Chapter 5
The brass key led us to Margaret’s private sitting room.
She had left the estate, but Daniel knew where she kept things.
Behind an oil painting of his late father was a wall safe.
He opened it with shaking hands.
Inside were jewelry boxes.
Cash.
Old passports.
And Elena’s music box.
Blue paint.
Silver stars.
One corner chipped from when we dropped it as children and blamed each other for an entire summer.
I took it like it was alive.
The key turned with a tiny click.
A broken song played.
Inside were letters.
A flash drive.
And a photograph.
Elena in a hospital bed.
Sleeping.
Margaret standing beside her IV pole.
Her hand resting on the tube.
Daniel went white.
“What is this?”
I could not speak.
Mr. Hayes took the flash drive to Daniel’s office.
We watched the files together.
First, Elena’s voice.
Weak.
Afraid.
“Clara, if you find this, I’m sorry. I should have believed I deserved help.”
I broke.
Daniel reached toward me, then stopped.
Good.
He was learning not all pain belonged to him to touch.
Elena continued.
“Margaret says I’m unstable. She cancels my appointments. She tells Daniel I’m sleeping when I’m not. She says Leo will be better without me.”
Daniel bent forward like the words had struck him.
Then another voice.
Margaret.
“You should have stayed grateful, Elena.”
The recording crackled.
Elena whispered, “Daniel will know.”
Margaret laughed.
“Daniel knows what I tell him.”
The room went cold.
The next file showed hospital footage.
Blurry.
Partial.
But clear enough.
Margaret alone in Elena’s room.
Margaret near the medication tray.
Margaret looking at the door before touching the IV.
Daniel stood and staggered back.
“I gave her access.”
I looked at him.
“What?”
“My mother had a family visitor card. I told the hospital she could come and go.”
I closed my eyes.
Elena had been surrounded.
May you like
Not by strangers.
By permission.
