CHAPTER 4 – The Son Who Knew Too Much
Margaret locked herself in the upstairs bedroom and shoved a chair beneath the door handle.
Richard pounded once.
Then twice.
“Margaret! Open this door!”
She ignored him.
Her old cassette player sat in the closet, buried beneath sewing supplies. She pushed the tape inside and pressed play.
Daniel’s voice filled the room.
Low.
Weak.
Terrified.
"Margaret, if you find this, listen carefully. Richard didn’t kill me alone."
Her knees almost gave out.
"I discovered money missing from the family trust. Richard was moving it through shell accounts. But he had help from someone inside the family."
Margaret whispered, “No…”
The tape crackled.
Then Daniel said the name.
"Michael."
The room spun.
Her own son.
The boy Daniel had raised.
The boy who cried at the funeral.
The man now forcing her to sell the house.
"Michael owed Richard money. Gambling, debts, things I didn’t know. When I confronted them, they arranged the boating accident. But I survived."
Margaret covered her mouth.
Outside the door, Richard went silent.
The tape continued.
"They kept me hidden in a private care facility under a false name. If the house is sold, the final documents disappear forever. Margaret… don’t trust our son."
Suddenly, Margaret’s phone buzzed.
A message from Michael.
Mom, I’m outside. Richard called me. Please open the door. We need to talk.
Then another message appeared.
And don’t listen to Dad. He was never the victim.
Margaret stared at the screen.
Behind the locked door, Richard whispered:
“Your son is right.”
And from outside the window…
Michael looked up at her with tears in his eyes.
May you like
Holding a gun.
To Be Continued...
