CHAPTER 5 — THE HOUSEKEEPER WHO KNEW EVERY SECRET
While detectives continued reviewing evidence, the frightened young woman waiting outside finally agreed to speak.
Her name was Sofia Ramirez.
She had worked at the Prescott estate for nearly six years.
She looked exhausted.
Like someone who hadn't slept peacefully in months.
"I cleaned every room."
Her hands shook.
"I heard everything."
Victoria sat beside her instead of across the table.
"Start wherever you can."
Sofia swallowed.
"The guest house wasn't for guests."
Everyone became silent.
"It was punishment."
She described reinforced locks hidden inside decorative doors.
Windows that couldn't fully open.
Security cameras disguised as smoke detectors.
Phones removed from every room.
Emily wasn't the first woman forced inside.
She was simply the first one who managed to escape.
Detective Ramirez frowned.
"Who were the others?"
Sofia lowered her head.
"I don't know all their names."
She reached into her purse.
"I took these before I ran."
Inside was an old flash drive.
Along with several handwritten pages.
House schedules.
Security codes.
Lists of names.
Dates.
Payments.
Victoria slowly turned each page.
One line made her stop.
CONFIDENTIAL SETTLEMENTS
Twenty-three names.
Millions of dollars.
Every payment marked with the same note.
NDA SIGNED.
Brandon suddenly lunged across the room.
"Give me that!"
Two FBI agents restrained him before he got within six feet of the documents.
Victoria didn't even flinch.
Instead...
She noticed something much worse.
Several names on the list had one word beside them.
DECEASED.
Emily saw it too.
Her breathing became uneven.
Victoria squeezed her hand.
"No."
Emily whispered.
"They told me those women moved overseas..."
Nobody answered.
Nobody could.
Because everyone in the room had begun asking the same terrifying question.
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Had those women really disappeared...
Or had they been silenced forever?
