Chapter 3 - The Empty Drawer
By sunrise, Daniel had given Detective Ortiz permission to enter the house.
Olivia refused to go with them.
"I have nothing to hide," she said. "But I'm staying near the hospital."
Margaret had been living with them for six months while recovering from knee surgery. Her bedroom was at the end of the upstairs hall, ten feet from where Ethan had been standing.
The bottom drawer hung crooked.
"Mom kept legal papers in here," he said.
Ortiz wore gloves. "What kind?"
"House documents. Dad's estate records. Insurance. I don't know. She handled all of it after he died."
The drawer was nearly empty.
Only a torn manila envelope remained.
DANIEL--READ BEFORE SIGNING ANYTHING.
His stomach tightened.
Ortiz found a second scrap under the desk. On it were four words.
POWER OF ATTORNEY - REVOKE.
"Did you sign a power of attorney?" she asked.
"No."
"Your mother?"
"Maybe years ago. Not recently."
They searched the room. No papers. No laptop. No phone.
Then Daniel noticed Margaret's charger plugged into the wall.
"Her phone's missing."
Ortiz looked at him. "Was it on her when she fell?"
"No. The paramedics gave me her jewelry and glasses. No phone."
A floorboard creaked in the hallway.
Daniel turned.
Olivia stood in the doorway.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded.
"I live here."
"You said you were staying at the hospital."
Her eyes flicked to the open drawer.
Ortiz saw it.
"Mrs. Mercer, did you remove anything from this room?"
"No."
"Where is Margaret's phone?"
"How would I know?"
Daniel stepped toward her. "Where are the papers?"
Olivia's expression shifted from fear to contempt.
"Ask your mother. She's the one who liked keeping secrets."
Then Ethan's voice came from Daniel's phone. Rachel had called, and somehow the speaker had turned on.
"Dad?"
Daniel picked it up. "I'm here, buddy."
Ethan was crying.
"I forgot something."
"What?"
"After Mom pushed Grandma... she went in Grandma's room."
Olivia closed her eyes.
May you like
Ethan sniffed.
"And she took the red folder."
