Chapter 6
The sound of sirens changed everything.
The men in the doorway froze.
Red and blue lights flashed through the windows.
Police vehicles surrounded the mansion.
The man holding the weapon lowered it.
Marcus whispered, “It's over.”
But I knew better.
People who had spent years hiding their crimes didn't surrender because a few sirens appeared.
I pushed Sophie behind me.
“Stay close.”
Police officers stormed into the study.
“Drop your weapon!”
The man obeyed.
Another officer entered.
Then another.
Within minutes, the men outside were being restrained.
I finally breathed.
But my relief lasted only seconds.
An officer approached me.
“Mr. Carter?”
“Yes.”
“I need you and your family to come with us.”
I nodded.
Then I remembered.
“My wife was held underground.”
The officer's face changed.
“Underground?”
I pointed.
“There's a concealed staircase beneath the foyer.”
Several officers followed me.
When they opened the hatch, they stared into the darkness.
One officer whispered, “How long was she down there?”
“Six days.”
The officer looked at Natalie.
She was wrapped in my jacket.
“Are you injured?”
“Nothing serious.”
She looked at me.
“I just want my daughter.”
I brought Sophie to her.
They hugged.
I stood there watching them.
For the first time in almost a week, my family was together.
Then an officer found something in the basement.
A camera.
Small.
Hidden inside the wall.
He removed it carefully.
My stomach turned.
“They were watching her.”
Natalie closed her eyes.
The officer looked at me.
“This could be important evidence.”
“It is.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“There are more.”
Everyone turned.
He pointed toward the ceiling.
“Cameras throughout the house.”
My blood ran cold.
The officer immediately called for another team.
Vanessa began crying.
“I didn't know about all of them.”
I looked at her.
“You knew enough.”
She lowered her head.
The investigation lasted for hours.
The evidence on Natalie's memory card matched the documents my father had hidden.
Bank transfers.
Fake invoices.
Secret accounts.
Messages.
Recordings.
Everything.
Marcus confessed to stealing the money.
Vanessa confessed to helping him hide it.
But there was one question nobody could answer.
Who had killed my father?
Vanessa maintained that his death was an accident.
Marcus insisted he hadn't been there.
Then the police found another recording.
My father had secretly installed a camera in his study.
The footage was damaged.
But the final minutes were clear enough.
My father was arguing with someone.
A woman.
Vanessa.
I watched the recording in silence.
My father pointed toward the door.
Vanessa stepped closer.
He turned away.
She grabbed his arm.
He pulled free.
She pushed him.
He fell.
Vanessa covered her mouth.
“I didn't mean to.”
I stared at the screen.
My father's final words were barely audible.
“Tell Owen the truth.”
The video ended.
Nobody spoke.
Vanessa broke down.
“I was scared.”
I looked at her.
“You were scared, so you took my father from me?”
“I panicked.”
“You had years to tell the truth.”
She cried harder.
“I know.”
I felt no satisfaction.
Only sadness.
The woman I had trusted had destroyed my family.
But at least the truth was finally outside the walls.
The police arrested Vanessa.
Marcus was arrested too.
As they led him away, he stopped beside me.
“I’m sorry.”
I looked at my brother.
“I don't know if I can forgive you.”
He nodded.
“I don't expect you to.”
Then he looked at Sophie.
“She deserves better than what we gave her.”
I pulled Sophie closer.
“Yes.”
The police took him away.
Natalie stood beside me.
She slipped her hand into mine.
“We're free.”
I looked at her.
“Are we?”
She squeezed my fingers.
“We will be.”
That night, we stayed in a hotel.
Sophie slept between us.
I barely slept at all.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the hatch opening.
I saw Natalie in the darkness.
I saw Vanessa holding the keys.
Then I heard a faint sound.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
I opened my eyes.
Sophie was asleep.
Natalie was asleep.
The sound came again.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
I sat up.
The hotel room was silent.
Then came two more knocks.
Tap.
May you like
Tap.
My blood froze.
