Chapter 3 - The Secret Before Our Wedding
Detective Holloway raised one finger to his lips.
Richard stopped breathing.
The handle turned farther.
Then stopped.
Holloway moved toward the wall beside the door.
"Police," he called. "Identify yourself."
Silence.
Richard still had Sarah on the phone.
"Who's there?" he whispered.
"Richard, leave."
"Sarah, who followed me?"
"Please."
Footsteps suddenly raced down the corridor.
Holloway moved.
By the time they reached the corner, whoever had been there was gone.
A fire exit slammed somewhere below.
Holloway called for backup.
Richard returned to Unit 317.
Sarah had disconnected.
He called back.
No answer.
The metal case remained on the table.
DO NOT OPEN.
Richard stared at it.
Holloway returned.
"Building cameras were cut."
"My father again?"
"Maybe."
Richard shook his head.
"Sarah sounded afraid."
"Then we don't open that case until we know why."
Richard hated waiting.
But every impulsive decision he'd made had brought him here.
So he waited.
The photographs told a story.
Vanessa had known Marcus before Richard ever met her.
That alone made Richard feel physically ill.
He remembered their first encounter.
A charity event in Seattle.
Vanessa had spilled champagne near him.
She'd laughed.
They had talked.
Two weeks later, she'd messaged him.
Richard had thought it was coincidence.
Now coincidence felt naive.
Holloway arranged the photographs chronologically.
Seven years ago.
Thomas.
Marcus.
Vanessa.
Then nothing for years.
Six months ago, Vanessa reappeared.
Photographs documented every meeting between her and Richard.
But there were also photographs of Vanessa meeting Marcus privately.
"She wasn't just your mistress," Holloway said.
Richard didn't answer.
His humiliation had become something colder.
"Was she sent to me?"
"Possible."
"By Marcus?"
"Possible."
"Why?"
"That's what we find out."
Richard looked at the metal case.
"Sarah already did."
They returned to the mansion.
Thomas Dalton was waiting.
Richard saw his father's black sedan before they entered.
Thomas stood in the kitchen beside Sarah's abandoned ring.
Seventy years old.
Straight-backed.
Controlled.
The same man Richard had spent his life trying to impress.
Richard threw the photograph onto the counter.
"Explain."
Thomas looked down.
He didn't pretend surprise.
"Where's Sarah?"
"Safe."
"You know where?"
"Yes."
Richard's anger surged.
"Everyone knows where my wife and son are except me."
"There's a reason."
"Then tell me."
Thomas looked at Holloway.
"He stays."
Richard said, "Yes."
Thomas nodded.
Then he sat.
"Seven years ago, the night before your wedding, Marcus came to me."
Richard waited.
"He had evidence that someone was stealing from Dalton Aeronautics."
"Who?"
"At first, we thought an employee."
Thomas looked at the photograph.
"Vanessa worked for an outside accounting contractor."
Richard's stomach tightened.
"She was investigating?"
"She was involved."
"With Marcus?"
"Yes."
Thomas explained.
Millions had been moved through shell companies.
Marcus had discovered irregularities.
Vanessa had access to internal accounting systems.
Thomas believed Vanessa was helping expose the theft.
Then the evidence disappeared.
A witness recanted.
The money trail vanished.
Vanessa left Seattle.
"What does that have to do with Sarah?"
Thomas's eyes hardened.
"Sarah found the missing evidence."
"When?"
"Six weeks ago."
Richard felt dizzy.
"How?"
"By accident."
Sarah had been preparing taxes while on maternity leave.
She discovered an old account Richard had forgotten.
One transaction connected to a shell company.
She kept digging.
"Why didn't she tell me?"
"Because the account was in your name."
Richard stared.
"No."
"Yes."
"I didn't steal anything."
"I know."
"Then why—"
"Someone used your identity."
"Marcus?"
Thomas didn't answer.
Richard understood.
"You suspected him."
"For years."
"Yet you kept him as our attorney."
"Because keeping an enemy close sometimes tells you more than removing him."
Richard laughed bitterly.
"And you let him stay close to me."
"I was trying to protect you."
"No. You were controlling me."
Thomas accepted the accusation.
Richard suddenly saw the similarity.
He had spent years resenting his father's control while repeating the same behavior with Sarah.
"Why did Sarah leave today?"
"Because last night someone entered your house."
Richard looked toward the damaged nursery door.
"You?"
"I arrived after."
"Who entered?"
"We don't know."
"Sarah was here?"
"With Ethan."
Thomas's jaw tightened.
"She heard someone downstairs at approximately three forty."
Richard's blood ran cold.
"While I was with Vanessa."
"Yes."
"Why didn't she call police?"
"She did."
Holloway checked his phone.
No report.
Thomas continued.
"The call disconnected."
"Then?"
"Sarah called me."
Thomas had driven over.
By the time he arrived, the intruder was gone.
Sarah had already packed most of Ethan's belongings.
"She'd planned to leave me anyway."
"Yes."
"But she left this morning because she was afraid."
"Yes."
"For Ethan."
"Yes."
Richard closed his eyes.
While he had been drinking champagne with Vanessa, Sarah had been alone in the house protecting their child from an intruder.
"Why disable the cameras?"
"I didn't."
Richard opened his eyes.
"We saw you."
"You saw me at the panel."
"Exactly."
"I was trying to restore them."
Silence.
Richard looked at Holloway.
"Then whoever entered disabled them first."
Thomas nodded.
"At 3:38."
"Who has the code?"
"Five people."
Richard.
Sarah.
Thomas.
The security company.
And Marcus.
Richard sat down.
The answer felt obvious.
Too obvious.
"What about Vanessa?"
Thomas's expression changed.
"Vanessa knew more than Marcus realized."
"What does that mean?"
"She contacted Sarah."
Richard stared.
"When?"
"Three weeks ago."
"Why?"
"To warn her."
Everything shifted again.
Richard had imagined Vanessa as Marcus's accomplice.
Maybe she had been.
But people changed sides.
"Where is Vanessa?"
"No one knows."
Richard called her.
Disconnected.
He tried again.
Nothing.
Holloway said, "We need that metal case."
Sarah finally called that evening.
Richard answered immediately.
"Ethan?"
"He's sleeping."
Richard closed his eyes.
"Can I hear him?"
Sarah hesitated.
Then there was a soft sound.
Tiny breathing.
Richard's throat tightened.
"I miss him."
Sarah said nothing.
"I miss you too."
"Don't."
"I know."
"No, Richard. You don't get to say that because you're scared."
"You're right."
The words surprised both of them.
Sarah was quiet.
Richard continued.
"I know about the trust."
"Good."
"I know you found the shell company."
"Good."
"I know someone entered the house."
Her breathing changed.
"Then you understand why I'm not coming back."
"I understand why you left."
"That's different."
"Yes."
Another silence.
Richard asked, "Why did you tell me not to open the case?"
"Because Vanessa told me what was inside."
"Where is she?"
"I don't know."
"Sarah."
"I don't."
"What is inside?"
"Records."
"Of the theft?"
"And something else."
"What?"
"Something about Ethan."
Richard stood.
"What about Ethan?"
"He's safe."
"What does the case say?"
Sarah's voice broke for the first time.
"Richard, there was a DNA test."
His world narrowed.
"A what?"
"I found the report."
Richard could barely breathe.
"Are you saying Ethan isn't mine?"
"No."
The answer came immediately.
"Ethan is your son."
"Then what DNA test?"
Sarah whispered, "It wasn't testing you."
"Who?"
Before she could answer, another voice sounded in Sarah's background.
A man's voice.
Sarah gasped.
The phone fell.
Richard heard movement.
"Sarah?"
No answer.
"Sarah!"
A door slammed.
Then a voice came through the phone.
Calm.
Male.
Familiar.
"Richard."
Richard froze.
He knew that voice.
May you like
"Marcus?"
The call ended.
