blue Box
The police officer closed the front door behind him.
“Everyone stays where they are.””
Daniel raised both hands.
“Officer, you need to understand. My father didn't attack my wife.””
The officer looked at Harrison's red cheek.
“Then who did?””
Daniel glanced toward the upstairs hallway.
“We have security footage.””
“Where?””
“My phone.””
The officer held out his hand.
“Let me see it.””
Daniel handed over the phone.
The officer watched the recording.
His expression changed.
He rewound it.
Watched again.
Mia stood near the table, trembling.
The officer looked at her.
“Ma'am, is this you?””
“Yes.””
“Did Mr. Harrison touch you?””
Mia opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Daniel stared at her.
“Mia?””
She lowered her head.
“No.””
The officer looked at Harrison.
“Then why did you call the police?””
“I didn't.””
“I didn't ask you.””
The officer turned back to Mia.
“Did you call us?””
“No.””
The officer frowned.
“Someone called from your phone.””
Victor stepped forward.
“Officer, whoever did this is still in the house.””
The officer's hand moved toward his radio.
“Sir, who are you?””
“Victor Hale.””
“Relationship to the family?””
“Attorney.””
“Which family member?””
“Margaret Harrison.””
The officer paused.
“She's deceased.””
“Yes.””
“For six years.””
“Yes.””
The officer looked suspicious.
“Then why are you here?””
Victor didn't answer immediately.
Harrison did.
“He was my wife's attorney.””
The officer looked at him.
“Can you prove that?””
Victor reached for his briefcase.
The officer immediately drew his weapon.
“Slowly.””
Victor stopped.
“I'm only getting paperwork.””
“Use two fingers.””
Victor opened the briefcase.
He pulled out a business card and an old legal document.
The officer examined both.
Then he lowered his weapon slightly.
“You said someone is still inside.””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
“Upstairs.””
“Did you see them?””
“Yes.””
The officer looked around.
“How many people are in this house?””
Daniel answered.
“Six adults. Two children.””
The officer counted.
“Seven.””
Everyone turned.
Harrison looked around.
Daniel.
Sarah.
Mark.
Elaine.
Mia.
Victor.
And himself.
Seven.
The officer frowned.
“That's seven.””
Daniel said,
“And my daughters are upstairs.””
The officer's expression hardened.
“Get them downstairs.””
Daniel ran toward the stairs.
“Emily! Lily!””
Two frightened girls appeared on the landing.
“Dad?””
“Come down.””
They hurried down.
The officer counted again.
Nine.
“Now we're all accounted for.””
Harrison looked toward the second floor.
Except for the masked man.
The officer called for backup.
While they waited, Daniel walked to Mia.
“Why didn't you tell the officer the truth?””
Mia looked at him.
“I did.””
“You said someone called from your phone.””
“That doesn't mean I did.””
“Then who did?””
“I don't know.””
Daniel's voice broke.
“Mia, stop.””
She looked away.
Harrison noticed her eyes moving toward the stairs.
Then toward Victor.
Then toward the locked study.
He knew that look.
She was deciding whether to run.
“Mia,” he said.
She turned.
“Where is the blue box?””
Her face went still.
“I don't know.””
“You told us you knew.””
“I meant I knew about it.””
“Where is it?””
“I don't know.””
Harrison stared at her.
Victor interrupted.
“It's upstairs.””
Mia looked at him sharply.
“How do you know?””
“Because I put it there.””
Harrison's eyes narrowed.
“You?””
Victor nodded.
“Margaret gave it to me the night before she died.””
“You told me you never had it.””
“I lied.””
Daniel stared at him.
“You lied about my mother's evidence?””
Victor looked exhausted.
“I was trying to keep you alive.””
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“My mother is dead.””
“And whoever killed her knows that you are looking into it.””
The officer returned.
“Backup is on the way.””
Harrison looked at him.
“Officer, I need to tell you something.””
The officer waited.
“My wife may have been murdered.””
Mia closed her eyes.
The officer looked at Victor.
“Is that what the blue box contains?””
“A recording.””
“Of what?””
Victor glanced at Mia.
“Her final night.””
The officer's face hardened.
“Then let's get it.””
Victor shook his head.
“Not yet.””
“Why?””
“Because the person who put it upstairs wants us to open it.””
The officer stared at him.
“And you think that's dangerous?””
“I know it is.””
Harrison stepped forward.
“Then what do you suggest?””
Victor looked at the security monitor.
“We access the footage remotely.””
Daniel pulled up the camera feed.
The upstairs hallway was empty.
The blue box sat on the floor.
Victor pointed.
“Zoom in.””
Daniel did.
A thin wire ran from beneath the box.
Harrison leaned closer.
“Is that—”
“Trip wire,” Victor said.
The officer immediately moved everyone away.
“Could be an explosive.””
Mia began crying.
“Why would anyone do this?””
Harrison looked at her.
“Because they don't want the box opened.””
The officer called the bomb squad.
Minutes passed.
The family stood in silence.
Then Harrison noticed something.
The blue box had a small silver clasp.
There was writing scratched into the wood.
Three words.
*For my son.*
Daniel saw it too.
His face crumpled.
“That's Mom's handwriting.””
Harrison nodded.
The officer looked at Victor.
“You said Margaret gave you this.””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you give it to her son six years ago?””
Victor's face tightened.
“Because she told me not to.””
“What changed?””
Victor looked at Harrison.
“Mia.””
Mia looked up.
“What about me?””
“Margaret told me that if you ever accused Harrison of harming you, I was to bring the box out.””
Daniel stared.
“Why?””
Victor answered quietly.
“Because Margaret knew you would finally believe something was wrong.””
Mia shook her head.
“You're lying.””
Victor looked at her.
“No.””
“Yes, you are!””
She suddenly rushed toward him.
Daniel caught her.
“Mia!””
“Let me go!””
“You're not going anywhere.””
She struggled.
“Daniel, please!””
“What are you afraid of?””
She stopped.
Her breathing became ragged.
Then she whispered,
“The recording doesn't prove what you think.””
Harrison looked at her.
“What does it prove?””
Mia stared at the floor.
“That your mother knew me.””
“You already said that.””
“No.””
She looked up.
“That isn't what I mean.””
Everyone waited.
Mia's voice cracked.
“She knew who I really was.””
Daniel's face tightened.
“What does that mean?””
Mia began crying.
“I wasn't supposed to marry you.””
Daniel released her.
“What?””
“I was sent to you.””
The room went silent.
Harrison felt as though the floor had shifted beneath him.
“By whom?””
Mia looked toward Victor.
Victor said nothing.
Daniel whispered,
“Who sent you?””
Mia covered her face.
“I don't know his real name.””
“Then what do you call him?””
She lowered her hands.
“Mr. Black.””
Harrison's heart stopped.
He had heard that name before.
Six years ago.
On the night Margaret died.
She had whispered it through cracked lips.
Harrison had thought she was delirious.
Now he realized she hadn't been.
The police officer noticed Harrison's reaction.
“Mr. Harrison?””
Harrison slowly nodded.
“I've heard that name.””
Victor's eyes widened.
“When?””
“The night my wife died.””
Mia stared at him.
“What did she say?””
Harrison looked at her.
“She said…”
He paused.
“‘Don't trust the person who comes after me.’”
Mia began shaking.
“That wasn't what she said.””
Harrison frowned.
“What?””
Mia's lips trembled.
“Those weren't her last words.””
“Then what were they?””
Mia looked toward the upstairs camera.
“She said, ‘Don't trust the person who comes after me.’”
Harrison nodded.
“Yes.””
Mia whispered,
“Then she said one more thing.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“What?””
Mia looked directly at Harrison.
“She said, ‘Your son is next.’”
Daniel froze.
The room went silent.
Then the lights came back on.
All of them.
Every bulb.
Every lamp.
Every hallway light.
The security monitor flickered.
A new video appeared on the screen.
Not the upstairs hallway.
A bedroom.
Margaret's bedroom.
Six years earlier.
Harrison stared.
“That's impossible.””
Victor went pale.
“That camera was never connected to the system.””
The video began to play.
Margaret was sitting on the edge of her bed.
Her face was bruised.
She looked directly into the camera.
And behind her stood a woman.
A much younger Mia.
Daniel's knees nearly gave way.
“That's my wife.””
Harrison stared at the screen.
Margaret slowly turned toward Mia.
Then she said something.
The audio was faint.
But clear enough.
“Promise me you won't marry my son.””
The video stopped.
Nobody breathed.
Then another clip began automatically.
Mia was crying.
Margaret was holding a small blue box.
She placed it into Mia's hands.
And whispered,
“If you betray him, he'll die.””
Mia on the screen nodded.
“I understand.””
Daniel slowly turned toward his wife.
“You knew.””
Mia's face collapsed.
“I was trying to protect you.””
“You knew.””
“I was trying to get away.””
“From who?””
Mia sobbed.
“From the man who sent me.””
The officer looked at Victor.
“Who?””
Victor stared at the screen.
Then his phone rang.
Everyone jumped.
Victor looked at the number.
No caller ID.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A distorted voice came through.
“Victor.””
Victor's face went white.
The voice continued.
“You should have stayed dead.””
The call ended.
Harrison looked at him.
“Who was that?””
Victor slowly lowered the phone.
Then he looked at Harrison.
May you like
And whispered,
“Margaret's murderer.””
