Chapter 14 - The Empty Capsule.
David returned to Walker House expecting a trap.
He found Lucy in the kitchen eating sliced strawberries while Maria sat beside her.
The sight steadied him more than anything else could have.
He kissed the top of Lucy's head.
"Daddy home," she said.
"Daddy's home."
He forced himself to smile before going upstairs.
Owen had sealed Emily's old bedroom.
The brass capsule lay in the center of the bed on a white evidence cloth.
Natalie stood near the doorway with two security guards behind her.
David stopped.
"Why is she here?"
Owen answered.
"She came through the front gate ten minutes before we found it."
Natalie looked angry.
"I came because someone sent me the same photograph they sent you."
"How do you know they sent me one?"
"Because the message said David has seen it too."
Rachel stepped into the room behind him.
"Show us."
Natalie handed over her phone.
The message matched the anonymous number that had contacted David.
Below the photograph was another line.
Go back to where Emily slept.
David looked at the capsule.
"Has anyone opened it?"
Owen nodded.
"It's empty."
Natalie closed her eyes.
David looked at her.
"What were you expecting?"
"I don't know."
"You keep saying that."
"Because Hale never told me what was inside."
Rachel put on gloves and inspected the capsule.
A small threaded cap opened at one end.
There was space inside for something no larger than a memory card or tightly rolled strip of paper.
"Whatever Emily hid is still missing," Rachel said.
David examined the room.
Nothing looked disturbed.
Emily's dresses remained behind glass wardrobe doors.
Her books were untouched.
A small photograph of David and Emily at the beach still rested on the bedside table.
"How did someone get in?"
Owen answered carefully.
"They used your credential again."
David turned.
"That's impossible."
"I reset it after the court filing."
"And?"
"The new credential was used six minutes before the capsule was found."
"Who knew the new code?"
"Only you and me."
Every eye in the room moved toward Owen.
The head of security went pale.
"I did not enter this room."
David believed him and hated that he did.
Trust had become a liability.
"Where were you?"
"At the front gate with Miss Mercer."
Natalie nodded.
"He was there."
Rachel looked at David.
"Then whoever is doing this has another way to mirror credentials."
Owen's radio crackled.
A guard downstairs reported that Grant Keller had arrived at the gate.
David laughed in disbelief.
"Of course he has."
"Should I refuse entry?" Owen asked.
David looked at the empty capsule.
"No."
"Bring him up."
Grant entered Emily's bedroom three minutes later and stopped when he saw Natalie.
"What is she doing here?"
Natalie stepped toward him.
"You tell me where the card is."
Grant frowned.
"What card?"
"The thing from the rabbit."
"I don't know anything about a rabbit."
Natalie laughed bitterly.
"Still lying when the room is burning."
Grant looked at David.
"I came to warn you."
"About what?"
"Hale."
David folded his arms.
"He warned me about you."
Grant stared at him.
"You saw him?"
"An hour ago."
Grant swore quietly.
"Then he is moving faster than I thought."
Rachel shook her head.
"Both of you blaming each other is getting predictable."
Grant reached into his jacket slowly and removed a USB drive.
Owen stepped closer.
"Easy."
"It's data," Grant said.
He held it out to David.
"Copies of transfers Hale ordered through Walker subsidiaries."
David did not take it.
"Why would Hale order company transfers?"
"Because he controls accounts nobody on the board knows exist."
"And you discovered them?"
"Emily did."
David's voice sharpened.
"You keep using my wife's investigation to excuse yourself."
Grant looked genuinely tired.
"I helped Emily because she asked me to."
"The camera shows you working with Hale."
"I was pretending to work with Hale."
Natalie laughed again.
"Everybody was undercover except me, apparently."
Grant looked at her with open contempt.
"You were supposed to be a distraction."
The sentence changed the room.
Natalie went completely still.
"What did you say?"
"Hale never trusted you with the real plan."
Natalie's face reddened.
"You told me the trust needed David married."
"The board needed David distracted."
"You told me Lucy had to be out of the house."
Grant's expression shifted.
"No, I didn't."
Natalie stopped.
David stepped closer.
"Who told you that?"
She looked at him.
"Hale."
Grant's face lost color.
"Then he changed the plan."
Rachel asked the question everyone was thinking.
"Why?"
Grant looked at the empty capsule.
"Because Hale found out Emily had made a copy of the account key."
David stared at him.
"Account key?"
Grant nodded toward the capsule.
"The thing inside that rabbit can open an archive Hale has spent eighteen months trying to erase."
Natalie whispered, "Then why leave the capsule here?"
Grant looked around Emily's room.
"Because whoever has the key wants David to know they have it."
A small voice came from the hallway.
"Daddy?"
Everyone turned.
Lucy stood beside Maria holding the torn pink rabbit in both hands.
Maria looked apologetic.
"She would not stay downstairs."
David immediately crossed to Lucy.
"It's okay, sweetheart."
Lucy held the rabbit up.
"Bunny hurt."
"I know."
She touched the cut seam with one finger.
Then she pointed toward the rabbit's left foot.
"Mommy pocket."
David froze.
"What did you say?"
Lucy squeezed the toy.
"Mommy pocket."
Maria's eyes widened.
David took the rabbit gently and felt along the left foot.
May you like
Beneath the fabric was a second hidden seam.
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