Chapter 2 - The Back Door
Someone had been inside my house long before Emma arrived.
Julian touched the scar beneath his chin.
“Warehouse fire,” he said.
“The one thirteen years ago?”
“Yes.”
“You told me the fire started in the east loading bay.”
“It did.”
“You told me nobody else survived.”
His eyes remained fixed on mine.
“Nobody who mattered.”
The answer landed like a bullet.
I stepped closer.
“What does that mean?”
Julian's jaw tightened.
“Exactly what I said.”
Before I could press him, my phone vibrated.
A security alert.
Rear service entrance.
I opened the feed.
Emma.
She was walking through the kitchen.
Alone.
Then the image changed.
Julian was still standing in front of me.
But the camera showed another man entering the service corridor.
A tall figure.
Black coat.
Gloves.
Face hidden.
I looked back at Julian.
He had seen the footage.
His expression changed.
Not guilt.
Fear.
Real fear.
“Who is that?”
Julian didn't answer.
“Julian.”
He moved toward the door.
I blocked him.
“Who is he?”
“You need to get Emma and Lily out of this house.”
“Why?”
“Because he knows you're watching.”
The lights went out.
Every light in the penthouse died simultaneously.
I reached for my weapon.
Gunfire exploded downstairs.
Three shots.
Then four.
Julian shoved me toward the wall.
“Stay here.”
“Who the hell is shooting at my house?”
Julian opened the door.
A bullet punched through the frame.
He dragged me backward.
“Your security team is compromised.”
My heart slammed against my ribs.
“My men?”
“All of them.”
Another gunshot.
A scream came from downstairs.
“Emma!” I shouted.
Julian grabbed my arm.
“We move now.”
I followed him.
We ran through the side corridor.
The emergency lights flickered on, bathing the hallway in red.
Halfway downstairs, we heard a child crying.
“Mommy!”
Lily.
I broke away from Julian.
“Lily!”
I found her beneath the dining table.
Emma was crouched over her.
Blood covered her shoulder.
But it wasn't hers.
A dead security guard lay beside the table.
Emma had one hand over Lily's mouth.
Her eyes met mine.
“Don't turn on the main lights.”
“I won't.”
“What happened?”
“Someone came through the back.”
“Who?”
Emma looked at Julian.
He looked away.
That was enough.
A shadow crossed the hallway.
Julian raised his pistol.
Three shots.
The shadow disappeared.
“Move!” he ordered.
We ran into the library.
I slammed the doors shut.
There was a hidden safe behind the fireplace.
I opened it.
“Inside.”
Emma stared at me.
“You're serious?”
“Yes.”
She shoved Lily inside.
I followed.
Julian remained outside.
I looked through the narrow gap.
He stood alone in the corridor.
Then the masked man appeared behind him.
Julian turned.
The man said something.
Julian froze.
Then he slowly lowered his gun.
The masked man walked past him.
Straight toward the library.
I watched Julian do nothing.
Nothing.
“Julian!”
He looked directly toward me.
His face was unreadable.
The masked man reached the door.
Then Julian suddenly fired.
The man ducked.
The bullet shattered the frame.
The attacker fled.
Julian rushed inside.
“They're coming for Lily.”
Emma pressed her hand over her mouth.
“Why?”
Julian looked at her.
“They know about the box.”
My gaze shifted to the stuffed rabbit in Lily's arms.
“What's in it?”
Emma stood.
“Nothing.”
Lily shook her head.
“That's not true.”
“Lily,” Emma warned.
The girl hugged the rabbit tighter.
“The paper is inside.”
I looked at Emma.
“What paper?”
Emma closed her eyes.
Then she sank to the floor.
“My husband left me something.”
Julian spoke quietly.
“Not something.”
“The whole damn ledger.”
The room went silent.
I stared at the rabbit.
“A ledger wouldn't fit in that.”
“It isn't the ledger,” Emma said.
“It's a key.”
“A key to what?”
She looked at me.
“A place your father built.”
My mind raced.
“My father built dozens of places.”
“This one isn't on any property record.”
Julian looked at the door.
“We're out of time.”
“No.”
I turned toward him.
“You've known about this for thirteen years.”
He didn't deny it.
“You knew Daniel Harper.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Emma before she started working here.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about the box.”
“Yes.”
My gun was suddenly in my hand.
Emma gasped.
Lily whimpered.
I pointed the weapon at Julian.
“Then start talking.”
Julian stared at me.
“You really want to know?”
“Yes.”
He took a slow breath.
“Your father ordered me to kill Emma's husband.”
Emma closed her eyes.
“And I didn't.”
My finger tightened around the trigger.
“Why?”
Julian looked at Lily.
“Because Daniel showed me what was in the list.”
“What was on it?”
Julian's voice dropped to almost a whisper.
“Your name.”
I stared at him.
“My name was on a list of people my family owned.”
Julian nodded.
“And beside your name was a date.”
“What date?”
He looked directly at me.
May you like
“Tomorrow.”
The gun in my hand felt suddenly weightless.
