Chapter 4 - THE RED COAT
Nathan read Claire's handwriting three times.
ASK WHO HAS THE KEYS.
He looked at Marcus.
“Pull the access records.”
“They're already on the way.”
“Now.”
Marcus nodded.
The twins were watching from the staircase.
I moved toward them.
“Let's go downstairs.”
Jacob refused.
“That's Mommy's coat.”
“I know.”
“Daddy shouldn't be angry with her.”
Nathan looked at him.
“I’m not angry with your mother.”
Jacob's voice trembled.
“You were angry when she said the house was making us sick.”
Nathan stopped breathing for a moment.
“When did she say that?”
“Before she died.”
Nathan looked at me.
I could see the question in his eyes.
But Jacob had already begun speaking.
“Mommy told you.”
Nathan shook his head.
“No, buddy. She didn't.”
“She did.”
“How?”
Jacob pointed toward the photograph.
“She put the picture in your office.”
Nathan looked confused.
“My office?”
“Yes.”
Jonah corrected him.
“She put it inside your watch box.”
Nathan immediately turned.
“What watch box?”
He walked into his office.
I followed.
On the shelf stood an old wooden box.
Nathan opened it.
Inside was a gold wristwatch.
It looked expensive but worn.
He picked it up.
Underneath the velvet lining was a small envelope.
Nathan stared at it.
His fingers shook as he opened it.
Inside was a single handwritten note.
Nathan, if you're reading this, I couldn't convince you in time. Don't trust the reports. Trust the pattern.
There was no signature.
But Nathan knew the handwriting.
Claire.
He sat down.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
Then he whispered, “She tried to tell me.”
I looked at the watch.
“Was that hers?”
“No.”
He turned it over.
Engraved on the back were two initials.
C.C.
“My father gave it to me when I turned twenty-one.”
Claire had apparently hidden the note beneath it.
Nathan read the message again.
“Don't trust the reports.”
Laura had warned us about possible chemical exposure.
But now the medical records themselves were part of the mystery.
Marcus entered.
“We found the access records.”
Nathan stood.
“Who?”
Marcus placed the tablet on the desk.
“Your access was logged twice.”
“Claire?”
“Three times.”
“Me?”
Marcus hesitated.
“Forty-one times.”
Nathan stared at him.
“That can't be right.”
“It is.”
“Who else?”
Marcus looked down.
“Dr. Reeves.”
“How many?”
“Twenty-seven.”
Nathan's face hardened.
Then Marcus added, “But there's a problem.”
“What?”
“The records were manually altered.”
Nathan looked at him.
“By whom?”
“We don't know.”
Laura entered behind him.
“I may have an explanation.”
She held up a sealed sample container.
“The chemical isn't consistent with ordinary household contamination.”
Nathan said nothing.
“It appears to have been introduced repeatedly.”
“How do you know?”
“Because the residue pattern isn't one event.”
Nathan's jaw tightened.
“You're saying someone kept doing this.”
“Yes.”
“How often?”
“Possibly every few days.”
The twins had been breathing it repeatedly.
Nathan turned away.
I saw his shoulders tighten.
He had spent months searching for a disease.
Maybe there had never been one.
Maybe there had only been exposure.
Then Laura said, “But I found something else.”
She placed another object on the desk.
A small silver cartridge.
“This was hidden inside the device.”
Nathan stared.
“What is it?”
“Not a chemical container.”
“Then what?”
Laura hesitated.
“It appears to be a programmable dispersal cartridge.”
Marcus frowned.
“Programmable?”
“It can release controlled amounts.”
Nathan's face went cold.
“So someone could control how much the boys received.”
“Yes.”
The room went silent.
Then the lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Nathan immediately looked toward the hallway.
Marcus reached for his weapon.
I pulled the boys close.
The lights returned.
Nothing happened.
Then Jacob whispered.
“That's what happened when Mommy got sick.”
Nathan turned.
“What?”
Jacob's eyes were fixed on the ceiling.
“The lights always blinked.”
Nathan looked at Marcus.
“Check the electrical room.”
Marcus left.
Laura looked at me.
“Has anyone been alone with the boys recently?”
I thought.
“Dr. Reeves.”
Nathan looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because if someone has been controlling the device remotely, the power interruptions could be related.”
Nathan's phone rang.
He answered.
“Coleman.”
Marcus spoke from the other end.
“Sir, the electrical panel has been tampered with.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
“Anything else?”
“Yes.”
A pause.
“Someone removed the backup control unit.”
Nathan's expression changed.
“From where?”
“The service corridor.”
“That area is locked.”
“I know.”
Nathan looked toward me.
Then toward the boys.
“Get everyone out of the house.”
Laura shook her head.
“Not until I finish collecting samples.”
“Forget the samples.”
“No.”
She stood firm.
“If this contamination is ongoing, the evidence may disappear.”
Nathan stared at her.
Then nodded.
“Fine.”
Suddenly, Jonah tugged my sleeve.
“Emily?”
“Yes?”
“Can I tell you something?”
“Of course.”
He whispered.
“Mommy didn't trust Dr. Reeves.”
Nathan heard him.
“What did she say?”
Jonah looked afraid.
“She said he kept asking about our bracelets.”
Nathan's eyes moved toward the silver bands.
“Why?”
Jonah shrugged.
“He wanted to take them.”
Nathan reached for his son's wrist.
The bracelet was still there.
“Did he ever take it?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Mommy wouldn't let him.”
Nathan slowly looked at the old red coat.
The photograph.
The watch.
The bracelets.
Every object Claire had left behind seemed connected.
Then Marcus returned.
He was carrying a small black box.
“Sir.”
Nathan turned.
“What is that?”
“We found it behind the electrical panel.”
Laura stepped closer.
“That's a transmitter.”
Nathan stared at it.
“Transmitter for what?”
Laura examined the markings.
Her face changed.
“Something in this house.”
“What?”
She looked toward the ventilation system.
“Someone wasn't just putting chemicals into the air.”
Nathan's eyes narrowed.
“What else?”
Laura pointed toward the twins' bedroom.
“They were monitoring the system remotely.”
Before anyone could respond, the mansion's security alarm suddenly activated.
A loud mechanical voice announced:
UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS. SECOND FLOOR.
Nathan grabbed his gun.
Marcus moved ahead.
I pulled the boys behind me.
Then the alarm stopped.
Silence.
Nathan looked at the security panel.
A single message appeared.
MASTER ACCESS ACCEPTED.
Marcus whispered, “That's impossible.”
Nathan stared at the screen.
“Why?”
Marcus looked at him.
May you like
“Because the master key being used right now belongs to Claire.”
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