Chapter 5 - Shadows at the Doorstep
Three days after my discharge from the hospital, I was back at our suburban home—or rather, my home, since the mortgage was under my pre-marital assets and my father’s legal team had already secured an emergency eviction and restraining order barring Ryan from the property while his mother awaited extradition to Ohio.
I sat in the living room in a comfortable armchair, my heavy fiberglass cast propped up on a padded ottoman, listening to the gentle hum of the central air conditioning.
The house felt different. It didn’t feel heavy anymore. The oppressive, toxic shadow that had hung over every hallway since the day Diane moved into our guest suite had finally been vacuumed out by the crisp, clean wind of truth.
A sharp knock echoed against the front door.
I frowned, glancing at the wall clock. It was 8:30 PM. I wasn't expecting any deliveries, and Ryan knew better than to violate the restraining order unless he wanted to spend the night in a holding cell.
I picked up my crutches leaning against the arm of the chair, balanced carefully on my left foot, and hopped slowly toward the front entryway.
I peered through the peephole.
Standing on the porch wasn't Ryan. It was a tall, impeccably dressed woman in a charcoal trench coat, holding a heavy leather briefcase. Her dark hair was pulled back into a severe bun, and her expression was completely unreadable.
I unlocked the deadbolt, pulled the door open a few inches with the safety chain still engaged, and looked out.
“Can I help you?” I asked, my voice cautious.
The woman reached into her coat pocket, pulled out a gold-embossed business card, and slid it through the crack in the door.
Victoria Vance – Senior Partner, Vance & Sterling Legal Group.
“Good evening, Mrs. Miller,” the woman said, her voice smooth, professional, and chillingly polite. “Or perhaps I should say... Elena.”
I frowned, keeping my grip tight on the door frame. “I don't know any Victoria Vance. If you’re Ryan’s divorce attorney, you’re wasting your time. File your motions through my father’s office.”
Victoria gave a faint, humorless smile.
“I don't represent Ryan, Elena,” she said softly, leaning a fraction closer to the door. “I represent the family of Clara Vance—the first daughter-in-law Diane murdered six years ago in Columbus.”
May you like
My breath caught in my throat.
“And I’m not here to talk about a divorce,” Victoria continued, her eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent a shiver straight down my spine. “I’m here because we discovered something inside Diane’s personal safety deposit box this afternoon. Something that proves Diane didn't act alone in Ohio... and that Ryan knew about Clara’s death the entire time.”
