Chapter 5: The Woman Behind the Door
Chapter 5: The Woman Behind the Door
The police reopened Claire's case that afternoon.
Detectives photographed the phone.
Collected the envelope.
Secured the doctor's statement.
Before leaving the mansion, one detective asked Ethan a simple question.
"Was there anyone else living here?"
He thought for a moment.
"The housekeeper."
"Where is she?"
Nobody knew.
Margaret insisted the woman had resigned.
But the security office showed something different.
She had never checked out.
The mansion's oldest employee had simply...
Disappeared.
Hours later, officers discovered a locked service room beneath the west wing.
Inside sat Eleanor Brooks.
The elderly housekeeper looked exhausted.
But alive.
When she saw Ethan, tears filled her eyes.
"I tried to reach you."
"Why didn't you?"
"They took my phone."
"Who?"
She looked directly at Margaret.
"Your mother."
Margaret closed her eyes.
Eleanor reached into her apron pocket.
Hidden inside was a tiny flash drive.
"Claire gave this to me the night she died."
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"She said if anything happened..."
"...only Ethan should see it."
