Chapter 9 - The Lockpick
Daniel grabbed the fetal monitor, violently ripping the metallic clasp free from the elastic band. Valeria didn't even flinch; she was entirely unconscious, hovering on the brink of death.
He swam down to the heavy padlock securing the chain around her ankle. The water was incredibly dark now; the cover above was almost entirely shut, leaving only a sliver of light to illuminate the pool floor.
He shoved the sharp, metallic pin of the clasp into the keyhole of the padlock. He twisted it aggressively, trying to force the internal tumblers to catch.
Click.
It didn't turn.
He pulled it out, repositioned it, and jammed it back in, twisting with all his might. The metal pin bent slightly under the pressure.
Click.
Nothing. The lock was heavy-duty, designed to withstand weather and tampering. A crude piece of medical equipment wasn't going to open it.
His lungs were screaming, his vision beginning to starburst with black spots. He was running out of oxygen, and Valeria was already dying.
He dropped the broken pin, slamming his fists against the marble statue in absolute, helpless rage.
Then, through the dense, heavy water, he felt a strange vibration.
It wasn't the hum of the cover motor. It was a sharp, rhythmic clack-clack-clack originating from the other side of the massive statue.
He swam around the wide marble base, squinting through the gloom.
May you like
A figure emerged from the murky water.
It was Elena. The elderly, unmarried aunt who lived in the guest house. The woman everyone in the family ignored.
