Chapter 4 - SOMEONE WAS INSIDE THE HOUSE
Marcus immediately pushed Pia behind him.
“Stay here.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Find out who broke that window.”
The emergency lights flickered on.
Ben woke up crying.
Pia went to him.
Marcus grabbed his phone and called security.
No answer.
He tried again.
Nothing.
His stomach tightened.
The mansion had three separate security systems.
All three couldn't fail at once.
Unless someone had deliberately disabled them.
Marcus moved downstairs.
The broken window was in the study.
Glass covered the floor.
The curtains moved in the cold night air.
He looked outside.
Nothing.
Then he noticed the desk.
Victoria's old box was open.
The flash drive was gone.
Marcus turned sharply.
“Pia!”
She appeared at the stairs holding Ben.
“What?”
“The drive.”
Her eyes widened.
“You had it.”
“Someone took it.”
She immediately looked toward the back hallway.
“There's another entrance.”
Marcus followed her.
“You know this house?”
“Victoria showed me once.”
“When?”
“Before the accident.”
Marcus stopped.
“You knew my wife?”
“Yes.”
“How well?”
“Very well.”
He stared at her.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know whether you would believe me.”
Marcus almost laughed.
“Apparently nobody in my life believes I'm capable of hearing the truth.”
Pia looked at him sadly.
“Maybe you weren't.”
The words hurt.
But he couldn't deny them.
A noise came from upstairs.
Ben screamed.
Marcus ran.
Pia followed.
They reached the nursery.
The window was open.
Ben was standing beside the bed.
Someone had been inside.
On the floor lay a small white envelope.
Marcus picked it up.
His name was written across the front.
MARCUS.
Inside was a photograph.
Victoria.
Ben.
And another man.
Marcus recognized the location immediately.
The photograph had been taken two days before Victoria's death.
The man beside her was someone Marcus had never seen.
Pia looked at it.
Her face changed.
“You know him.”
“No.”
“You're lying.”
Pia shook her head.
“I've seen him before.”
“Where?”
“At the hospital.”
Marcus stared at her.
“Who is he?”
“I don't know.”
Before he could respond, a car engine roared outside.
Marcus ran to the window.
A black SUV sped away.
He memorized the plate.
Then his phone rang.
It was Tom.
“Marcus, listen to me.”
“What?”
“We found something.”
“What?”
“Victoria's accident wasn't random.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
“I know.”
“No. You don't understand.”
Tom's voice became lower.
“There was a second vehicle.”
Marcus went still.
“What?”
“Witnesses reported a black SUV near the intersection.”
Marcus looked at Pia.
“Same vehicle?”
“Possibly.”
“Find it.”
“Already working on it.”
Marcus hung up.
Pia stood beside him.
“Mr. Delgado…”
“Call me Marcus.”
She looked surprised.
“Marcus.”
He nodded.
“I need you to tell me everything you know about Victoria.”
Pia looked toward Ben.
“I'll tell you everything.”
Then she took a breath.
“Victoria believed someone was following her.”
“Who?”
“She didn't know.”
“Why?”
“Because she had discovered something about your company.”
Marcus frowned.
“My company?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
Pia hesitated.
“She believed someone was moving money.”
Marcus's face hardened.
“From my company?”
“Millions.”
He stared at her.
“That makes no sense.”
“She thought your mother knew.”
“My mother?”
Pia nodded.
“And she believed someone inside your company was helping her.”
Marcus's phone rang again.
This time it was his CFO.
Marcus answered.
“Where are you?”
“At home.”
“Check your bank accounts.”
Marcus frowned.
“Why?”
“Because we have a problem.”
“What kind?”
“Three million dollars disappeared from one of the family trust accounts tonight.”
Marcus looked at Pia.
“What account?”
“The account Victoria created for Ben.”
Marcus felt the floor disappear beneath him.
“Who accessed it?”
“We're tracing it.”
Marcus hung up.
Ben appeared in the hallway.
“Daddy?”
Marcus turned.
The little boy held Victoria's old stuffed rabbit.
“Daddy, I found Mommy's box.”
“What box?”
Ben pointed toward his room.
Marcus followed.
Under Ben's bed was a wooden box.
Victoria's handwriting was on top.
Marcus opened it.
Inside were photographs.
Letters.
A key.
And a small note.
Marcus unfolded it.
There were only seven words.
If I die, trust the nanny.
Marcus looked at Pia.
She was crying.
“I didn't know she left that for you.”
Marcus looked at his son.
Then at the note.
Then toward the dark hallway.
For eight months, he had believed he was protecting his family by trusting no one.
Now he realized the opposite might be true.
May you like
He had spent eight months protecting the wrong people.
And someone inside his own family was willing to destroy anyone who discovered the truth.
