Chapter 6: The House Was Never Safe
Marcus locked the front door.
Rachel turned off the lights.
Noah stood beside Buddy, clutching the dog's collar.
“Dad?””
Marcus crouched beside him.
“Stay with Buddy.””
“What's happening?””
“I don't know yet.””
Vanessa whispered, “They're here for the phone.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Who are they?””
“I don't know.””
Rachel stared at her.
“You do.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I know some of them.””
Marcus's stomach dropped.
“You invited them?””
“No.””
A fist slammed against the front door.
“Vanessa!””
Noah jumped.
Marcus pulled him behind the sofa.
A second blow rattled the frame.
Rachel whispered, “Back door.””
Marcus nodded.
They moved quietly into the kitchen.
Then the lights came back on.
Someone had tripped the breaker.
Darkness vanished from the windows as the men outside moved closer.
Marcus checked the rear door.
Locked.
He searched for keys.
Nothing.
Vanessa whispered, “There's a passage.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Where?””
“Behind the pantry.””
She pulled a shelf aside.
A narrow doorway appeared.
Rachel stared.
“You knew about this?””
Vanessa nodded.
Marcus stared at her.
“How many secrets does this house have?””
“Too many.””
They moved through the passage.
It smelled of dust and old wood.
Buddy followed Noah.
Halfway down, they heard glass shatter in the kitchen.
The men were inside.
Marcus stopped.
One of them shouted:
“Find the phone!””
Another voice answered:
“She has it.””
Vanessa whispered, “They're wrong.””
Marcus turned.
“You don't have it?””
“No.””
He held up the recording phone.
“Yes, she does.””
Vanessa stared at him.
Marcus understood.
“She used a second phone.””
Vanessa said nothing.
Rachel looked at her.
“You've been recording everything.””
“No.””
Rachel stepped closer.
“You're not scared of the police.””
Vanessa's breathing quickened.
“You're scared of what the recording proves.””
They reached the end of the passage.
It opened into the garage.
Marcus grabbed Noah and pulled him toward his car.
Buddy jumped into the back.
Rachel got into the passenger seat.
Vanessa hesitated.
Marcus looked at her.
“Get in.””
“Why?””
“Because I want answers.””
They drove.
Behind them, the house disappeared into the darkness.
For ten minutes nobody spoke.
Then Noah whispered from the back seat.
“Dad?””
“Yes?””
“I know where she kept the other phone.””
Vanessa stiffened.
Marcus looked in the mirror.
“Where?””
“In your office.””
Vanessa turned around.
“Noah, stop.””
The boy shrank back.
Marcus's hands tightened around the steering wheel.
“Let him speak.””
Noah swallowed.
“She put it inside the blue book.””
Marcus knew the book.
A family history ledger his mother had kept.
When they reached a motel across town, Marcus gave Rachel the recording phone.
Then he went to his office building.
The security guard let him upstairs.
His office was dark.
He found the blue book exactly where Noah said it would be.
Inside was another phone.
Marcus turned it on.
A video file opened automatically.
The first frame showed Vanessa standing in the living room.
Then Marcus walked into the room on the recording.
It was three months earlier.
He watched himself talk to Vanessa.
But there was something wrong.
His own voice sounded strange.
Then Vanessa said:
“Once the medication starts, he'll sign anything.””
Marcus stopped breathing.
Rachel whispered behind him.
“Medication?””
The video continued.
Vanessa turned toward someone off-camera.
Daniel stepped into view.
Alive.
Older.
Angrier.
And he said:
“You promised me Noah would never know.””
Marcus dropped the phone.
Daniel looked directly into the camera.
May you like
Then he said:
“Because if he remembers what happened to his mother, Marcus will destroy us.””
