Chapter 2 - The Woman Behind the Window
Evan moved before anyone could stop him.
“Marcus.”
A man near the terrace entrance stepped forward.
Until that moment, most guests had assumed Marcus Hale was another donor.
He wasn't.
“Lock the gates.”
Vanessa spun around.
“You can't imprison people here.”
“I’m protecting my children.”
Evan looked at the guests.
“Anyone who wants to leave may leave after security confirms their identity. Nobody enters the mansion.”
Then he turned toward Grace.
“You're coming with me.”
Grace nodded.
“Sophie and Caleb stay with Marcus.”
“No!”
Sophie grabbed Evan.
“Daddy, don't go.”
He crouched.
“I’ll be back.”
“She doesn't like when people go upstairs.”
Evan felt cold.
“Who?”
Sophie looked toward the window.
“The lady.”
Vanessa pushed forward.
“This is ridiculous. Sophie has nightmares.”
Sophie flinched at Vanessa’s voice.
Evan saw it.
So did everyone else.
“Marcus.”
“I've got them.”
Evan took the brass key.
Grace followed him.
Vanessa followed too.
“No.”
She stopped.
Evan looked at her.
“You stay where I can see you.”
“Evan—”
“Eleven days, Vanessa.”
Her mouth closed.
Inside the mansion, the noise of the terrace disappeared.
Evan crossed the foyer.
Grace stayed close.
“Tell me everything.”
“I started three weeks ago.”
“I know.”
“The first night, Sophie woke screaming.”
“Why?”
“She said someone was standing beside her bed.”
“A woman?”
Grace nodded.
“I thought it was a nightmare. Then it happened again.”
“Why didn't you call me?”
“I tried.”
Evan stopped.
“What?”
“I called the number Vanessa gave the staff for emergencies involving you.”
“That number goes to Marcus.”
“No. Vanessa answered.”
Evan's jaw tightened.
Grace continued.
“She told me never to contact you directly.”
They reached the staircase.
“Then six nights ago I heard footsteps.”
“Outside the children's room?”
“Yes.”
“I slept there afterward.”
“Did you see the woman?”
“Once.”
Evan waited.
“She looked like someone.”
“Who?”
Grace hesitated.
“Your late wife.”
He stared at her.
“Careful.”
“I know how it sounds.”
“No. You don't.”
“I found photographs, Mr. Whitaker.”
“Evan.”
Grace nodded.
“Evan. I know what Laura looked like.”
They reached the east corridor.
Dust covered the floor.
Except for footprints.
Fresh footprints.
Evan crouched.
Small.
Female.
Grace pointed.
“They weren't there yesterday.”
They reached Laura's old bedroom.
Evan inserted the key.
The door opened.
The room smelled faintly of lavender.
Laura's perfume.
Evan stopped breathing.
Four years disappeared.
Her hairbrush sat on the dresser.
A book rested beside the bed.
A glass of water stood on the nightstand.
Not dusty.
Fresh.
Grace whispered, “Someone has been living here.”
Evan opened the wardrobe.
Clothes.
Not Laura's old clothes.
New clothes.
Same sizes.
Same style.
Grace crossed toward a desk.
“Evan.”
A laptop sat there.
She touched the trackpad.
The screen awakened.
A surveillance feed appeared.
Sophie’s bedroom.
Caleb’s bedroom.
The terrace.
The kitchen.
And Evan’s private office.
Someone had been watching all of them.
Grace clicked a folder.
Hundreds of videos.
Vanessa entering Sophie’s room.
Vanessa searching drawers.
Vanessa arguing with servants.
Vanessa opening Evan’s safe.
Evan's expression hardened.
“Copy everything.”
Grace reached for a drive.
A floorboard creaked behind them.
Evan turned.
Nobody.
Then the bedroom door slammed.
Grace ran to it.
Locked.
“Someone locked us in.”
Evan pulled his phone.
No signal.
“Jammer.”
Grace stared at him.
“You sound like you've experienced this before.”
“You don't want my résumé.”
Despite everything, she almost smiled.
Then the laptop changed.
The surveillance feeds vanished.
A video began playing.
Laura appeared.
Evan stumbled backward.
She was sitting in this room.
Alive.
“Evan,” the recording said.
He approached the screen.
“If you're seeing this, something happened to me.”
His hands went cold.
Laura continued.
“And if Vanessa Vale is inside our home, you made exactly the mistake I was afraid you would make.”
Grace covered her mouth.
Evan couldn't move.
“I didn't die because of an accident.”
The video glitched.
“No.”
Evan touched the screen.
“Come on.”
Laura returned.
“Someone close to you arranged everything. I discovered financial transfers using your organization. Money moved through charities. Children's charities.”
Evan stared.
The brunch outside.
Vanessa’s charity.
Laura continued.
“I hid copies where nobody would search.”
The video distorted.
Then Laura leaned closer.
“And Evan, if our children start acting afraid of you, remember this: someone is teaching them to fear your name.”
The screen went black.
Evan stood motionless.
Grace whispered, “She knew.”
A click came from the hallway.
The door unlocked.
Evan opened it.
Empty corridor.
But something lay on the floor.
Caleb's rabbit.
Evan picked it up.
“Caleb was downstairs.”
Grace's face changed.
They ran.
Halfway down the staircase, Sophie screamed.
Evan reached the terrace.
Marcus was unconscious beside the doors.
Guests were shouting.
Vanessa was gone.
So was Caleb.
Sophie stood crying beside the fountain.
Evan grabbed her shoulders.
“Where is your brother?”
Sophie pointed toward the service driveway.
“Vanessa took him.”
A black SUV tore through the estate gates.
Evan's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Vanessa's voice came through.
“If you want your son alive, Evan, open Laura’s safe.”
Then another voice whispered behind Vanessa.
A woman's voice.
A voice Evan had buried four years ago.
May you like
“Don't do it, Evan.”
Laura.
