Chapter 3 - THE BLOOD ON THE GARAGE FLOOR

Arthur called back.

Nothing.

Again.

Straight to voicemail.

“Elena, where is Robert?”

“How would I know?”

“You didn’t want me calling him.”

“Because he’s unstable.”

Arthur stared at her.

“Interesting. Everyone who could hurt your story suddenly has a mental problem.”

She grabbed her purse.

“I’m done with this.”

“You’re not leaving.”

She laughed.

“You going to hold me prisoner now?”

“You’re not taking Noah.”

“I wasn’t planning to.”

That answer stopped him.

Elena had never left the house without kissing Noah goodnight.

Never.

Yet now she marched toward the front door.

Arthur stepped aside.

“Where are you going?”

“To a hotel.”

“At eleven at night?”

“Anywhere you’re not.”

She opened the door.

Then paused.

“Oh, Arthur?”

He waited.

“You should be careful who you trust.”

Her eyes flicked toward the staircase.

“Especially employees who know how rich you are.”

Then she left.

Arthur locked the door.

He immediately called security.

“Ray, nobody enters this property without my approval.”

His head of security sounded confused.

“Even Mrs. Vance?”

“Especially Mrs. Vance.”

Arthur went upstairs.

He found Maria sitting beside Noah’s bed.

The boy was asleep.

Maria stood.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For bringing this into your home.”

Arthur gave a tired laugh.

“You didn’t bring it here.”

Maria looked down.

“There’s something else.”

Arthur’s chest tightened.

“I’m starting to hate that sentence.”

She pulled out her phone.

“I overheard Mrs. Vance talking two nights ago.”

“You recorded her?”

“No. I was outside Noah’s room. She was downstairs with someone.”

“Who?”

“I didn’t see him.”

“What did she say?”

Maria hesitated.

“She said, ‘Once Arthur is out, the trust belongs to the boy, and I control the boy.’”

Arthur felt sick.

“Anything else?”

“She said they only needed three weeks.”

“For what?”

“I don’t know.”

Arthur checked the time.

11:23 p.m.

His phone rang.

Security.

“Mr. Vance?”

“What?”

“You might want to come downstairs.”

Arthur rushed to the first floor.

Ray was standing near the kitchen entrance.

“What happened?”

“Garage sensor went off.”

“Someone came in?”

“No.”

Ray looked uncomfortable.

“We found something.”

They entered the garage.

Arthur immediately smelled gasoline.

His black SUV sat near the wall.

The driver’s door was open.

A dark stain spread across the concrete.

Arthur stepped closer.

“Is that blood?”

Ray nodded.

“There’s more.”

He pointed toward the SUV.

The back seat had been torn open.

On the floor was a cracked cell phone.

Arthur recognized it instantly.

May you like

THE MAID’S DAUGHTER

“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE,” HIS FIANCÉE TOLD THE MAID—THEN THE MAFIA BOSS LOOKED AT HER LITTLE GIRL“Get out of my house. And take that...

**MY HUSBAND CALLED ME A “BARREN LEECH”—HE DIDN’T KNOW MY MONEY WAS KEEP...

My husband threw his wedding ring at my feet and told security to remove the “barren leech” from the ballroom.He had no idea he wa...

MY DAUGHTER’S NOTE STOPPED MY WEDDING—AND EXPOSED MY BRIDE

MY DAUGHTER SLIPPED ME A NOTE BEFORE “I DO”—AND EXPOSED MY BRIDE’S PLANPART 1 — TEN MINUTES BEFORE THE VOWS“Daddy, if you marry he...

Robert Chase’s phone.

Then the garage lights went out.