Chapter 5 - The black sedan stopped beneath the mansion's circular porte-cochère.Rain hammered the windshield.

The engine remained running.

Adrian stood behind the front doors with Marcus and six armed guards.

Emma was upstairs.

Lily was missing.

And every possible answer seemed to lead toward a man who was supposed to have been dead for six years.

The sedan door opened.

A man stepped out.

Adrian's breath caught.

Not because the man looked exactly like Daniel.

He didn't.

He looked older.

Thinner.

His hair was longer.

A scar ran from his left temple to his jaw.

But his eyes were the same.

Daniel Carter.

Alive.

He walked toward the mansion.

No weapon visible.

Marcus raised his rifle.

“Stop there.”

Daniel stopped.

His eyes moved past Marcus.

Toward Adrian.

“I knew you would be waiting.”

Adrian opened the door.

“You have three seconds to explain why you're alive.”

Daniel smiled without humor.

“I could use the same sentence.”

“Where is Lily?”

The smile disappeared.

Daniel looked toward the mansion.

“Where is Emma?”

“She’s inside.”

“Then she's already dead.”

Adrian's gun came up.

Marcus grabbed his shoulder.

“Sir.”

Daniel didn't react.

“He doesn't have her yet.”

“Who?”

Daniel looked directly at Adrian.

“The man who has been sitting in your house for six years.”

Adrian stared.

“You're going to tell me everything.”

“I will.”

“Now.”

Daniel shook his head.

“Not in front of your men.”

Marcus stiffened.

Adrian considered him.

Then lowered the gun slightly.

“Inside.”

Daniel entered.

The mansion seemed to change around him.

He looked at the walls.

The portraits.

The staircase.

The old grandfather clock.

“You haven't changed anything.”

“Why would I?”

“Because this place killed Matteo.”

Adrian stopped.

“My brother died of heart failure.”

Daniel looked at him.

“That’s what you were told.”

Before Adrian could respond, the lights flickered.

Daniel stepped closer.

“Your brother didn't die naturally.”

Adrian's face hardened.

“What happened?”

“He was poisoned.”

“By whom?”

Daniel looked toward Marcus.

Then toward the ceiling.

“Someone with a key.”

Marcus frowned.

“Every staff member with access is accounted for.”

Daniel laughed quietly.

“That’s the problem.”

He reached inside his coat.

Marcus raised his weapon.

Daniel slowly pulled out a small black notebook.

He handed it to Adrian.

Adrian opened it.

The first page contained a list of names.

Matteo Moretti.

Victor Hale.

Gideon Black.

Emma Carter.

And Adrian Moretti.

Beside Adrian's name was a date.

PROJECTED DEATH: NOT YET

Adrian flipped through the pages.

Dozens of dates.

Payments.

Locations.

Code names.

Then he saw something that made his fingers stop.

11:59

The same time.

Repeated dozens of times.

“What's this?”

Daniel stared at the notebook.

“The time your family loses everything.”

Adrian looked up.

“What family?”

“Yours.”

“Explain.”

Daniel took a breath.

“Six years ago I discovered a hidden account. Money was being moved through companies you didn't own.”

“Companies connected to Moretti Shipping?”

“Yes.”

“Who controlled them?”

“I never found the name.”

“And you disappeared.”

“I was taken.”

“By whom?”

“Victor Hale.”

Adrian went still.

“He was alive?”

“For years.”

“Where?”

Daniel's expression darkened.

“Underground.”

Adrian's gaze sharpened.

“The room beneath the house.”

Daniel nodded.

“They built it before your father died.”

“Why?”

“To watch people.”

“Who?”

“Everyone.”

Daniel looked at the ceiling.

“Employees. Rivals. Family.”

Adrian glanced toward Marcus.

“Why didn't you escape?”

Daniel's jaw tightened.

“Because every time I tried, someone I loved disappeared.”

“Emma?”

Daniel nodded.

“Lily too.”

Adrian's voice became quiet.

“So the men threatening Emma…”

“Were never after money.”

“Then what?”

Daniel looked at him.

“Her memory.”

Adrian frowned.

“What does that mean?”

“She remembers the night Matteo died.”

Emma suddenly appeared on the staircase.

Everyone turned.

She looked at Daniel.

He looked at her.

Neither spoke.

Then Emma walked down the stairs.

Daniel's face cracked for the first time.

“Emma.”

She stopped three steps away.

“You're alive.”

Daniel nodded.

“I told you I would come back.”

Emma shook her head.

“You said you'd come back when it was safe.”

Daniel looked toward Adrian.

“It never became safe.”

“Then why now?”

“Because they found Lily.”

Emma's hands began to shake.

“Where is she?”

Daniel's voice dropped.

“I don't know.”

Silence.

Adrian stared at him.

“Then you came here for nothing.”

“No.”

Daniel reached into his coat again.

This time he removed a photograph.

Lily.

Sleeping in a room Adrian had never seen.

The stuffed rabbit rested beside her.

The photograph had been taken recently.

On the back was a timestamp.

11:48 p.m.

Adrian looked at Daniel.

“Where was this taken?”

Daniel answered:

“Your house.”

Adrian turned toward Marcus.

“Search every room.”

Marcus moved.

Daniel stopped him.

“Don't.”

“Why?”

“Because the room isn't in your house.”

Adrian frowned.

Daniel placed a finger against the photograph.

“It's underneath it.”

A noise came from the ceiling.

Three slow taps.

Everyone looked up.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Then came a child's voice through the vents.

“Daddy?”

Emma cried out.

Daniel looked horrified.

“That isn't Lily.”

The voice came again.

“Daddy…”

Adrian aimed his weapon at the ceiling.

Marcus whispered:

“Sir, there’s someone in the ventilation system.”

Adrian listened.

Another whisper.

This time directly above him.

“Eleven forty-eight.”

Then the ceiling vent opened.

A small object dropped to the floor.

A bloodstained security badge.

Adrian picked it up.

The name on it was Marcus Reed.

Marcus stared at the badge in disbelief.

“That isn't mine.”

Adrian turned slowly toward him.

The room went silent.

Because the badge had been issued to Marcus six years ago.

And on the back, written in faded ink, were four words:

HE WAS IN THE ROOM.

Marcus took one step backward.

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Adrian raised his gun.

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