Chapter 8 - Lauren’s SecretWe returned to the beach house.
The front door stood open.
No lights.
No movement.
The house looked abandoned.
Marcus rushed inside.
“Lauren!”
No answer.
I followed.
The living room smelled faintly of smoke.
My wedding photograph was gone.
Only the empty frame remained.
“Basement,” Nathan said.
We moved toward the hidden passage.
The stairwell door was open.
At the bottom came a muffled pounding.
“Lauren!”
Her voice screamed back.
“Marcus!”
He ran to the metal door.
“What happened?”
“Someone locked me in!”
“Who?”
“I couldn't see!”
Nathan stopped him.
“Don't open it.”
Marcus spun.
“Why?”
“Because something isn't right.”
Lauren screamed.
“Please!”
Marcus ignored Nathan.
He opened the door.
Lauren stumbled out.
Her hair was disheveled.
There was dirt on her face.
She grabbed Marcus.
“I thought they were going to kill me.”
Marcus held her.
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
I watched her carefully.
“You said someone was down there.”
She nodded.
“A man.”
“What did he look like?”
“I couldn't see.”
Nathan spoke.
“What did he smell like?”
Lauren stared at him.
“What kind of question is that?”
“Answer.”
She swallowed.
“Cigarettes.”
Nathan looked at me.
Richard smoked cigarettes.
But something wasn't right.
I studied Lauren's shoes.
There was wet sand on them.
The basement floor was dry.
“You weren't locked in,” I said.
She froze.
“What?”
“If you had been trapped down there, there'd be dust on your shoes.”
Her face went pale.
Marcus looked between us.
“Mom…”
“You were somewhere else.”
Lauren stepped backward.
“You're accusing me?”
“Yes.”
She looked at Marcus.
“Are you really going to let her do this?”
Marcus didn't answer.
Lauren began crying.
It was convincing.
Too convincing.
Then Nathan walked toward her.
“Where's the key?”
“What key?”
“The vault key.”
Lauren stared at me.
Then at the pendant in my hand.
Something changed in her face.
“You found it.”
The room went silent.
Marcus whispered:
“Lauren.”
She realized her mistake.
Nathan moved forward.
“You knew.”
She backed away.
“I didn't know what it was.”
“Lie.”
“I swear!”
Marcus stepped between them.
“Stop!”
Lauren looked at him.
“You don't understand what your father did.”
“My father?”
“Harold.”
She laughed bitterly.
“He wasn't protecting Patricia.”
“Then what was he doing?”
“Protecting himself.”
I stared at her.
“What does that mean?”
Lauren looked at me.
“I found the original records.”
My heart stopped.
“Where?”
“Harold had them.”
“Where?”
She smiled.
“You really want to know?”
“Yes.”
“Then ask Nathan.”
We all looked at him.
Nathan’s expression changed.
Marcus stepped closer.
“What does she mean?”
Nathan said nothing.
Lauren pointed toward him.
“He helped Harold hide it.”
Marcus looked at Nathan.
“You knew?”
Nathan finally spoke.
“Yes.”
“Where is it?”
Nathan looked at me.
“I can't tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because if I do, everyone in this room becomes a target.”
Lauren laughed.
“Too late.”
Suddenly the lights went out.
A gunshot exploded upstairs.
Marcus pushed me down.
Nathan drew his weapon.
Another shot.
Glass shattered.
Then silence.
We remained on the floor.
Someone was moving above us.
Nathan whispered:
“Stay here.”
He climbed the stairs.
A minute later he returned.
His face was pale.
“What happened?”
He held out a photograph.
I recognized the house.
But the photograph showed our beach house years earlier.
Harold and I stood on the porch.
Beside us was someone else.
A young woman.
I stared.
I had never seen her before.
Nathan said quietly:
“That's the person Harold was protecting.”
Lauren stopped crying.
Marcus stared at the photograph.
“Who is she?”
Nathan turned it over.
May you like
There was one sentence written on the back.
She is the reason Marcus was allowed to live.
