Chapter 4: Bellamy Road
Marcus did not take the receipt.
Not yet.
He stood in the kitchen with his phone in one hand and Elena's letter in the other, staring at the message that had appeared on the screen.
*If you want the truth about Elena, come alone.*
Then the second message.
*And bring the original receipt.*
Vanessa watched him from across the marble island.
“Marcus?””
He looked at her.
“Where is the original receipt?””
“I don't know.””
“You've been hiding it.””
“No.””
“You knew someone would ask for it.””
“I didn't.””
Marcus folded Elena's letter carefully.
“Who else knew about the folder?””
“No one.””
“Who knew about Olivia?””
Vanessa's lips parted.
“Richard.””
“Anyone else?””
She hesitated.
“Daniel.””
Marcus looked up.
“Daniel Mercer?””
“Yes.””
“The guardian.””
Vanessa nodded.
“What does he have to do with Richard?””
“I don't know.””
Marcus stared at her.
“Stop saying you don't know.””
“I swear.””
“Then tell me what you do know.””
Vanessa sat down.
Her hands were trembling.
“Daniel handled the guardianship paperwork.””
“Why would a private guardian handle my daughter?””
“Because Richard said you had already surrendered your rights.””
“I didn't.””
“I know that now.””
“You knew it before.””
Vanessa looked down.
“Yes.””
Marcus felt anger rise again, but this time he forced it down.
He needed answers.
Not another explosion.
“Where's Brandon?””
“Upstairs.””
“Kayden?””
“With him.””
“And Liam?””
“I don't know.””
Marcus turned toward the staircase.
“Liam!””
“Dad?””
The boy appeared at the top.
“Come down.””
Liam walked slowly into the kitchen.
Marcus knelt.
“I need you to do something for me.””
“What?””
“Go to your room and pack a small bag.””
Liam's eyes widened.
“Why?””
“Because you're coming with me.””
Vanessa stood.
“You said you were going alone.””
Marcus looked at her.
“I changed my mind.””
“You can't take him.””
“He's my son.””
“Marcus—”
“Enough.””
Vanessa stopped.
Marcus turned back to Liam.
“Pack clothes. Your glasses case. Your school things. Nothing heavy.””
“Are we leaving the house?””
“For tonight.””
Liam nodded.
Marcus watched him disappear upstairs.
Then Vanessa whispered:
“You don't understand what you're walking into.””
Marcus looked at the receipt.
“I understand someone is terrified I'll find the truth.””
He folded it and put it into his jacket.
Vanessa's face went pale.
“You're taking it?””
“Yes.””
“Marcus, please.””
“Why?””
“Because if Richard asked for it, he knows something about it.””
“That’s exactly why I'm bringing it.””
He walked toward the garage.
Vanessa followed.
“Where are you going?””
“Bellamy Road.””
She grabbed his sleeve.
“Don't.””
Marcus looked down at her hand.
“Let go.””
“He'll hurt you.””
“Then you should have told me years ago.””
She released him.
Marcus opened the garage door.
Before he could get inside his SUV, Liam came running down the driveway with a backpack.
“Dad.””
Marcus turned.
Liam held out something.
A small brass key.
“What's this?””
“I found it in my old desk.””
Marcus took it.
A faded blue tag hung from the ring.
*BELLAMY 3RD FLOOR.*
Marcus looked at his son.
“Where did you get this?””
“It was inside the back of the drawer.””
“When?””
“This morning.””
Marcus looked toward Vanessa.
Her expression had changed completely.
“You know this key?””
She shook her head.
But Marcus could see she was lying.
He stepped closer.
“Vanessa.””
“I've never seen it.””
Liam frowned.
“You have.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“Liam.””
“You told me to throw it away.””
Marcus's face hardened.
“When?””
“Last month.””
Vanessa's voice became sharp.
“Liam, go back inside.””
Marcus stepped between them.
“No.””
Liam looked frightened.
Marcus softened.
“You did the right thing.””
He turned to Vanessa.
“Why did you want him to throw away a key to Bellamy Road?””
She said nothing.
Marcus opened the passenger door.
“Get in, Liam.””
Vanessa's voice cracked.
“Marcus.””
He paused.
She looked like she wanted to tell him something.
Instead she whispered:
“If you find Elena…”
Marcus waited.
Vanessa swallowed.
“Don't trust the first person who says they love you.””
Marcus stared at her.
Then got into the SUV.
The drive to Bellamy Road took forty minutes.
Liam sat quietly beside him.
Rain began tapping against the windshield.
After ten minutes, Liam spoke.
“Dad?””
“Yeah?””
“Is Olivia really my sister?””
Marcus tightened his grip on the wheel.
“Yes.””
“Does she know about me?””
“I don't know.””
“Does she hate me too?””
Marcus glanced at him.
“No.””
“How do you know?””
“Because none of this is your fault.””
Liam looked out the window.
“She sounded scared.””
Marcus frowned.
“You heard her?””
“When she called.””
“You were on the stairs?””
Liam nodded.
“What did you hear?””
“She said your name.””
“Anything else?””
Liam thought.
“She said… ‘He doesn't know what they did.’”
Marcus's stomach tightened.
“Who is he?””
“I don't know.””
The rest of the drive passed in silence.
Bellamy Road appeared through the rain.
The old house stood at the end of a narrow lane.
Marcus hadn't seen it in eight years.
The paint was darker.
The porch sagged.
One upstairs window was boarded.
He parked across the street.
Liam stared at it.
“This is where I lived?””
“For a while.””
“Why did we leave?””
Marcus looked at the house.
“I thought we had to.””
They crossed the street.
The front door was locked.
Marcus pulled out the brass key.
It fit.
The lock clicked.
The door opened.
Cold air rolled out.
The house smelled of dust and damp wood.
Marcus stepped inside.
The living room was empty.
Liam stayed close.
Marcus looked around.
He remembered the couch.
The old lamp.
The framed photograph of Elena holding baby Liam.
All gone.
“Third floor,” Marcus said.
They climbed the stairs.
The second floor was stripped bare.
At the top, Marcus stopped.
The hallway looked smaller than he remembered.
The room where Liam had slept as a baby was at the end.
Marcus opened the door.
A crib was gone.
The wallpaper remained.
Blue clouds.
He knelt.
“One, two, three…”
He counted the floorboards.
The third one was near the window.
He slid his fingers beneath the edge.
It lifted.
Inside was a metal box.
Liam crouched beside him.
“What's that?””
Marcus pulled it out.
There was no lock.
He opened the lid.
Inside were photographs.
A hospital bracelet.
A USB drive.
And three sealed envelopes.
Marcus picked up the first.
*For Marcus.*
The second:
*For Olivia.*
The third:
*If Richard finds this.*
Marcus stared.
“Dad?””
“Stay behind me.””
He opened the envelope addressed to him.
A photograph fell out.
Elena.
Older.
Alive.
Standing outside a small apartment building.
Marcus's heart slammed against his ribs.
On the back was a date.
Four months ago.
He turned to the next page.
*I never stopped looking for you.*
Marcus's eyes burned.
Then he saw the final line.
*But Richard found me first.*
A floorboard creaked downstairs.
Marcus froze.
Liam grabbed his arm.
Someone had entered the house.
Then a man's voice floated up the staircase.
“Marcus?””
Marcus slowly stood.
The voice came again.
“You always were predictable.””
Richard.
Marcus pushed the metal box behind him.
“Stay here.””
Liam shook his head.
“No.””
“Liam.””
“I’m not leaving you.””
Marcus looked toward the doorway.
Footsteps began climbing the stairs.
One.
Two.
Three.
Then Richard appeared.
He smiled.
May you like
And in his hand was a gun.
“Give me the receipt, Marcus.””
