Chapter 3 - The Man Outside the WindowThe lodge went black.
Richard opened the study door.
“Mark!”
No answer.
Emergency lights flickered on in the hallway.
A servant screamed from downstairs.
“Someone was in the kitchen!”
Richard grabbed his phone and ran.
Mark followed.
Noah was still upstairs.
Richard stopped halfway down the stairs.
“Get him.”
Mark nodded.
Then Richard saw the broken window.
Snow blew across the kitchen floor.
A dark shape had disappeared into the trees.
Richard rushed outside.
“Stay here!”
He heard footsteps.
Fast.
Someone was running toward the forest.
Richard chased him.
The figure wore a dark coat and black gloves.
Richard was no longer young, but anger gave him speed.
The man jumped over a low stone wall.
Richard followed.
Then something metallic flashed.
A gun.
Richard stopped.
The stranger pointed it toward him.
But instead of firing, he turned and vanished into the trees.
Richard stood in the snow, breathing hard.
On the ground, he saw a small object.
A silver cuff link.
Engraved with a letter.
D.
Daniel Cross.
Richard picked it up.
Then he heard footsteps behind him.
Mark.
“Dad!”
Richard turned.
“Daniel was here.”
Mark's face went pale.
Richard held up the cuff link.
“Tell me why your CFO just broke into my lodge.”
Mark didn't answer.
Richard grabbed his son's jacket.
“You are running out of chances.”
Mark looked toward the dark forest.
“Daniel isn't working alone.”
“Who is?”
Mark's mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Then they heard a child screaming from inside.
“Grandpa!”
Richard ran.
He found Noah standing in the upstairs hallway, crying.
Claudia was beside him.
She was holding his arm.
Richard immediately crossed the hall.
“Let go.”
Claudia released him.
“He woke up and was frightened.”
Richard lifted Noah.
The child buried his face against him.
Richard looked closely at Claudia.
There was a scratch on her wrist.
Fresh.
“What happened?”
She stared.
“What?”
“That scratch.”
“I cut myself.”
“With what?”
Claudia hesitated.
Richard's eyes dropped to the floor.
A tiny shard of black plastic lay beside the rug.
He picked it up.
It looked like part of a recording device.
“Where did this come from?”
Claudia went still.
Mark arrived behind Richard.
For several seconds nobody spoke.
Then Noah whispered:
“Mommy's room.”
Richard looked at him.
“What?”
Noah pointed toward the west wing.
“Mommy kept a box.”
Claudia stepped forward.
“Noah doesn't know what he's talking about.”
Richard looked at Mark.
“Does that room still exist?”
Mark said nothing.
Richard understood.
Elena's old room had been locked since her death.
Richard hadn't been allowed inside.
Claudia had told him it was too painful.
Now he knew that had been a lie.
Richard carried Noah down the hallway.
Mark followed.
Claudia didn't.
The locked door stood at the end of the west wing.
Richard tried the handle.
Locked.
“Give me the key.”
Mark hesitated.
“Dad...”
“The key.”
Mark reached into his pocket.
He handed it over.
Richard unlocked the door.
The room smelled faintly of lavender.
Everything was exactly where Elena had left it.
Her books.
Her photographs.
Her sewing basket.
A small framed picture of Noah at two years old.
Richard walked to the closet.
Noah pointed.
“Mommy's box.”
Behind three hanging dresses sat a wooden storage box.
Richard opened it.
Inside were photographs, receipts, letters and one thick envelope.
The envelope was addressed to:
RICHARD VALE.
Richard opened it.
A single note fell out.
He unfolded it.
His hands began to shake.
Dad, if you're reading this, don't believe Mark.
Richard looked over his shoulder.
Mark was standing in the doorway.
Richard read the next line.
He didn't kill me.
Mark exhaled.
Richard looked up.
May you like
Then read the final sentence.
But he helped them.
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