Chapter 5 - The Housekeeper Who Noticed Too Much

Detective Collins turned from the laptop.

"Mr. Bennett, who knew about this trust?"

Arthur rubbed both hands over his face. "My father created it when Leo was born. I knew. Graham Pike knew. Victoria knew because she was named temporary guardian after we married."

"Temporary?"

"Leo's mother died when he was three. Victoria and I married two years later. The trust was designed to protect Leo until he turned twenty-five."

Collins looked at the screen again. "And if Leo dies?"

Arthur swallowed. "The trust assets go to the guardian for distribution to family charities and educational foundations."

"Which guardian?"

"Victoria."

The detective's expression hardened.

Downstairs, Elena was sitting beside Leo when Arthur returned.

"I need to ask you something," he said.

Elena stood.

"Why did you attack that wall?"

She glanced at Leo.

"Because I heard tapping."

"That's all?"

"No."

Elena looked embarrassed, as if noticing something could somehow be a crime.

"Three days ago, I cleaned the library. That wall had old paint. Yesterday, part of it looked new. Same color, but different shine."

Arthur pictured the wall. He had walked past it twice that morning and noticed nothing.

"Then today," Elena continued, "I found this."

She reached into her pocket and placed a tiny plastic dinosaur on the table.

Leo grabbed it immediately.

"Rex!"

Arthur stared.

Elena said, "It was near the baseboard. Then I heard three taps. Pause. Three taps again. I put my ear to the wall and heard him crying."

Arthur's voice cracked. "You saved my son."

Elena shook her head. "I found him. We're not finished saving him yet."

Collins entered carrying an evidence bag.

"We recovered something else from the hidden room."

Inside the bag was a small audio recorder.

"Battery is dead," she said. "But our lab may recover the files."

Leo stared at it and began shaking.

Arthur noticed immediately.

"Leo?"

His son whispered, "That's the thing they made me talk into."

Arthur crouched beside him.

"What did they make you say?"

Leo's lower lip trembled.

"That I hated you."

Arthur's heart cracked.

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Leo continued, almost too quietly to hear.

"And that I was running away because you hit me."