"Did your first husband, Robert Abrax, die of natural causes? I checked the records, and that's what it says." Abrax
For a split second, Adam saw an enigmatic glint in Geraldine's eyes, something he had never seen before.
"Yes, Robert died of natural causes, which, looking back, was probably for the best. I don't think he would have been able to handle our daughter's disappearance, no matter how far he would have gone to find her." Geraldine
Geraldine asked for the photos of the supposed Stacy again. She placed them on a counter and examined them carefully.
"Do you see anything relevant?" Abrax asked.
"Well, in this photo, the girl you claim is Stacy is attending a fashion show. This show took place in London, and it's by designer John Galliano. I actually participated in some of his shows, though I'm not sure if I was present at this one." Geraldine showed a concerned expression.
"Well, I don't believe it's her, but she does look a lot like my Stacy. And that's rare—it's not easy for someone to resemble her." Geraldine
"Oh yeah? I've seen some magazines with girls who looked like her." Abrax
Geraldine looked at Adam with pity.
"Detective, have you ever seen, with your own eyes, someone truly beautiful? And I don't mean just pretty enough to talk their way out of a traffic ticket. I'm talking about someone whose beauty borders on the divine. Someone who wakes up stunning, moves as if floating above the ground, can shake the world with just a glance. Someone who doesn't need adornments, plastic surgery, or insane diets to look perfect. Stacy was like that—she had the purest, sweetest beauty, and yet, she was wild." Geraldine
Abrax studied the woman. She barely made facial expressions as she spoke, probably because of the Botox. Even as an older woman, already a lady of a certain age, Geraldine was very vain—she wore jewelry, her breasts were still firm thanks to silicone, and she smelled good. Adam concluded that she was probably still hoping for a third marriage.
"You talk as if beauty is everything." Abrax
"And isn't it? Or do you think money is everything? Because it is, too! Listen, young man, a man may say he fell for a woman's personality, but in the end, he will want the one who catches his eye. The one that other men also desire. The one for whom he would lay down his life—or take a life. Have you never heard the story of Helen of Troy? She was so beautiful that the Greek men waged war against Troy just to reclaim her from her lover, Paris. Beauty is a treasure. And unlike what many believe, it can be lasting. I had the impression that Stacy would be one of those women—her beauty untouchable, enduring, constant." Geraldine
"So you think Mr. Robert Abrax married you for your beauty?" Abrax
Geraldine laughed.
"Yes, we can say that. But Robert was far too intelligent to see only that. He needed a family, and I could give that to him." Geraldine
While they talked, Steven, who had already left Stacy's room, was wandering the mansion looking for Adam. He didn't know why, but as he played with the objects in the missing girl's room, he had the eerie feeling of being watched. It unsettled the young officer.
He thought it might be Geraldine's housekeeper and left the room, continuing to walk through the mansion.
Geraldine led Adam back to the first floor, where her bedroom was. She said she needed to show him something. Adam wasn't eager to go with her alone, but he followed anyway.
Geraldine's bedroom had a bed so large it could easily accommodate seven people. The sheets were blood-red and made of pure silk.
Geraldine stepped away and returned with a box full of items.
"I'm not keeping this anymore. They were in Stacy's room, but I removed them as soon as I arrived. You can have them if you want—I don't know if they'll help much." Geraldine
She opened a photo album and flipped through it on the bed, showing Abrax pictures of Stacy as a child—playing on a rocking horse, building a sandcastle on a beach vacation, and posing in Paris. There were also several diaries where she had written her thoughts.
"You don't want to keep these?" Abrax
"No, too much time has passed. I just want peace now." Geraldine
Steven only realized he was lost inside the mansion when he came face-to-face with a wooden door marked with a large triangular symbol in the center. It was obvious that something important was inside. He immediately tried to open it.
He was close to succeeding when he heard a noise from within the room, as if someone were walking inside.
For no apparent reason, a chill ran from his legs up to his stomach.
It felt as if behind that door lay the answers to every question in the world. But somehow, he knew that uncovering them would come at a steep price.
Abrax had a few more questions for Geraldine.
"Have you never suspected anyone in particular? As Stacy's mother, I'm sure you have some intuition about the case." Abrax
Geraldine scoffed before answering.
"That wouldn't do me any good, Detective. When something like this happens, everyone is a suspect—even the family dogs. But in the beginning, I had hopes she had run away with Cedric. At least that way, I would have known I could find her again. But she didn't run away. That was clear to me from the start." Geraldine
"Before I go, one last question—what exactly did your husband Robert do for a living? I know he was wealthy, but I don't actually know what his business was." Abrax
Geraldine, who had looked distraught, straightened up before answering.
"He invested in the stock market, owned some industries, and had some family money as well." Geraldine
"I see, a lucky man then." Abrax
"You have the same last name as him. That's quite interesting. You're probably a distant relative, since that surname isn't very common." Geraldine
"Really? I always thought it was pretty common. But yeah, we could be distant relatives—third cousins, maybe, since it ends at the fourth degree." Abrax
Geraldine smiled.
"Darling, that's just in legal terms. When it comes to blood, these things can stretch for centuries. If I were you, I'd change that surname. I'm sure you have a better one—one that will bring you fewer problems." Geraldine
Steven pushed against the door as hard as he could, but it wouldn't budge. Just as he was about to give up and turn away, the sound of rusty hinges echoed through the hallway. He spun back around.
The two doors—what seemed to be a private study—were now slowly opening.
Steven swallowed hard. Not long ago, he had knocked, announced himself as a police officer, and yet, whoever was inside hadn't opened the door or responded.
He took a deep breath, and his first instinct was to reach for his gun.
Abrax and Geraldine had already realized that Steven had vanished.
As if an alarm had gone off in Adam's head, warning of imminent danger, he quickly rushed out, calling for Steven.
Steven held his gun ready, about to step inside, when Adam found him.
"Hey man, what are you doing?" Adam