Chapter 3 - The Blue Room
Alexander's study had been locked all evening.
Only three people carried keys.
Alexander.
Owen.
And Vanessa.
"Mine is in my purse," Vanessa said immediately.
Owen looked at Alexander. "We should check."
"Do it."
The key was there.
That only made the room quieter.
Ethan tugged Maria's sleeve.
"Blue room," he whispered again.
Alexander looked down. "Show me."
Vanessa stepped forward. "No. He needs bed. This is getting ridiculous."
Alexander's eyes cut to her.
"You don't give orders about my son anymore."
For the first time, Vanessa looked wounded instead of angry.
"After everything I've done for him?"
Ethan flinched.
Maria saw it.
So did Alexander.
Ethan stopped in front of a built-in bookcase.
"Here."
Alexander frowned. "This has been here since I bought the house."
Ethan reached behind a lower shelf and pressed a brass catch.
The bookcase shifted.
Mrs. Bell gasped.
Behind it was a narrow door painted blue.
Alexander stared at it.
"Who showed you this?"
Ethan looked at Maria, then at his father.
"Mommy."
Alexander's hand tightened on the doorframe.
Julia had designed the renovation herself.
Four years ago.
Before the crash.
He pushed the door open.
The room smelled like cedar and dust.
Inside were boxes, an old desk, framed photographs, and a wall safe.
Maria moved toward a stack of children's drawings.
Ethan pointed at one.
It showed three stick figures: Mommy, Ethan, and Daddy.
A fourth figure stood by a black car.
The face was scribbled out in red.
Alexander crouched beside the picture.
"Who is that?"
Ethan whispered, "The lady Mommy was scared of."
Vanessa had stopped in the doorway.
Maria turned.
Vanessa was staring not at the drawing, but at the wall safe.
Alexander saw that too.
"You knew this room existed."
Vanessa said nothing.
Then a tiny green light on the safe blinked.
Once.
Twice.
May you like
Owen looked closer.
"Someone just tried to open it remotely."
