chapter 5
594 Words
"No..."
Hannah slowly shook her head, her face pale with shock.
"I buried my mother. I saw her coffin with my own eyes."
Conor looked at her for a moment before speaking.
"The forensic report is back," he said quietly. "The body recovered from the fire wasn't Sarah Willer's. The DNA doesn't match."
Hannah stared at him, unable to process his words.
Her breathing became uneven.
"So... you're saying my mother could still be alive?"
Daniel slowly closed the file in his hands.
"Either she's alive..." he said. "Or someone went to great lengths to convince everyone that she was dead."
The room fell silent.
Kevin stood by the window, his eyes fixed on the city below.
His thoughts raced.
Sarah would never have disappeared without leaving him a message.
Years ago, they had agreed on an emergency code. If she was ever in danger, she would use it.
She never did.
Which meant only one thing.
Something had stopped her.
Something had gone terribly wrong.
A knock at the door pulled everyone back to reality.
One of Conor's security agents stepped inside.
"Sir."
Kevin turned.
"What is it?"
"We searched Miss Willer's house before the fire reached the study."
Kevin's eyes narrowed.
"Did you find anything?"
The agent nodded and carefully handed him a small wooden music box.
"It was hidden beneath the floorboards."
Kevin took the box, studying it closely.
A distant memory flashed through his mind.
"I've seen this before."
Hannah stepped closer.
"My mother never showed it to me."
Kevin slowly lifted the lid.
No music played.
Instead, a folded piece of paper rested inside.
He unfolded it with care.
Only one sentence was written.
The truth sleeps beneath White Stone Lake.
No one spoke.
They exchanged puzzled looks.
Hannah finally broke the silence.
"What does that mean?"
Kevin's expression became serious.
"White Stone Lake..."
Daniel looked at him in surprise.
"That's where the old Johnson estate used to stand."
Kevin gave a slow nod.
"My grandfather sold that land about twenty years ago."
Daniel frowned.
"So your family has been connected to this from the beginning?"
Kevin let out a quiet breath.
"More than I ever realized."
Before anyone could ask another question, Kevin's phone rang.
An unknown number appeared on the screen.
He answered without hesitation.
"This is Kevin Johnson."
He listened in silence.
Little by little, every trace of warmth disappeared from his face.
His eyes turned cold.
"Who is this?"
A distorted voice chuckled softly.
"You've already failed to keep your promise once, Mr. Johnson."
Kevin tightened his grip on the phone.
"What do you want?"
"Walk away from Hannah Willer."
Kevin didn't hesitate.
"Never."
The voice laughed again.
"Then get ready to lose her... just like you lost Sarah."
The call ended.
The room was silent once more.
Hannah searched Kevin's face.
"What did he mean?"
Kevin slowly slipped the phone back into his pocket.
"It means they know exactly where we are."
Before anyone had time to react, every monitor inside the safe room suddenly flickered to life.
The security cameras activated on their own.
A masked man appeared on every screen.
He stood perfectly still, staring directly into the camera, as though he could see each of them.
Then, without a word, he removed one black glove.
On the back of his hand was the same raven symbol.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"I'll be seeing you soon, Hannah."
The screens instantly went black.
One heartbeat later, the building's emergency alarm echoed through the tower once again.
Something was already inside.
- Writer
