Chapter 6 - The Man in the Black SUVNobody opened the door.
The knocking stopped.
I looked through the curtains.
The black SUV remained parked across the street.
Its engine was running.
Harold whispered,
“Turn off the lights.”
I did.
The house went dark.
Derek stood silently in the hallway.
For once, there was no arrogance in his face.
Only fear.
A car door opened outside.
Then another.
Two men crossed the lawn.
They weren't police.
They wore dark suits.
One carried a thin briefcase.
The other kept his hand inside his jacket.
Harold whispered,
“Back door.”
We moved quietly.
Then my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A message appeared.
You have something that belongs to us.
I stared at it.
Another message came.
Open the door.
Derek looked over my shoulder.
“Don't.”
I turned.
“You know who they are.”
He didn't answer.
“Derek.”
“They work for my father.”
Harold shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at his son.
“They work for your grandfather.”
I froze.
“Your grandfather?”
Harold nodded.
“My father.”
“But he's dead.”
Harold gave a bitter smile.
“That's what you think.”
My stomach dropped.
Before I could ask anything, glass shattered downstairs.
Someone had entered through the back window.
I grabbed a fireplace poker.
Harold pointed toward the stairs.
“Safe room.”
“What safe room?”
“The library.”
I ran.
Derek followed.
Harold limped behind us.
We entered the library.
He pushed one bookshelf.
Nothing happened.
Then he pushed another.
A hidden panel opened.
I stared.
“You knew this existed?”
Harold nodded.
“Your grandmother built it.”
Inside was a narrow room.
Shelves of documents.
A safe.
A computer.
And dozens of photographs.
I looked at the first.
My grandmother.
Harold.
A third man.
I recognized him instantly.
Derek's grandfather.
Still young.
Standing between them.
My grandmother looked happy.
Harold did not.
I found a note beneath the photograph.
The Voss family cannot be trusted.
Then another.
If Claire marries Derek, activate Protocol Seven.
I looked at Harold.
“What is Protocol Seven?”
He stepped toward the computer.
“Your grandmother created it before she died.”
The screen was locked.
I entered my birthday.
Nothing.
My grandmother's birthday.
Nothing.
Harold looked at me.
“Try the date of your wedding.”
I did.
The screen unlocked.
One folder appeared.
CLAIRE
I opened it.
There were videos.
Dozens.
The first video showed my grandmother sitting in this exact library.
She looked directly into the camera.
“Claire, if you're seeing this, then I'm gone.”
I stopped breathing.
Her voice continued.
“You married Derek.”
I swallowed.
“I hoped you wouldn't.”
Then she smiled sadly.
“But I knew you would.”
The video changed.
My grandmother leaned closer to the camera.
“Derek will eventually betray you.”
I looked at my husband.
He looked away.
She continued.
“When he does, do not fight him emotionally.”
A pause.
“Take everything legally.”
Then came the sentence that made my blood run cold.
“Because Derek is not the person you think he is.”
The video cut to black.
Another file opened automatically.
It contained a photograph.
A woman.
Not Margaret.
Not Jenna.
Not anyone I recognized.
Underneath it was a name.
Eleanor Voss.
Harold whispered,
“My mother.”
I stared.
“But she's dead too.”
Harold shook his head.
“No.”
Then he pointed at the final line.
Current status: alive.
I looked toward Derek.
He whispered,
“Claire…”
I stepped backward.
“What have you brought into my life?”
Before he could answer, the secret room door opened.
We turned.
A woman stood there.
Older.
Elegant.
Holding a gun.
She looked directly at me.
Then smiled.
“Hello, Claire.”
Harold went pale.
“Eleanor.”
May you like
She raised the weapon.
“It's time you came home.”
