Chapter 4 - Someone Inside the House
Roman locked down the manor within minutes.
Evelyn hated every second of it.
Men appeared at gates.
Security cameras were checked.
Doors were secured.
Residents were moved away from windows.
Roman transformed Calder House back into a fortress before Evelyn had finished reading the message.
"Stop."
He looked at her.
"What?"
"Ordering everyone around."
"Someone entered your study."
"My study."
"That's the point."
"No, Roman. The point is that this is a home. There are children upstairs."
"Which is why I'm protecting it."
"By frightening everyone?"
"By keeping them alive."
His voice rose slightly.
The room went silent.
Roman noticed.
He lowered it.
"Evelyn."
"No."
She held up the photograph.
"Someone got through your security."
"Your security."
"Exactly."
He stared.
She continued.
"My system worked for three years."
"Because nobody was trying."
"Or because whoever did this arrived with you."
That landed.
Gabriel stepped forward.
"She's right."
Roman looked at his brother.
"Helpful."
"I'm not here to protect your feelings."
Arthur entered.
"I checked the exterior cameras."
"And?"
"No one approached the study window."
Roman frowned.
"Then the photograph was delivered from inside."
Evelyn looked toward the hallway.
Seventeen residents.
Staff.
Workers.
Visitors.
Someone among them?
"No," she said.
Roman turned.
"You don't know that."
"I know these people."
"You knew me."
The words escaped before he could stop them.
Evelyn went still.
Roman regretted them immediately.
"That's not—"
"You're right."
She placed the photograph down.
"I thought I knew you."
She walked out.
Roman closed his eyes.
Gabriel muttered, "Impressive."
"Not now."
"You've been home four hours and already reminded your wife why she preferred the three years you were gone."
Roman turned on him.
"You want to help?"
"I am."
"Then tell me everything."
Gabriel's amusement disappeared.
He sat.
Two years earlier, Gabriel had discovered unexplained transfers from Calder-controlled companies.
The money flowed through shell businesses.
Eventually, it reached a private intelligence contractor.
The same contractor had conducted surveillance on Evelyn before her wedding.
Gabriel investigated.
Someone discovered it.
His staged death had not been voluntary.
"They kept me in Quebec for eleven months," Gabriel said.
Roman's face hardened.
"You told me you escaped after six."
"I lied."
"Why?"
"Because the other five months matter."
Gabriel looked toward the door.
"I wasn't alone."
Roman waited.
"There was another prisoner."
"Who?"
"A man who worked for the Hart family."
Evelyn's family.
Roman leaned forward.
"Name."
"Samuel Hart."
Roman stopped breathing.
Evelyn's uncle.
The man who had negotiated their marriage.
The man who had died from a supposed heart attack six months before the wedding.
"Impossible."
"I saw him."
"You knew Samuel."
"Yes."
"You watched him get buried."
"We watched somebody get buried."
Roman stood.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because Samuel told me Evelyn would die if you learned he was alive."
Roman's hands curled into fists.
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know."
A voice came from the doorway.
"I do."
Evelyn stood there.
Roman turned.
She held an old photograph.
Samuel Hart stood beside her father.
"Tell me."
Gabriel hesitated.
Evelyn stepped inside.
"He's my uncle."
"He may be the person behind this."
"Then I deserve to hear it."
Roman said quietly, "You do."
Evelyn looked at him, surprised.
It was the first time he had said those words.
Gabriel explained.
Samuel had believed the Hart and Calder assets should never be joined.
Evelyn's marriage threatened financial structures he had spent decades manipulating.
Her illness made her vulnerable.
Her death after marrying Roman would have triggered inheritance clauses benefiting several Hart-controlled trusts.
Evelyn sat slowly.
"So I was worth more dead."
Roman's expression turned dangerous.
"Not to me."
She looked at him.
He did not look away.
Gabriel continued.
Samuel had escaped captivity shortly before Gabriel.
Or perhaps, Gabriel now suspected, Samuel had never truly been a prisoner.
"Maybe he was supervising it," Evelyn said.
Gabriel nodded.
Roman began pacing.
"The photograph."
"Could be Samuel," Gabriel said.
"No."
Evelyn looked toward Roman.
"Why?"
"He wouldn't expose himself this early."
"Unless he wanted you angry."
Roman stopped.
"Or distracted."
Evelyn's eyes widened.
She stood.
"Clara."
Roman understood immediately.
If someone wanted Evelyn distracted downstairs—
They ran.
Clara's room was empty.
So were the twins' beds.
Evelyn's heart slammed against her ribs.
"Lily!"
No answer.
"June!"
Roman checked the bathroom.
Empty.
A window stood open.
Evelyn rushed toward it.
Roman caught her before she leaned outside.
"Wait."
"Those girls—"
"I know."
"They're family."
"I know."
Evelyn turned on him.
"You don't know!"
Roman froze.
She was crying now.
"They were here when you weren't. Clara held me when I couldn't stand. Those girls slept beside me when I was too afraid to sleep alone. Don't tell me you know."
Roman released her.
"You're right."
The simple admission stopped her.
"I don't know."
He looked around the room.
"But I'm going to bring them back."
A small sound came from the wardrobe.
Roman raised a hand.
Everyone went silent.
The door opened.
June stepped out.
She was shaking.
Evelyn rushed to her.
"Where's your mother?"
June cried against her.
"A man came."
"What man?"
"He said Mr. Roman sent him."
Roman's face went cold.
"And Lily?"
"He took her."
Clara?
June pointed toward the hallway.
"Mommy followed."
Evelyn held the child.
Roman knelt.
"June, did you see the man?"
She nodded.
"Have you seen him before?"
Another nod.
Roman exchanged a look with Evelyn.
"Where?"
June whispered the answer.
"In the picture downstairs."
Evelyn carried her to the hall.
June pointed at the old Hart family photograph.
Her finger landed on Samuel Hart.
May you like
The dead man had come into the manor.
And he had taken Lily.
