Chapter 8 - THE MAN BEHIND THE DOOR
Audrey reached for her phone.
Marcus held up a hand.
“Relax.”
“Get out.”
“I came to talk.”
“You broke into my mother’s house.”
“No.”
“You threatened her.”
“No.”
“You stole the paternity report.”
Marcus smiled.
“That one, yes.”
Julian stepped forward.
“You sent the texts?”
“The first two.”
Audrey’s eyes narrowed.
“There were three.”
Marcus’s smile disappeared.
“What third?”
Audrey showed him.
The threat against Evelyn.
Marcus read it twice.
“That wasn’t me.”
“Convenient.”
“I wanted leverage. Not murder.”
Richard laughed weakly from the bed.
“You always did like clean hands.”
Marcus looked at him.
“And you always liked other men cleaning your mess.”
Audrey stood between them.
“Where’s the report?”
“Safe.”
“Give it back.”
“Sign Harbor Street to Lenora.”
Julian stared.
“Why her?”
“Because then I can buy it from her.”
Audrey shook her head.
“You just admitted it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m done hiding.”
Marcus pulled a chair closer.
“My sister Claire was twenty-three when Richard met her.”
Richard closed his eyes.
Marcus continued.
“He promised her a future. Told her his marriage was finished.”
Audrey glanced at Richard.
The same lie.
Again.
“When she became pregnant, Richard panicked. He paid her to disappear.”
Richard said, “That’s not what happened.”
Marcus snapped, “Shut up.”
The room went still.
Marcus looked back at Audrey.
“Claire died six months after giving birth.”
“And the baby?”
“I raised him.”
Julian frowned.
“Where is he?”
Marcus smiled sadly.
“You know him.”
Audrey felt something cold move through her.
“Who?”
Marcus reached into his jacket and pulled out a photograph.
A man in his early thirties.
Audrey knew him immediately.
“Daniel?”
Julian looked at her.
“Who’s Daniel?”
Audrey stared at the picture.
“Dad’s chief financial officer.”
Richard’s eyes opened.
Marcus nodded.
“My nephew. Richard’s son.”
Audrey shook her head.
“No.”
Richard whispered, “I never knew.”
Marcus laughed.
“You never wanted to know.”
Audrey remembered Daniel Hale.
Always calm.
Always polite.
The man who had helped organize Richard’s medical finances.
The man with access to every Bellamy account.
Every property record.
Every trust.
Her stomach turned.
“He can access Harbor Street.”
Marcus nodded.
“He can access almost everything.”
Julian’s phone rang.
Lenora.
He answered.
“Mom?”
A pause.
His face changed.
“What?”
He put the call on speaker.
Lenora sounded breathless.
“Someone’s in my apartment.”
Julian grabbed his coat.
“Get out.”
“I’m locked in the bathroom.”
“Call the police.”
“I did.”
A crash sounded.
Lenora screamed.
Then the call ended.
Julian ran.
Audrey followed.
Marcus shouted, “Wait.”
Audrey turned.
He held out the old paternity report.
“Take it.”
She stared.
“Why?”
“Because if Daniel is doing what I think he’s doing, Harbor Street isn’t the real target anymore.”
Audrey took the report.
“What is?”
Marcus looked toward Richard.
“The entire Bellamy company.”
Richard tried to sit up.
May you like
Marcus’s next words made everyone freeze.
“And Daniel already has enough signatures to take it.”
