Chapter 12 – Khloe Remembers
Recovery came slowly.
Pain medication blurred the edges of Khloe's memories.
But some moments refused to stay buried.
Late one night she woke suddenly.
Marcus looked up from the chair beside her.
"Bad dream?"
She shook her head.
"No."
"It wasn't a dream."
Fragments returned.
Her grandfather's study.
She was twelve years old.
William Lawson had handed her a small silver music box.
"If anyone ever tries to take what belongs to you..."
He smiled.
"Open this."
Khloe sat upright despite the pain.
"The music box."
Marcus frowned.
"What music box?"
"My grandfather gave it to me before he died."
"I haven't thought about it in years."
David entered just as she spoke.
His eyes widened.
"The silver ballerina?"
Khloe nodded.
"You remember?"
"I packed it away after your mother's funeral."
"It's still in storage."
Marcus immediately stood.
"I'm going."
David grabbed his coat.
"So am I."
Three hours later they unlocked an old family storage unit.
Dust covered forgotten furniture.
Boxes.
Photographs.
Finally...
David found a small wooden chest.
Inside rested a tarnished silver music box.
Marcus carefully wound the key.
The melody played for several seconds.
Then—
A soft click echoed inside.
The false bottom opened.
Hidden beneath the velvet lining was a flash drive.
And a folded handwritten letter.
Marcus looked at David.
"I think your grandfather planned for this day."
Far away, Richard Hawthorne received a phone call from one of his private investigators.
"They found the storage unit."
Richard's face lost all color.
"What did they recover?"
The investigator hesitated.
"We don't know."
Richard slowly closed his eyes.
For the first time in decades...
May you like
He felt something unfamiliar.
Fear.
