CHAPTER 3 THE MAN IN THE BLACK SUIT
The gunshot shattered the mansion.
For one frozen second, nobody moved.
Then the ballroom erupted.
Guests screamed.
Champagne glasses crashed against marble floors.
Chairs overturned as thirty of San Diego's most influential people rushed toward the exits at once.
Security guards shouted conflicting orders.
“Stay down!”
“Get away from the windows!”
“Lock the doors!”
Gavin Roberson didn't hear any of it.
His eyes were fixed on Taylor.
The three-year-old was trembling so violently that her little teeth were clicking together.
Gavin dropped to one knee.
“Taylor.”
She threw herself against him.
Gavin caught her.
“Where did you find the envelope?”
Taylor buried her face against his jacket.
“Downstairs.”
“Where downstairs?”
She pointed toward the service corridor.
“Mommy's room.”
Gavin looked at Nora.
His housekeeper stood several yards away, frozen in terror.
“Nora!”
She ran toward him.
“Mr. Roberson!”
“Where is your room?”
Nora's face went pale.
“Near the kitchen.”
“Take us there.”
Priscilla suddenly grabbed Gavin's arm.
“Gavin, no.”
He turned.
“Let go.”
“You don't understand what's happening.”
“Then explain it.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
Priscilla stared at him.
Because she knew.
Gavin could see it.
She knew exactly why someone had fired a gun inside his house.
She knew exactly why someone was searching for Evelyn's black folder.
And she knew exactly what was inside the envelope Taylor was holding.
Gavin pulled his arm free.
“You're coming with us.”
Priscilla blinked.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“I don't know what's happening.”
“Then you'll have nothing to worry about.”
Two security guards approached.
Gavin pointed toward Priscilla.
“Nobody lets her leave.”
Priscilla's expression changed.
“Gavin.”
He turned away.
“Stay here.”
She grabbed his sleeve.
“You're making a terrible mistake.”
Gavin looked down at her hand.
Then at her face.
“You've said that three times tonight.”
He slowly removed her fingers.
“I'm starting to wonder if you're talking about yourself.”
He walked away.
Priscilla watched him disappear down the corridor.
The moment he was gone, her expression transformed.
The fear vanished.
Her jaw tightened.
She looked at Gavin's security director.
“Stop him.”
The man didn't move.
“Ms. Ashford…”
“Stop him!”
He stared at her.
“I'm sorry.”
“You work for Gavin.”
“I know.”
“Then do your job.”
The security director shook his head.
“My job is protecting Mr. Roberson.”
Priscilla's eyes narrowed.
“And if protecting him means protecting him from you?”
She said nothing.
For the first time, she looked genuinely afraid.
Meanwhile, Gavin followed Nora through the service hallway.
Evelyn stayed beside him.
Taylor clung to his hand.
“Where did you say you found this?”
Taylor pointed at the envelope.
“Under the bed.”
Nora stopped.
“Under my bed?”
Taylor nodded.
Gavin looked at Nora.
“Did you know it was there?”
“No.”
“Did anyone enter your room?”
“I don't know.”
“Think.”
Nora swallowed.
“Yesterday…”
“What?”
“I saw a man.”
Gavin stopped walking.
“What man?”
“He wasn't staff.”
“Describe him.”
Nora closed her eyes.
“Tall. Black suit. Dark hair.”
“Anything else?”
“He had a scar.”
“Where?”
“Along his jaw.”
Gavin's expression hardened.
“Did he speak to you?”
Nora nodded.
“He asked where your office was.”
“My office?”
“Yes.”
“What did you tell him?”
“That I didn't know.”
Gavin exchanged a look with Evelyn.
His mother whispered,
“He was looking for the evidence.”
Gavin looked down at Taylor.
“Was that the man you saw?”
Taylor nodded.
“He had a bad face.”
“How do you know he was bad?”
“He told Mommy to be quiet.”
Nora's eyes widened.
“He spoke to Taylor?”
Taylor nodded.
“He said…”
The little girl hesitated.
Gavin crouched.
“What did he say?”
Taylor whispered,
“Tell your mommy to give Miss Priscilla the papers.”
Gavin felt something inside him go cold.
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“That's what I was afraid of.”
Gavin looked at her.
“What?”
She didn't answer.
“Mom.”
Evelyn stared at the floor.
“I thought I had more time.”
“Time for what?”
“To find the man behind her.”
Gavin's voice sharpened.
“Behind Priscilla?”
Evelyn nodded.
“Priscilla isn't doing this alone.”
They reached Nora's room.
The door was open.
Drawers had been pulled out.
Clothes were scattered across the floor.
The mattress had been lifted.
Someone had searched the room.
Gavin stepped inside.
“Stay back.”
He scanned everything.
Then he saw something beneath the bed.
A small metal box.
He pulled it out.
Locked.
Evelyn immediately recognized it.
“That belonged to your father.”
Gavin stared at the box.
“My father died twenty-two years ago.”
“I know.”
“Why would his box be here?”
Evelyn's face tightened.
“Because I hid it.”
Gavin looked at her.
“You hid it in my house?”
“No.”
“In Nora's room?”
“I needed somewhere nobody would look.”
Gavin slowly knelt.
“What's inside?”
Evelyn didn't answer.
He looked at her.
“Mom.”
She whispered,
“The reason your father died.”
Gavin stopped breathing.
He had spent his entire childhood believing his father had died in a boating accident.
That was the official story.
His father, Richard Roberson, had fallen overboard during a storm.
No body was ever recovered.
Gavin had been seven years old.
His mother had never discussed it.
She always told him the same thing.
Your father loved you.
That was enough.
Until now.
Gavin looked at the box.
“Where's the key?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“I destroyed it.”
“Then how do we open it?”
She looked at Taylor.
The little girl was staring at the box.
Then she suddenly reached into her pocket.
She pulled out a tiny silver key.
Gavin stared.
“Where did you get that?”
Taylor shrugged.
“The man dropped it.”
Everyone went silent.
Gavin took the key.
It fit.
Click.
The box opened.
Inside was a collection of documents.
An old photograph.
A cassette tape.
A gold wedding ring.
And one folded letter.
Gavin picked up the photograph.
His father's face stared back at him.
But he wasn't alone.
Beside Richard stood another man.
Gavin recognized him immediately.
His face had appeared in Evelyn's folder.
The scar along his jaw.
The man from the hallway.
Gavin's breathing stopped.
“That's him.”
Evelyn nodded.
“His name is Victor Kane.”
“Who is he?”
“My husband's business partner.”
Gavin stared at the photograph.
“Business partner?”
“Twenty-two years ago.”
Gavin opened the letter.
The handwriting was unmistakably his father's.
He read the first line.
Evelyn, if you're reading this, Richard is dead.
Gavin's hands began to shake.
He continued.
Do not trust anyone from Roberson Holdings.
Then another sentence.
Especially the man who calls himself Victor Kane.
Gavin looked at his mother.
“You knew.”
“I knew enough.”
“You told me Dad died in an accident.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“You lied to me.”
“I was trying to keep you alive!”
Her voice echoed through the tiny room.
Gavin stared at her.
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“Your father discovered they were stealing from the company.”
“Who?”
“Victor.”
“And who else?”
Evelyn looked away.
Gavin's voice became quiet.
“Mom.”
She whispered,
“Your grandfather.”
Gavin stepped backward.
“No.”
“Your grandfather built the company.”
“He wouldn't.”
“He did.”
“You're lying.”
“I wish I were.”
Gavin looked at the documents again.
Suddenly, the entire history of his family felt like a house built on rotten foundations.
His grandfather.
His father.
Victor Kane.
Roberson Holdings.
And now Priscilla.
He looked at the old wedding ring.
“Why is this here?”
Evelyn's face changed.
“Because it belongs to someone you know.”
Gavin looked at her.
“Who?”
Before she could answer, his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Who is this?”
A man's voice came through.
Calm.
Cold.
“You should have left the folder alone.”
Gavin's blood ran cold.
“Victor?”
The caller laughed.
“Good.”
Gavin looked around the room.
“Where are you?”
“Closer than you think.”
“What do you want?”
“The envelope.”
Gavin tightened his grip on Taylor's hand.
“You're not getting it.”
“Then someone dies.”
Gavin froze.
The voice continued.
“You have thirty seconds.”
“Who?”
A pause.
Then:
“Your fiancée.”
The call ended.
Gavin looked toward the hallway.
A scream erupted from the ballroom.
Priscilla.
He ran.
Evelyn followed.
Taylor screamed,
“Don't go!”
But Gavin was already moving.
He reached the ballroom.
Security guards were scattered across the floor.
Guests were hiding beneath tables.
A chandelier flickered overhead.
And in the center of the room stood Priscilla.
A gun pressed against her temple.
Behind her was a tall man in a black suit.
Dark hair.
Scar along his jaw.
Victor Kane.
Gavin stopped.
Victor smiled.
“Good evening, Gavin.”
Gavin's eyes narrowed.
“You wanted the envelope.”
“Yes.”
“Take it.”
He raised the small black envelope.
Victor smiled.
“Throw it across the floor.”
Gavin did not move.
Victor pressed the gun harder against Priscilla's head.
“Now.”
Gavin looked at Priscilla.
She was crying.
But something was wrong.
Her eyes weren't looking at Victor.
They were looking at the envelope.
And when Gavin raised it slightly, Priscilla gave the tiniest shake of her head.
Don't give it to him.
Gavin's heart pounded.
Maybe she was telling the truth.
Maybe she really was a victim.
Or maybe she was warning him because the envelope contained something that could destroy her.
Victor checked his watch.
“Ten seconds.”
Gavin looked at Evelyn.
His mother was standing behind him.
She whispered,
“Don't trust either of them.”
Nine seconds.
Eight.
Seven.
Victor raised the gun.
Six.
Gavin suddenly threw the envelope.
Victor's eyes followed it.
But the envelope didn't land where he expected.
Taylor had stepped into the room.
The little girl caught it.
Victor's face changed.
“Get that child!”
Two men rushed forward.
Gavin moved faster.
He grabbed Taylor and pulled her behind him.
A gunshot exploded.
The chandelier above them shattered.
Glass rained across the ballroom.
Everyone screamed.
Gavin tackled Victor.
They crashed onto the marble floor.
The gun skidded away.
Victor punched Gavin across the face.
Gavin hit him back.
But Victor smiled.
“You still don't understand.”
Gavin grabbed his collar.
“Understand what?”
Victor leaned closer.
“Priscilla was never the target.”
Gavin froze.
Victor whispered,
“She was the bait.”
Then he looked toward the entrance.
Gavin turned.
Priscilla was gone.
So was Evelyn.
And the black envelope was missing.
Gavin's blood turned to ice.
Someone had taken his mother.
And whoever had done it knew exactly where the real evidence was.
Inside the envelope Taylor had been holding.
Gavin looked down.
A single torn piece of paper lay on the floor.
May you like
There was only one sentence visible.
THE CHILD IS NOT YOURS.
