Chapter 6: The Trunk in the Attic
“I'm not going alone.””
Nia's voice was firm.
Marcus shook his head.
“You can't go back there.””
“It is my house.””
“That's exactly why it's dangerous.””
Tasha held up her phone.
“They're baiting her.””
Nia looked at the photograph again.
The attic.
The trunk.
The message.
She zoomed in.
Something was lying beside the trunk.
A small silver object.
Her father's old watch.
Nia's breath caught.
“That was Dad's.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Let me see.””
She handed him the phone.
The moment he saw the photograph, his expression changed.
“That's impossible.””
“What?””
“I buried that watch with him.””
Nia stared.
“What?””
Marcus's eyes remained fixed on the screen.
“It was the last thing I gave him.””
Tasha crossed her arms.
“Then whoever took that picture wants you to believe they have something connected to your father.””
Marcus nodded.
“Or they actually do.””
Nia looked toward her mother.
“Mom, who knew about the attic?””
Her mother shook her head.
“Only family.””
“Who?””
“You. Darius. Denise. Malik.””
Nia's eyes narrowed.
“And you.””
Her mother nodded.
“Yes.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Did you ever tell Darius about the trunk?””
“No.””
“Then how did he know?””
Evelyn looked confused.
“I don't know.””
Tasha's phone rang.
Everyone jumped.
Unknown number.
She answered.
“Hello?””
Nothing.
Then a man's breathing.
Tasha pulled the phone away.
“Who is this?””
The call ended.
A text appeared immediately.
*Bring Nia. No one else.*
Nia stared at the screen.
“It's him.””
Marcus shook his head.
“Don't assume.””
The phone buzzed again.
A video appeared.
Tasha opened it.
The screen showed the attic.
The camera slowly moved toward the trunk.
Then the lens stopped over the open lid.
Inside were old photographs.
Letters.
And a sealed envelope.
Nia whispered, “That's Dad's handwriting.””
The camera zoomed in.
On the envelope were three words.
*For my daughter.*
Nia's eyes filled.
Then the camera turned.
A man stood behind it.
Malik.
Nia's stomach dropped.
Tasha whispered, “No.””
The video ended.
Nia stared at Marcus.
“He's working with Darius.””
Marcus shook his head.
“Maybe.””
“Maybe?””
“I don't know Malik well enough.””
“He was laughing tonight.””
“He may be afraid.””
Nia looked at the photograph.
“He knew about the attic.””
“Yes.””
“And he warned me.””
Marcus nodded.
“Which means he may be trying to help you.””
Tasha frowned.
“Then why send the video?””
Nia didn't answer.
She was thinking.
Malik had whispered check the attic.
He had told her Darius was hiding something.
Then he had stayed behind.
Maybe he hadn't been warning her.
Maybe he had been telling her where to look.
Nia picked up her keys.
“I need to go back.””
Marcus blocked the doorway.
“No.””
“Dad.””
The word slipped out.
Marcus froze.
Nia did too.
It was the first time she had called him that.
His eyes filled.
“I need to know what you left me.””
He stepped aside.
“But I'm coming.””
“No.””
“Nia—”
“If Darius sees you, everything changes.””
Marcus looked at her.
“That may be exactly what we need.””
Tasha grabbed her jacket.
“I'm coming too.””
Nia nodded.
Her mother stood.
“Please be careful.””
Nia looked at her.
“You should have told me twenty years ago.””
“I know.””
“But you can still tell me now.””
Her mother nodded through tears.
“I will.””
The drive back to the house felt longer than the drive away.
The neighborhood was quiet.
Too quiet.
Nia parked two houses away.
The lights inside her home were off.
Tasha whispered, “Someone's inside.””
“How do you know?””
“The upstairs curtain moved.””
Marcus studied the house.
“Back door.””
They approached from the side.
The back door was unlocked.
Nia pushed it open.
The kitchen smelled faintly of coffee.
Everything looked almost normal.
That was what made it terrifying.
They moved through the hallway.
No voices.
No footsteps.
Then something crashed upstairs.
Tasha grabbed Nia's hand.
Marcus whispered, “Stay behind me.””
They climbed the stairs.
The attic door stood open.
A strip of yellow light spilled down the staircase.
Nia's heart pounded.
She reached the top.
The attic was empty.
Except for the trunk.
It sat in the center of the floor.
Open.
The photographs from the video were scattered around it.
Nia stepped inside.
“Dad?””
Marcus stared at the trunk.
“No.””
“What?””
He pointed.
“The lock.””
The old brass lock had been broken.
Nia crouched.
“Whoever opened it didn't have the key.””
Tasha picked up an envelope.
“There's something inside.””
Nia took it.
Her father's handwriting covered the front.
*Nia — if you're reading this, I failed to come home.*
Her hands began shaking.
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Don't.””
Nia looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because I know what it says.””
“You've read it?””
“No.””
“Then how?””
Marcus looked away.
“I wrote it.””
Nia stared.
“You wrote this?””
“Yes.””
“Why would you write a letter to me if you planned to disappear?””
“Because I didn't know if I would survive.””
Nia opened the envelope.
Inside was a single page.
She read silently.
Her father's words were simple.
He wrote about the house.
The trust.
The Carter family.
The money.
And one final warning.
*Never trust the person who tells you they are protecting you. Sometimes protection is just another word for control.*
Nia's eyes moved to the bottom.
There was one more line.
*If Darius ever raises his hand against you, leave immediately. He will not stop there.*
Nia's breath caught.
Marcus whispered, “I didn't know he had become violent.””
Nia looked up.
“How did Dad know?””
Marcus said nothing.
Tasha picked up another photograph.
“Guys.””
She held it toward them.
The photograph showed Marcus and Nia's mother standing outside the house years ago.
But someone else was in the background.
Darius.
He was much younger.
Watching them.
Nia stared.
“He knew.””
Marcus nodded slowly.
“He always knew.””
A floorboard creaked behind them.
Everyone turned.
The attic doorway was empty.
Then the light went out.
Tasha gasped.
Nia heard footsteps.
One.
Two.
Three.
Coming closer.
Marcus stepped forward.
“Who's there?””
A man's voice answered from the darkness.
“Someone who should've stayed dead.””
The attic light flickered back on.
Malik stood in the doorway.
His face was pale.
He raised both hands.
“Don't scream.””
Nia stared at him.
“You sent the video.””
“Yes.””
“You brought us here.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Malik looked at Marcus.
Then at the letter in Nia's hand.
“Because Darius is going to kill you.””
Tasha stepped forward.
“You expect us to believe you?””
Malik shook his head.
“No.””
He reached into his pocket.
Nia tensed.
Malik slowly pulled out a phone.
He placed it on the floor.
“I recorded him.””
Nia looked down.
“What did you record?””
Malik swallowed.
“Everything.””
He pressed play.
Darius's voice filled the attic.
“Once she signs the release, the house is mine.””
A woman's voice answered.
Denise.
“And if she doesn't?””
Darius laughed.
“Then I'll make her.””
The recording continued.
Then Darius said something that made Nia's blood run cold.
“She thinks her father disappeared twenty years ago.””
A pause.
“She doesn't know I was there the night he died.””
The recording stopped.
Nia looked at Malik.
“What did he mean?””
Malik's eyes filled with tears.
“He means he lied.””
Nia's voice dropped.
“About what?””
Malik looked toward Marcus.
Then whispered:
“Your father didn't disappear twenty years ago.””
He pointed at Darius's name on the old paperwork.
“He survived the attack.””
May you like
Nia's heart stopped.
“And Darius knows exactly who tried to finish the job.””