Chapter 4 - The Voice Beyond the Railing
Static filled Mrs. Alvarez’s recording.
Then Nora’s weak voice trembled through the speaker.
“I’m not signing anything.”
Gwen answered sharply.
“You already lost your husband. Don’t make me destroy what’s left.”
A metallic scraping sound followed.
Then a man’s voice called from farther away.
“Ma’am? Are you locked out?”
Mrs. Alvarez stopped the recording.
“That was the night maintenance supervisor,” she said. “He was clearing the lower walkway.”
Hope struck Liam so hard that his knees nearly weakened.
“Did he reach her?”
“I don’t know. My recording ends there.”
Liam grabbed his phone and called the building’s emergency maintenance number.
No answer.
He called again.
Gwen moved toward the kitchen.
Liam blocked her path.
“You’re not leaving.”
“You cannot hold me here.”
“You held my wife outside in freezing weather.”
“You locked her out,” Gwen snapped.
The words landed like a blow.
Liam stepped back.
She was right.
Whatever Gwen had manipulated, whatever she had hidden, he had been the one who pulled the door shut.
He had watched Nora beg.
He had turned away.
Mrs. Alvarez looked at him with open disgust.
“You need to call 911.”
Gwen’s expression changed instantly.
“No.”
Liam stared at her.
“Why not?”
“Because this is a family misunderstanding.”
“Nora could be freezing somewhere.”
“Calling the police will make everything worse.”
“For who?”
Gwen’s eyes flicked toward the hallway closet.
It lasted less than a second.
Liam saw it.
He walked past her and pulled open the closet door.
Inside sat Nora’s blue overnight bag.
Gwen rushed forward.
“That’s private.”
Liam dragged it into the living room and unzipped it.
Clothing.
Medication.
A sealed envelope from a law office.
And a small blue flash drive taped beneath the lining.
May you like
Gwen’s smugness vanished.
👉 Liam reached for the flash drive, but Gwen made one desperate move to stop him.
