Chapter 8 - THE LAKE HOUSE
Ethan made the decision before Daniel finished objecting.
They were going to the lake house.
Claire had died there six years earlier.
Ethan had never returned.
The property sat nearly two hours north, hidden behind dense woods and a private road.
Daniel drove a separate car.
Ethan kept Sophie with him.
Celeste rode in the back.
No one spoke for nearly thirty minutes.
Finally Sophie asked, “Was Mommy scared?”
Ethan glanced at her in the mirror.
“I think she was trying very hard to protect us.”
“Did Richard hurt her?”
Ethan’s chest tightened.
“I don’t know.”
He refused to lie to her.
But he would not fill her mind with something he could not prove.
Sophie looked down at the photograph.
“She didn’t like him.”
Ethan looked at her again.
“How do you know?”
“Because she stopped smiling when he came into a room.”
Children noticed things adults trained themselves to ignore.
Celeste lowered her eyes.
An hour later, they reached the private road.
The gate stood open.
Daniel pulled alongside them.
“That’s bad.”
Ethan already knew.
They continued toward the house.
The front door was also open.
Someone had arrived first.
Ethan told Sophie to remain in the car with Daniel.
Celeste insisted on entering.
Ethan almost refused.
Then she said, “I know where Richard searched before.”
That stopped him.
“You’ve been here with him?”
“Twice.”
“While we were married?”
“Yes.”
Ethan looked at her with disgust.
Celeste accepted it.
They entered.
The house was colder than Ethan remembered.
Sheets covered the furniture.
Claire’s favorite ceramic bowl still sat near the kitchen window.
Ethan could barely look at it.
Celeste led him toward the basement.
“There’s a wine room.”
“Richard thought Claire hid something behind the racks.”
They descended.
Several bottles had been removed.
One section of shelving stood crooked.
Ethan pulled it away.
A steel door appeared behind it.
The brass key fit again.
Inside was a small fireproof room.
A recorder sat on a table beside several document boxes.
Ethan pressed PLAY.
Static filled the room.
Then Claire’s voice.
“Richard, Ethan knows nothing about the transfers.”
Richard answered.
“He doesn’t need to.”
Claire said, “You’re stealing from my husband.”
Richard laughed softly.
“I’m taking back what should have been mine.”
Then Claire spoke one sentence that made Ethan grip the table.
“You were never supposed to know Sophie is connected to the Vale estate.”
The recording stopped.
Celeste looked at Ethan.
“What Vale estate?”
May you like
Before Ethan could answer, footsteps sounded above them.
Someone had entered the house.
