Chapter 3 - THE PHOTOGRAPH
Sebastian didn’t sleep.
At two in the morning, Lily was curled beside him on the couch, still wearing her birthday pajamas.
He kept staring at the brass key.
Mara Mercer.
Eleven years ago.
He searched the name online.
The first result stopped him.
MARA MERCER, 32, KILLED IN HIGHWAY ACCIDENT.
The picture showed a smiling brunette with bright eyes.
The article said she had been an investigative journalist.
Sebastian kept reading.
Three weeks before her death, Mara had published a short piece questioning safety records connected to Bellweather Apartments.
Bellweather.
Sebastian knew that name.
His father’s company had renovated the building.
Sebastian felt his stomach tighten.
His phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
Sebastian opened it.
Claire.
Eleven years younger.
Standing beside Mara Mercer.
Across the bottom of the image, someone had typed:
YOUR SISTER KNOWS WHY SHE DIED.
Sebastian immediately called Claire.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
On the third call, her phone went straight to voicemail.
“Damn it.”
Lily stirred.
“Dad?”
He quickly locked the screen.
“I’m here.”
“Is Aunt Claire mad at me?”
Sebastian’s chest tightened.
“No, sweetheart.”
“She said I wasn’t supposed to touch the pink box.”
“What pink box?”
“The present she brought.”
Sebastian looked toward the mountain of gifts near the fireplace.
“What did it look like?”
“Silver ribbon.”
He found it beneath two stuffed animals.
Inside was a wooden music box.
A tiny ballerina stood inside.
Nothing unusual.
Then Sebastian turned it over.
One screw was missing.
He opened the bottom panel with a kitchen knife.
A folded piece of paper fell out.
One address.
Grand Central Storage.
Locker 317.
Sebastian grabbed his phone.
His home security alert flashed.
MOTION DETECTED - BACK DOOR.
He stood slowly.
The house was silent.
“Lily,” he whispered. “Go upstairs.”
“But—”
“Now.”
She saw his face and obeyed.
Sebastian took the fireplace poker and walked toward the kitchen.
The back door was open.
Cold air moved through the room.
Someone had entered.
He checked the hallway.
Nothing.
Then he saw muddy footprints.
They led directly toward the living room.
Toward Lily’s presents.
The music box was gone.
Sebastian ran outside.
A black SUV was pulling away.
He sprinted into the street.
“HEY!”
The vehicle accelerated.
Sebastian caught only part of the license plate.
7KX.
Then his phone rang.
Claire.
He answered immediately.
“Where are you?”
Her breathing was ragged.
“Sebastian, listen carefully.”
“Someone just broke into my house.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“Because they came to me first.”
He heard something crash on her end.
“Claire?”
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“The key under the cake isn’t for the storage locker.”
Sebastian froze.
“Then what is it for?”
A man shouted in the background.
Claire gasped.
May you like
Then she said the last words Sebastian expected.
“It opens Dad’s grave.”
