Chapter 13 - The Room Behind the Wall
Police secured Richard’s St. Louis house before anyone entered.
The place smelled exactly as Emma remembered: lemon cleaner, old wood, and something faintly metallic from the basement furnace.
She hated that smell.
Evelyn stopped in the hallway.
“I lived here.”
Emma took her hand. “So did I.”
They walked room by room while Ruiz and two detectives searched.
Nothing.
No trust papers. No medical files. No third cassette.
Then Evelyn stood in Emma’s old bedroom and stared at the closet.
“The wall.”
“What?”
“There was a wall.”
Samuel knocked along the paneling.
Most of it sounded solid.
One section did not.
A detective removed the trim. Behind it was a narrow hidden compartment.
Inside sat a black metal box.
Emma’s childhood birth certificate was on top.
Under it were court petitions, powers of attorney, bank transfers, and medical declarations stating Evelyn was permanently incompetent.
Every document gave Richard control.
Ruiz held up one sheet.
“This signature was notarized two weeks after Evelyn supposedly died.”
David swore softly.
Samuel found a ledger.
Transfers from the Johnson family trust had flowed into Richard’s businesses for years.
Emma looked at Evelyn. “He stole your life and your money.”
Evelyn shook her head slowly.
“He stole you.”
That hurt worse.
A detective opened a smaller envelope.
Inside was a copy of a life insurance policy on Emma.
Beneficiary: Richard Lane.
Effective date: six months earlier.
Emma went cold.
“I never signed this.”
Ruiz examined the signature.
“Then someone forged it.”
David stepped close to Emma. “Why take out insurance on you?”
No one answered.
From downstairs came a crash.
A detective shouted.
Ruiz drew her weapon.
Samuel moved toward the door.
May you like
Then smoke rolled up the staircase.
Someone had set the kitchen on fire.
