Chapter 5 - Helena Voss
Helena Voss had been at Mara’s father’s funeral.
Mara remembered her black coat.
Silver-blonde hair swept back.
Eyes dry but not cold.
A hand placed gently on Mara’s shoulder while everyone else offered rehearsed condolences.
“She told me to call if anything felt wrong,” Mara said.
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“She enjoys making widows and daughters suspicious.”
Celeste whispered, “Don’t call her.”
That whisper did more than Daniel’s threats.
Mara looked at Celeste.
“Why not?”
Celeste’s lips trembled.
Daniel gripped the edge of the dining table so hard his wristwatch rattled against the wood.
“Because she will twist this.”
Mara almost laughed.
The sound came out broken.
“She doesn’t need to twist a signature dated after a dead man stopped breathing.”
Daniel’s face flushed violently.
“You think you are clever because you found one clerical issue?”
Mara held the phone higher.
“One?”
She kicked the black folder open with the edge of the chair.
Pages spilled across the table.
Forged signatures.
Transfer sheets.
Trust releases.
A gold pen lying among them like a dead insect.
Celeste stepped backward.
Her heel struck the leg of a chair.
The sound made her flinch.
Mara pressed call.
Daniel’s whole body changed.
The intimidating husband vanished.
In his place stood a man watching a locked door behind him begin to disappear.
The phone rang once.
Twice.
Daniel whispered, “Hang up.”
Mara did not.
Third ring.
Celeste grabbed Daniel’s sleeve.
“Stop her.”
Daniel moved around the chair.
Mara stepped back.
Her voice dropped into something terrifyingly calm.
“Touch me again while she’s listening.”
He stopped.
Fourth ring.
Then the call connected.
Mara pressed speaker.
No face appeared.
Only a voice filled the dining room.
Controlled.
Icy.
Awake.
“Mara?”
May you like
Daniel stopped breathing.
Read Chapter 6 👉 Because Helena answered, and the fear on Daniel’s face told Mara the trustee had expected this call.
