Chapter 2 - KELLEN'S EMPTY BEDROOM
Mirabelle refused to ride in Ronan's car.
For approximately thirty seconds.
Then Ronan showed her the photograph his security man had sent.
Kellen's bedroom.
Empty.
Window open.
Backpack gone.
Phone disconnected.
She climbed into the black SUV without another word.
Ronan sat across from her.
His men occupied the front seats.
"Where are we going?"
"Your apartment."
"Why?"
"To see what was left behind."
Mirabelle gripped her jacket.
"You knew about me before tonight."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Ronan stared out the window.
"Because your father once saved my life."
Mirabelle's breath caught.
"My father?"
"Daniel Hayes."
She shook her head.
"My father died before I was old enough to remember him."
"He didn't die the way you were told."
Ronan's words landed like a physical blow.
"What did you say?"
"Not yet."
"Then when?"
"When we find your brother."
The SUV stopped outside her apartment building.
Mirabelle ran upstairs.
The door was unlocked.
She knew immediately.
Someone had been inside.
Her kitchen drawers were open.
Her mattress had been cut.
The flour canister lay shattered on the floor.
Mirabelle rushed to Kellen's room.
His textbooks were scattered everywhere.
The physics notebook was open.
She picked it up.
A page had been torn out.
Ronan entered behind her.
"What did they take?"
"Nothing."
She turned.
"They took nothing."
Ronan crouched beside the desk.
"Wrong."
He pointed at the empty space beneath the lamp.
"Something was here."
Mirabelle stared.
"My father's old watch."
Ronan's eyes sharpened.
"Describe it."
"Silver. Scratched face. It was the only thing I had from him."
"Where did Kellen keep it?"
"Hidden."
"Where?"
She hesitated.
"Inside his physics textbook."
Ronan looked at the torn page.
"Then whoever took it knew where to look."
Mirabelle sat down.
Her hands began trembling.
"My brother wouldn't run away."
"I know."
"Then someone took him."
"Yes."
She looked at Ronan.
"Who?"
His phone rang.
He answered.
A man's voice came through.
Ronan listened.
Then he said:
"Don't touch anything."
He hung up.
Mirabelle stood.
"What?"
"Your father's watch was found."
"Where?"
Ronan looked at her.
"In Brandon Mercer's car."
Mirabelle felt the world tilt.
"Brandon took my brother?"
"Not necessarily."
"Then why was my father's watch in his car?"
Ronan didn't answer.
Because they both knew the truth.
This was bigger than a cruel rich kid humiliating a waitress.
Much bigger.
Ronan pulled a photograph from his pocket.
It showed a man standing outside a warehouse.
Mirabelle stared at the face.
She knew him.
Her stomach turned.
"That's impossible."
"Who is he?"
"My father's business partner."
"Name."
"Victor Hale."
Ronan nodded.
"I thought so."
"You know him?"
"I've been trying to find him for eleven years."
Mirabelle looked at him.
"Why?"
Ronan's voice dropped.
"Because Victor Hale was supposed to be dead."
A noise came from the hallway.
Both of them froze.
Ronan immediately stepped in front of Mirabelle.
His hand went beneath his coat.
The apartment door slowly moved.
A figure stood outside.
Kellen.
Mirabelle screamed his name.
He stumbled inside.
His face was bruised.
His shirt was torn.
But he was alive.
She ran to him.
"Kellen!"
He collapsed into her arms.
Ronan crouched beside them.
"Who did this?"
Kellen looked up.
His eyes filled with fear.
"They told me to find the watch."
Mirabelle tightened her arms around him.
"Who?"
Kellen looked at Ronan.
Then whispered:
"They said if I didn't..."
He swallowed.
"They would kill you."
Ronan's face became cold.
"Who said that?"
Kellen's eyes moved toward the window.
"Your enemies."
Ronan stared at him.
"Which enemies?"
Kellen shook his head.
"They said something else."
"What?"
Kellen looked at Mirabelle.
"They said your father left you something."
Mirabelle frowned.
"What?"
Kellen whispered:
"A fortune."
May you like
Ronan's eyes narrowed.
And suddenly, the entire case changed.
