Chapter 3 - The Door That Stayed Shut

Naomi stood in the cold alley behind the Halcyon, watching her mother burn all over again in her mind.

The fire started at 1:14 a.m. Elena had called at 1:12, breathless and angry.

"There's something wrong with the doors," her mother had said. "I'm going back up for the Bell kids. Tell the firefighters the back stairs are locked."

"Mom, don't go back inside."

"Baby, those children are alone."

Then a crash. A scream. Nothing.

For three years, Naomi had carried those sounds into grocery stores, onto buses, and through every birthday she couldn't bear to celebrate. The city investigation blamed an overloaded space heater beside Elena's cart. The Sterling family's lawyers called her reckless. A month later, a check arrived with a note asking Naomi not to contact them again. She mailed it back torn in half.

Tess Flores leaned out of a dented Honda, still in her bartender's vest.

"Get in before someone recognizes you. Your face is all over my phone."

Naomi slid into the passenger seat. Tess had worked beside her for four years. She knew when to talk and when to drive. Tonight, she drove for two blocks before reaching over and squeezing Naomi's hand.

"You okay?"

"No."

"Good. Me neither. I wanted to throw a tray at that woman."

Naomi showed her the photograph. Tess pulled into a gas station and zoomed in with her phone. Beneath the red door was a narrow strip of text: LARK ACCESS / REMOTE HOLD ACTIVE.

"Lark?" Tess asked.

"Never heard of it."

"Maybe it's the security system."

A message from an unknown number appeared: Your mother didn't start the fire. Look at the car.

A second message arrived with a video attachment. Grainy footage showed the rear entrance to Briar House on the night of the fire. Smoke poured from a basement vent. A teenage girl in a red coat stumbled into view, dragging a little boy. Behind them, Elena pounded on a steel door from inside the stairwell.

Naomi pressed a hand over her mouth.

On the right edge of the frame, a black town car stopped. A woman in a pale coat stepped out. She looked toward Elena, then took out her phone.

The video froze before her face came into focus.

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Another message appeared.

I have the next nine seconds. Come alone if you want them.