The Scott mansion, a few nights later. Catherine is woken by a startling noise. She investigates and finds signs of a break-in.
Catherine startled awake, her senses on full alert. A tiny scraping sound had penetrated the quiet of the night. She sat up in bed, her heart thumping in her chest, straining to listen.
There it was again. A quiet, scratching sound, emanating from somewhere downstairs. It sounded like someone was trying to pick a lock.
She slid out of bed, snatching a large lamp from her bedside for safety. She crept to the door, slowly opening it and looking out into the hallway. The house was dark and still, the only light coming from the moon seeping through the windows.
Holding her breath, she tiptoed down the corridor towards the sound. As she reached the top of the stairs, she heard a tremendous crash coming from Liam's study.
She hurried down the steps, her heart thumping in her chest. When she reached the study, she found the door ajar. She pushed it open slowly, her torch set high.
The study was a jumble. Books were spilled over the floor, drawers were pushed open, and papers were strewn everywhere. The lockable box was gone from behind the bookshelf.
Someone had broken into the house. Someone was looking for something. And they had discovered it.
She ran to the window, staring out into the darkness. She observed a shadowy figure sprinting over the grass, vanishing into the trees.
She was too late.
She has to let Liam know something is occurring.
Catherine tells Liam about the break-in. He's doubtful at first, but then discovers the secured box is missing and becomes frightened.
Catherine hurried back upstairs and burst into Liam's room, her pulse thumping in her chest. She noticed him waking.
"Liam, wake up!" she shouted, shaking him urgently. "Someone broke into the house!"
Liam moaned, rubbing his eyes. "What? What are you talking about?" he murmured, still half-asleep.
"Someone broke into your study!" Catherine said, her voice panicked. "They wrecked the place. And the locked box is gone!"
Liam sat up in bed, his eyes widening with fear. "The locked box?" he continued, his voice tightening. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure!" Catherine stated. "I saw them racing away. You have to call the police!"
Liam leaped out of bed, his face blanched. He raced to his study, Catherine following close behind.
He studied the situation, his jaw tense. He saw the scattered books, the open drawers, the missing box. His eyes narrowed, his demeanor going dark and threatening.
"Call the police," he continued, his voice low and frightening. "Now."
Catherine hurriedly grabbed her phone and dialed 911. As she waited for the operator to answer, she saw Liam staring at the window, his eyes locked on the darkness outside. She knew he was thinking the same thing she was: whomever broke into the house was pursuing something valuable. Something connected to Elizabeth's death.
The police arrive and investigate. Liam is evasive, unwilling to tell them what was in the closed box.
The police arrived immediately, sirens roaring, lights flashing. They swarmed the mansion, interviewing everyone, taking fingerprints, and inspecting the grounds.
Liam was evasive, unwilling to tell them what was in the closed box. He stated it contained personal trinkets, nothing of any real importance.
Catherine watched him, her distrust building. What was he hiding? What was so crucial about that box?
The police eventually left, vowing to investigate. But Catherine knew they wouldn't discover anything. The intruder was too skilled, too professional. They wouldn't leave any trace.
Once the police had gone, Liam turned to Catherine, his eyes laced with distrust. "Why were you awake?" he said, his voice accusing. "What were you doing downstairs?"
Catherine hesitated, then decided to tell him the truth. "I heard a noise," she remarked. "I thought something was wrong. I was just trying to help."
Liam stared at her for a long period, his expression opaque. Then, he turned and went away, leaving her alone in the room, her heart sinking with sadness. He didn't trust her. He undoubtedly suspected she was engaged in the break-in.
Catherine meets with Lois. Lois admits she observed Isabelle lurking around the night of the break-in.
Frustrated and bewildered, Catherine sought out Lois. She needed answers, and she knew Lois might have them.
She found her in the library, reading a book. She looked up as Catherine approached.
"What's wrong?" Lois asked, her voice apprehensive. "You look upset."
"Someone broke into the house last night," Catherine added. "They stole the locked box from Liam's study."
Lois gasped, her eyes widening with worry. "What? Who?"
"I don't know," Catherine answered. "But I suppose it has something to do with your mother's death. And I think your dad is hiding something."
Lois frowned. "I don't believe you," she said. "My dad wouldn't do anything like that."
"I know it's hard to believe," Catherine remarked. "But please, just listen to me. I think Isabelle is involved. I suspect she knows more than she's letting on."
Lois hesitated, then nodded. "Okay," she said. "I'll listen. What do you want me to do?"
"Did you see anything last night?" Catherine asked. "Did you hear anything unusual?"
Lois thought for a bit, then her eyes widened. "I did see something," she claimed. "I noticed Isabelle creeping around outside. She was conversing on her phone. She seemed pretty angry."
Catherine's heart jumped with joy. "Are you sure it was Isabelle?" she said. "Did you see her face?"
"Yes, I'm sure," Lois responded. "I saw her plainly. She was wearing a black coat and a cap. She was certainly up to something."
Catherine and Lois confront Isabelle, accusing her of the break-in. Isabelle denies everything but her behavior is questionable.
Armed with Lois's information, Catherine resolved to approach Isabelle. She had to know what she was hiding.
She discovered her in her office, working on her computer. She looked up as Catherine arrived, her expression icy and unwelcoming.
"What do you want?" Isabelle asked, her voice harsh.
"I know you broke into Liam's study last night," Catherine replied, her voice firm. "I know you stole the locked box."
Isabelle laughed, a cold and contemptuous sound. "You're crazy," she remarked. "Why would I do that?"
"Because you're obsessed with Liam," Catherine remarked. "You were in love with him. And you killed Elizabeth so you could have him all to yourself."
Isabelle's face stiffened, her eyes flashing with rage. "Get out," she snarled. "Get out of my office, and never come back."
"I'm not leaving until you tell me the truth," Catherine responded. "What was in the locked box? What are you hiding?"
Isabelle rose up, her voice quivering with wrath. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said. "But I warn you, if you don't leave right now, I'm calling the police."
Catherine glanced at Isabelle, her heart beating in her chest. She realized she was coming near to the truth. But she also realized she was in danger.
Seeing this she left before getting wounded.
As Catherine moved away from Isabelle, the mystery is still in the air. Was what Lois said true, and did she have any validity?