Chapter 6: The Boy in the Study
Ethan hid beneath Richard’s desk with his phone pressed against his chest.
Richard’s shoes stopped on the other side.
“Come out.”
Ethan did not move.
“I can hear that ridiculous watch beeping.”
Ethan switched off the screen.
Richard crouched and looked beneath the desk.
“There you are.”
Ethan scrambled toward the door, but Richard caught the back of his sweater.
“Give me the copy.”
“I don’t have it.”
“You took something from the c0ffin.”
“It was a piece of wood.”
Richard pulled him upright.
“Your mother teaches you to lie badly.”
“My mother taught me to tap three times when I needed her.”
Richard’s fingers tightened.
“She cannot hear you now.”
Ethan glanced at the smart speaker on the shelf.
A tiny blue light was glowing.
Richard followed his eyes and tore the cord from the wall.
“Who were you calling?”
“No one.”
A voice answered through Ethan’s watch.
“This is Agent Simone Grant.
Ethan, stay where you are.”
Richard ripped the watch from Ethan’s wrist and crushed it beneath his shoe.
“You think that frightened me?” he asked.
“It told them where we are.”
Richard dragged Ethan toward the wall safe.
“Your mother changed the access code.
You watched her open this.”
“I don’t know the code.”
“Yes, you do.”
Ethan stared at the keypad.
“Three, three, three.”
Richard entered the numbers.
The safe remained locked.
Ethan almost smiled.
Richard pulled a framed family photograph from the shelf and threw it across the room.
“She has filled your head with poison.”
“You put something in her tea.”
“She was going to ruin us.”
“She was going to expose you.”
Richard opened a desk drawer and removed a stack of bank statements.
He pushed them into the fireplace grate and struck a match.
Ethan kicked the grate shut before the paper caught.
“Those belong to Mom.”
Richard seized his shoulders.
“Nothing belongs to her anymore.”
The front door slammed downstairs.
“Ethan!” Claire shouted.
His head lifted.
“Mom!”
Richard covered Ethan’s mouth and pulled him toward the rear stairs.
Claire entered the study with Nora, Mara, Mercer, and Agent Grant behind her.
The overturned photograph lay beside the desk.
Claire picked it up and saw the back had been cut open.
“Mara,” she said, “look.”
A small memory card had been taped behind the photograph.
Mara lifted it carefully with a tissue.
Richard’s voice came from the hall.
“That card proves nothing.”
He stood at the bottom of the stairs with one arm around Ethan.
A car key was clenched in his other hand.
Claire took one step forward.
“Let him go.”
“Give me the blue envelope.”
“You get Ethan first.”
Richard laughed.
“You are in no position to negotiate.”
Agent Grant showed her badge.
“Richard Parker, release the child and place your hands where I can see them.”
“Harlan said the federal inquiry was closed.”
“Harlan lied.”
Richard backed toward the garage.
“Claire, tell them this is a family misunderstanding.”
“You put me in a c0ffin.”
“You were leaving with my money.”
“It was my father’s trust.”
“I managed it for eleven years.”
“You st0le from it for nine.”
Richard pushed open the garage door.
“One more step and Ethan comes with me.”
Claire stopped.
Her hands shook at her sides.
Ethan looked at her.
“Mom, don’t give him the envelope.”
Richard tightened his arm.
“Be quiet.”
Claire’s voice cracked.
“Richard, you wanted me.
This is between us.”
“No,” Ethan said.
“It became about me when he made me think you were g*ne.”
Mara placed the memory card in Agent Grant’s palm.
“This may contain the office camera footage.”
Richard’s face changed.
“There was no camera in the study.”
Claire looked toward the smart speaker.
“There was after six hundred thousand dollars disappeared.”
Richard shoved Ethan into the passenger seat and locked the door.
Agent Grant moved forward, but Richard held up a small remote.
“The garage door is wired to the security system,” he said.
“Follow me, and the recordings are erased.”
Mercer reached into his pocket.
Richard pointed at him.
“Do it, Doctor, and Lily loses everything.”
Mercer slowly lifted both hands.
“Lily already knows what I did.”
“You told her?”
“She told me she would rather lose the surgery than let me help you again.”
For one second, Richard stood perfectly still.
Then he jumped behind the wheel.
The car shot backward through the opening before Agent Grant could block it.
Claire ran into the driveway.
“Ethan!”
The car vanished around the corner.
Claire’s phone rang.
May you like
Richard’s voice came through the speaker.
“Bring the blue envelope to the old Parker cabin—or the next three taps you hear will be Ethan saying goodbye.”
