Chapter 2 - The Second Door“Open it.”
Kaylee did not move.
Gerald stood behind her.
She could feel his presence without turning.
“Grandpa… where’s Mason?”
“He’s safe.”
“I want to see him.”
“You will.”
“When?”
“When you cooperate.”
Kaylee looked at the second door.
It was narrow and painted the same pale gray as the wall.
There was nothing obviously frightening about it.
No heavy lock.
No strange sound.
That somehow made it worse.
“What’s in there?”
Gerald walked past her.
“You already know more than you should.”
“No, I don’t.”
He stopped at the door.
“Your mother never told you?”
“Told me what?”
Gerald studied her face.
Kaylee realized he was testing her.
She remembered Tara’s warning.
Whatever was happening, her mother had known something.
Kaylee shook her head.
Gerald opened the door.
The room beyond was not a dungeon.
It was an office.
That confused Kaylee more.
Tall shelves covered three walls.
Old file boxes were stacked near a desk.
A locked metal cabinet stood in one corner.
A faded floral chair sat beneath a window.
On the desk rested piles of envelopes, receipts, donation slips, and notebooks.
Mason sat in the chair.
“Mason!”
Kaylee rushed to him.
He jumped up and wrapped both arms around her.
“Kaylee!”
She held him tightly.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded quickly.
“He made me count.”
Kaylee looked toward Gerald.
“Count what?”
Gerald pointed at the desk.
Cash.
Dozens of bills were spread across it.
Singles.
Fives.
Tens.
Twenties.
Beside them were envelopes with handwritten numbers.
Kaylee recognized some immediately.
Bright Tomorrow Community Fund.
The same words printed on the coupon booklets Tara had made them sell.
Kaylee slowly released Mason.
“What is this?”
“Administrative work,” Gerald said.
Mason sniffed.
“He said we have to put the money in piles.”
Gerald looked at him.
“And you were doing very well.”
Kaylee stared at the desk.
The room smelled like paper and dust.
Then she noticed something else.
A photograph stood beside the lamp.
Gerald.
Tara.
And a woman Kaylee recognized as her late grandmother, Evelyn.
They were standing behind a table covered in the same Bright Tomorrow donation boxes.
The photograph looked at least ten years old.
Kaylee picked it up.
“This was Mom’s?”
Gerald took it from her.
“Your mother helped with fundraising years ago.”
“She said the candy money was for her.”
“Your mother says many things.”
“Then why did she make us sell it?”
Gerald’s expression hardened slightly.
“You’re asking the wrong questions.”
Kaylee stepped closer to Mason.
“What do you want us to do?”
“For now, you’ll help organize these records.”
“Why am I wearing this?”
She grabbed the side of the servant-style dress.
Gerald’s eyes moved over it without embarrassment.
“Your grandmother used to require household uniforms when people worked in this part of the house.”
“We’re not workers.”
“No?”
The single word made Kaylee’s stomach turn.
Gerald walked toward the desk.
“You lived in a home I paid to keep standing.”
Kaylee frowned.
“What?”
“Your mother has depended on me financially for years.”
“That doesn’t have anything to do with us.”
“It has everything to do with you.”
He picked up a stack of donation envelopes.
“Families cost money.”
Mason whispered, “We already brought Mom money.”
Gerald looked at him.
“Yes.”
Kaylee saw something in his eyes then.
Recognition.
He knew exactly what Mason meant.
“How much did she make us bring home?” Kaylee asked.
Gerald placed the envelopes down.
“Ask your mother.”
“She said two hundred today.”
His hand stopped.
Only for a fraction of a second.
Kaylee noticed.
“How did you know about us?” she asked.
Gerald smiled faintly.
“Know what?”
“That Mom was hitting us.”
“The court received evidence.”
“From who?”
“Adults handle those things.”
“Did you know she made us sell candy?”
Silence.
Kaylee’s fear changed shape.
For months Tara had made them walk streets collecting cash.
Gerald had arrived with custody papers at exactly the moment Tara was demanding money.
Now Gerald had stacks of the same fundraising envelopes.
He had known.
Maybe not everything.
But enough.
“I want to go home,” Mason whispered.
Gerald’s eyes shifted toward him.
“You don’t have a home with Tara anymore.”
Mason began crying.
Kaylee wrapped an arm around him.
Gerald continued calmly.
“There will be a permanent custody hearing in twelve days. Until then, you will remain here.”
Kaylee stared at him.
“And after?”
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“On whether the two of you understand who caused your problems.”
Kaylee looked toward the photograph again.
Tara.
Gerald.
Bright Tomorrow.
“What do you mean?”
“At the hearing, people will ask questions.”
“What questions?”
“Who forced you to collect money?”
“Mom.”
“Who hurt you?”
“Mom.”
Gerald nodded.
“And who rescued you?”
Kaylee did not answer.
Gerald looked directly at her.
“Who rescued you?”
Mason whispered, “You.”
“Exactly.”
Kaylee felt cold.
Something about the way he said it sounded rehearsed.
Gerald walked to the metal cabinet and unlocked the top drawer.
He removed a blue notebook.
For only a second.
Then he seemed to reconsider.
He placed it back and locked the drawer.
Kaylee watched carefully.
A small brass key disappeared into his pocket.
Gerald turned toward them.
“You’ll sort the envelopes until dinner.”
Kaylee asked, “What happens if we don’t?”
Gerald’s face remained calm.
“I separate you.”
Mason immediately grabbed Kaylee’s hand.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“You can’t.”
“I have custody.”
Kaylee stared at him.
Gerald stepped closer.
“You protected him at Tara’s house.”
Kaylee’s breathing stopped.
He knew exactly how to use her.
“If you want Mason beside you,” Gerald said, “you’ll learn the rules here.”
He walked out.
The door locked behind him.
Mason began crying.
Kaylee held him.
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.”
“I know.”
For several minutes neither moved.
Then Mason whispered something against her shoulder.
“Kaylee?”
“What?”
“I saw Grandpa before.”
She pulled back.
“When?”
“At our house.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Yes.”
“Today?”
Mason shook his head.
“Last week.”
Kaylee stared.
“Where?”
“Outside Mom’s car.”
“What were they doing?”
Mason wiped his face.
“Grandpa gave Mom an envelope.”
Kaylee looked toward the piles of money.
“What kind?”
Mason pointed toward the desk.
“One like those.”
May you like
Then he added the sentence that made Kaylee’s blood run cold.
“Mom counted the money before Grandpa drove away.”
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