Chapter 3 - The Blue EnvelopeSheriff’s Detective Lena Ortiz arrived shortly after six.
She separated everyone.
Walter protested.
Caleb shouted.
Tessa refused to leave Elliot until the doctor confirmed he had no serious head or spinal injury.
In the end, Elliot had a fractured ankle, deep bruising, and several cuts.
The doctor called his survival extraordinary.
Elliot did not feel lucky.
Every time he closed his eyes, he was falling again.
Detective Ortiz sat beside his hospital bed.
“You don’t have to tell me everything tonight.”
Elliot looked at his mother.
Tessa squeezed his hand.
“It’s okay.”
Ortiz spoke gently.
“Why do you think your grandfather took you to the cliff?”
Elliot’s breathing quickened.
“He said it was a surprise.”
“What kind?”
“He said he was teaching me to be brave.”
“Did anyone else know you were going?”
Elliot shook his head.
“He told Mom I’d be at the lodge.”
Tessa looked up sharply.
Walter had texted her that morning.
Taking Elliot to Mercer Ridge Lodge for lunch. Back by three.
Ortiz continued.
“Did anything happen before today that made your grandfather angry with you?”
Elliot stared at the blanket.
His silence changed the room.
Tessa leaned closer.
“Elliot?”
“I went in Grandpa’s study.”
“When?”
“Sunday.”
Three days earlier.
“What happened?”
“Grandma was there.”
Diane Mercer.
Walter’s wife of forty-six years.
Elliot adored her.
“She was crying.”
Tessa’s hand tightened around his.
“Why?”
“Grandpa had papers.”
“What papers?”
“I don’t know.”
Elliot’s eyes filled.
“He kept telling Grandma to sign.”
Ortiz leaned forward.
“What did your grandmother say?”
“She said, ‘I won’t help you steal from him.’”
Tessa went still.
“From whom?”
Elliot looked at her.
“Me.”
No one spoke.
Elliot continued.
“Grandpa got really mad. He hit the desk. Grandma saw me at the door.”
“What did she do?”
“She told me to run.”
Tessa felt a chill.
“Did Walter see you?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Anything else?”
Elliot nodded slowly.
“Grandma came to my room later.”
“What did she give you?”
“A blue envelope.”
Walter had asked about grown-up business on the cliff.
Tessa’s pulse accelerated.
“Where is it?”
“I hid it.”
“Where?”
Elliot hesitated.
Then looked at Detective Ortiz.
“Do I have to tell everybody?”
“No.”
“Only Mom.”
Ortiz stood.
“I’ll give you two minutes.”
When she left, Elliot whispered.
“In my old telescope case.”
Tessa knew the one.
A red hard-shell case in the back of Elliot’s bedroom closet.
“What was inside?”
“I didn’t open it.”
“Why?”
“Grandma said not to.”
Tessa brushed the hair from his forehead.
“What exactly did she say?”
Elliot remembered Diane kneeling beside his bed.
Her hands had been shaking.
She had smelled faintly of lavender.
“If anything happens to me,” she had whispered, “give this to your mother. Not your father. Not Grandpa. Your mother.”
Elliot repeated the words.
Caleb had been listening from the doorway.
His face went pale at the phrase not your father.
Tessa saw it.
So did Elliot.
“Dad?”
Caleb stepped inside.
“Why would Mom say not to give it to me?”
Tessa did not answer.
Detective Ortiz returned.
“I’m sending deputies to your house.”
Walter appeared at the end of the corridor almost simultaneously.
“You’re doing what?”
Ortiz turned.
Walter had apparently overheard.
“That is a private family residence,” he said.
“Not yours.”
“My son’s house contains company property.”
Ortiz studied him.
“You seem very interested in what might be there.”
Walter smiled faintly.
“Detective, I’m interested in protecting my family.”
Elliot shrank into his pillow.
Walter noticed.
His expression softened.
“Elliot.”
“Don’t.”
Walter stopped.
The boy’s voice trembled.
“Don’t come near me.”
Something cold passed across Walter’s face.
Then it vanished.
“All right.”
He turned to leave.
Elliot suddenly remembered something.
“Mom.”
Tessa looked down.
“The envelope had a key taped inside.”
“What kind of key?”
“Small. Blue plastic top.”
Walter stopped walking.
His back remained toward them.
Tessa watched his shoulders become rigid.
Detective Ortiz noticed too.
“Mr. Mercer?”
Walter slowly turned.
“What?”
Ortiz smiled without warmth.
“You recognize that key?”
“No.”
But Elliot was staring at him.
Because Walter had recognized it.
May you like
He was sure.
And that meant his grandmother had hidden something Walter desperately wanted.
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