Chapter 6 - Somebody Else Was in Ethan’s Room
By sunrise, Sterling Estate looked like a crime scene.
Because it was one.
Police tape stretched across the west hallway.
Detectives moved through Ethan’s old bedroom wearing gloves.
Sarah stood in the doorway.
Nothing had changed since the last time she had been allowed inside.
And yet everything had.
Ethan’s college photograph still sat beside the window.
His baseball glove remained on the shelf.
His father’s music box lay broken on the carpet.
Sarah picked up one wooden piece.
“He loved this thing.”
Julian crouched beside her.
“I remember.”
“You remember a lot.”
He heard the accusation.
“I deserve that.”
Sarah stood.
“You supported Victoria.”
“Yes.”
“You testified that Leo seemed safe with her.”
“Yes.”
“You stopped answering my calls.”
Julian looked at the floor.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Victoria showed me bank records proving you stole from Ethan.”
“They were fake.”
“I know that now.”
“That didn’t help me then.”
“No.”
Julian faced her.
“And I will spend the rest of my life knowing that.”
Sarah wanted to hate him.
Part of her did.
Then Detective Reyes called from the hall.
“We found something.”
A black fiber clung to a broken window latch.
Reyes held it inside an evidence bag.
“Someone came through the side window.”
Julian frowned.
“Victoria doesn’t climb through windows.”
“No.”
Reyes pointed outside.
“A security camera caught a man entering the property at 1:43 a.m.”
“Face?”
“Covered.”
“Car?”
“Stolen.”
Sarah looked toward the empty music box.
“So somebody is cleaning up.”
Reyes nodded.
“And that means whatever Ethan recorded still matters.”
Sarah’s phone rang.
It was Elena, Julian’s sister.
She was watching Leo.
Sarah answered immediately.
“Is Leo okay?”
“He’s fine, but he won’t sleep.”
“Put him on.”
A second later Leo’s voice came through.
“Mommy?”
“Hey, baby.”
“Are you coming back?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Soon.”
A pause.
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Okay.”
Sarah heard him breathing.
Then Leo said,
“I have Daddy’s key.”
Sarah froze.
“What?”
“The little silver one.”
Julian moved closer.
“What silver key?”
Leo continued.
“Grandma was looking for it before the party.”
Sarah gripped the phone.
“Where did you find it?”
“In the elephant.”
“What elephant?”
“My stuffed elephant.”
Sarah remembered it.
Ethan had bought that toy on Leo’s second birthday.
“Why was a key inside it?”
Leo lowered his voice.
“Daddy put it there.”
Sarah’s heart slammed against her ribs.
“Leo, you were two when Daddy died.”
“I know.”
“You remember that?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know?”
“Because Daddy made a video.”
Sarah looked at Julian.
“What video?”
“Grandma had it on her tablet.”
“When?”
“Last month.”
“Why were you watching it?”
“I wasn’t.”
Leo hesitated.
“Grandma was.”
Sarah felt cold.
“What did Daddy say?”
“He said, ‘Leo, if Mommy ever needs the truth, give her the silver key.’”
Nobody spoke.
Then Leo added,
“I put it in my tuxedo pocket.”
Sarah closed her eyes.
The tuxedo was still at Elena’s house.
“Do not touch it.”
“Okay.”
Julian grabbed his keys.
“We’re going now.”
Detective Reyes stopped him.
“Hold on.”
Sarah turned.
“What?”
Reyes held up another evidence bag.
Inside was a tiny brass plate broken from the bottom of the music box.
Three numbers were engraved into it.
214.
Sarah pulled Ethan’s brass key from her pocket.
The same number.
Reyes looked between the two keys.
May you like
“Whatever Ethan hid, you need both of them to find it.”
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