Chapter 4 - THE ABDUCTIONMy father didn't answer his phone.
Not once.
Not twice.
Not ten times.
The line went straight to voicemail.
Marcus ordered everyone out of the room.
I refused.
“I want to know what's happening.”
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain it.”
He stared at me.
“Your father has been preparing for this for twenty years.”
“For what?”
“For the day someone tried to take what he built.”
I shook my head.
“My father never told me about Blackwell.”
“Because he wanted you to have a normal life.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Normal?”
I gestured toward the blood on my dress.
“My husband just beat me in our own house.”
Marcus looked at Adrian.
Adrian lowered his eyes.
Marcus stepped toward him.
“You were given one assignment.”
Adrian's head snapped up.
“Don't.”
“Marry her.”
“That's not true.”
“Stay close to the Ashfords.”
“Stop.”
“Find the Ledger.”
Adrian went silent.
My heart began pounding.
“The Ledger?”
Marcus turned toward me.
“The thing Blackwell wants.”
“What is it?”
“A list.”
“Of what?”
“Names.”
“Whose names?”
“Everyone who ever bought protection from Blackwell.”
I stared.
Marcus continued.
“Politicians. CEOs. Judges. Intelligence officers. Billionaires.”
I felt sick.
“And my father has this list?”
“He stole it from them.”
Adrian whispered:
“He was supposed to give it back.”
I turned.
“You knew?”
Adrian looked broken.
“I was supposed to find it.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Then why did you stay?”
He looked at Vanessa.
She slowly stepped away from him.
“What?”
I stared at him.
“You stayed because she was part of the plan.”
Vanessa's face hardened.
“That isn't fair.”
“Then explain.”
She said nothing.
Marcus suddenly pulled a gun.
The room froze.
He pointed it toward the window.
“Down!”
The glass exploded.
A bullet struck the wall where my head had been.
Security dragged me to the floor.
More gunfire erupted outside.
Then darkness.
Emergency lights flashed red.
Marcus grabbed my arm.
“We're leaving.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere they won't find you.”
“What about my father?”
“We find him first.”
We ran through a hidden tunnel beneath the house.
I had lived in that mansion for three years.
I never knew it existed.
The tunnel opened into an underground garage.
A black vehicle waited.
We climbed inside.
Marcus drove.
Adrian came with us.
I didn't know why.
Perhaps because some part of me still wanted answers.
The car sped through the city.
I watched police cars race past in the opposite direction.
“Where are we going?”
“To your father's second office.”
“My father has a second office?”
Marcus smiled faintly.
“Your father has seventeen.”
We entered an underground facility beneath a financial tower.
The doors locked behind us.
Inside were computers, surveillance screens, armed personnel.
It looked less like a corporate headquarters and more like an intelligence center.
A woman approached.
“Marcus.”
He nodded.
“Any word?”
“No.”
She turned to me.
“I'm sorry.”
“For what?”
“We lost Julian.”
My heart stopped.
“What do you mean, lost?”
“He was taken thirty-seven minutes ago.”
“Taken by who?”
“Blackwell.”
I gripped the table.
“Where?”
She hesitated.
“An old Ashford property outside the city.”
Marcus slammed his hand down.
“They're using the estate.”
The woman nodded.
“We tracked the vehicle.”
“Then let's go.”
Marcus grabbed my shoulder.
“No.”
“I'm going.”
“It may be a trap.”
“It is my father.”
He stared at me.
Then nodded.
“Fine.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“I'll come.”
Marcus glared at him.
“You're not going anywhere.”
“I'm the reason they took her father.”
“No.”
Adrian's face hardened.
“You don't understand.”
Marcus stepped close.
“I understand perfectly.”
He lowered his voice.
“Blackwell doesn't just want the Ledger.”
Adrian froze.
Marcus looked at me.
“They want you.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He answered softly.
“Because you are the only person who can open it.”
The room went silent.
“What do you mean?”
Marcus looked toward the screens.
“Your father never trusted computers.”
“So?”
“He hid the Ledger inside something only you can access.”
I shook my head.
“What?”
Marcus gave me a long look.
“Your mother's wedding ring.”
I touched my empty finger.
“I don't have it.”
Marcus's expression changed.
“Yes.”
“You do.”
I stared.
He slowly reached into his pocket.
And placed the ring on the table.
I recognized it immediately.
The ring my father had told me was lost fifteen years ago.
Marcus whispered:
“Your mother didn't lose it.”
“She hid it.”
Then the screen behind us turned black.
A video appeared.
My father sat in a chair.
His face was bruised.
Blood ran from his temple.
A man stood behind him.
The video distorted.
Then a voice spoke.
“Hello, daughter.”
My father looked directly into the camera.
“Do not trust Marcus.”
The screen went dark.
I turned.
Marcus wasn't moving.
“Why,” I whispered, “would my father tell me not to trust you?”
May you like
Marcus looked at me.
“Because he still thinks I killed your mother.”
