Chapter 7: The Sister at the Door
Maya stood at the top of the basement stairs with one hand wrapped around the old brass key.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Not me.
Not Mr. Collins.
Not even Sophie.
The only sound was the faint hum of the basement light flickering above us.
My sister looked exactly the way she had looked at the funeral.
Black dress.
Tired eyes.
A face full of sadness.
Except now I saw something I hadn’t noticed before.
She wasn’t surprised.
She wasn’t confused.
She looked like she knew exactly what she had walked into.
“Maya…”
My voice came out smaller than I expected.
She swallowed.
“Lena.””
The way she said my name hurt more than anger would have.
Because it sounded like she had been caught.
Mr. Collins stepped forward.
“How did you get that key?””
Maya’s eyes moved toward him.
And for the first time, I saw two people who had spent years pretending they trusted each other.
Neither of them looked surprised to see the other.
“I could ask you the same question,” Maya replied.
My heart sank.
“You two know about this?””
Neither answered.
I looked between them.
“What is happening?””
Maya slowly walked down the stairs.
“Maya,” I warned.
She stopped.
“I came here because I knew you would find this room eventually.””
The words made my skin crawl.
“You knew?””
She looked at the recorder on the table.
“Yes.””
“Since when?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Since before David died.””
The basement felt colder.
I took a step back.
“You knew David was investigating something?””
“Yes.””
“You knew he was afraid?””
“Yes.””
“You knew he left messages?””
She closed her eyes.
“Yes.””
Every answer felt like another crack forming in my world.
“How could you?””
My voice broke.
“How could you sit beside me while I buried my husband and not tell me?””
Maya looked down.
“Because David made me promise.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
I pointed around the basement.
“Everyone keeps telling me they were protecting me.””
My fingers tightened.
“But nobody asked me if I wanted to know the truth.””
Maya looked at Sophie.
Her expression softened.
“I was trying to protect you both.””
Sophie immediately stepped closer to me.
“Mommy…”
I wrapped my arm around her.
“Stay behind me.””
Maya flinched.
The reaction hurt.
Because my sister had always been the person I trusted.
She was the person who held Sophie after she was born.
The person who helped decorate the nursery.
The person who cried when David proposed.
And now she was standing in the secret room my husband hid from me.
“I need answers,” I said.
Maya nodded.
“I know.””
“Then start talking.””
She looked at Mr. Collins.
“Tell her.””
Mr. Collins’ jaw tightened.
“No.””
Maya stared at him.
“You owe her the truth.””
“And you don’t?””
The room went silent.
I looked at Maya.
“What does he mean?””
She looked away.
That was enough.
“Maya.””
She whispered:
“I made mistakes.””
“What kind of mistakes?””
She didn’t answer.
I stepped closer.
“What did you do?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I helped David investigate.””
“That’s not an answer.””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“It’s not.””
She looked at the recorder.
“David found financial records. Missing money. Fake documents. Things connected to his company.””
I stared.
“What does that have to do with our family?””
Maya hesitated.
Then:
“Because the person moving the money used someone’s identity.””
A terrible feeling moved through me.
“Whose?””
Maya looked at me.
“Yours.””
The word landed like a slap.
“What?””
“I didn’t know at first.””
“You’re saying someone used my identity?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Maya looked toward the basement door.
The same door from Sophie’s drawing.
The same door David warned her about.
“I don’t know.””
I shook my head.
“No. Someone knows.””
Maya nodded.
“You’re right.””
“Then tell me.””
She stepped closer.
“David found out the person behind it had access to everything.””
“Everything?””
“Your house. Your accounts. Your schedules.””
My stomach turned.
“That’s impossible.””
Maya’s voice became quiet.
“Lena…”
She looked at me.
“You weren’t the only person David didn’t trust.””
Before I could answer, my phone buzzed.
A message.
Unknown number.
I opened it.
One sentence.
LEAVE THE BASEMENT BEFORE SHE FINISHES LYING.
My blood froze.
I looked up.
Everyone was staring at me.
“What?””
Maya asked.
I turned the phone around.
Mr. Collins read it.
His face changed.
Maya stepped back.
Because she recognized something.
Not the message.
The number.
“You know who sent this.””
It wasn’t a question.
Maya looked terrified.
“Lena…”
“Who is it?””
She didn’t answer.
“Who?””
Her voice dropped.
“The person David was trying to expose.””
A sudden crash came from upstairs.
Everyone froze.
The front door.
Opening.
Someone was inside the house.
May you like
Mr. Collins looked toward the stairs.
“We’re not alone.””
