Chapter 3 - THE MAN IN THE BASEMENT
Mara pushed Micah behind her.
“Go upstairs.”
He did not move.
“Mara—”
“Now.”
Something in her voice finally made him obey.
She waited until his footsteps disappeared.
Then she moved closer to the basement door.
Damon’s voice came again.
“The ledger stays where it is.”
The stranger laughed.
“You still think that matters?”
Mara heard glass break.
Then a chair scraped.
She backed away.
A hand landed on her shoulder.
Mara nearly screamed.
Ruth stood behind her.
“Bed.”
“What’s happening?”
“Nothing you want to understand.”
“I heard—”
“Bed, Mara.”
The basement door opened.
Damon appeared.
His shirt cuff was torn.
There was blood on his knuckles.
He looked at Mara.
Then at Ruth.
“Take Micah upstairs.”
“He already went.”
Damon’s gaze sharpened.
“How much did you hear?”
Mara folded her arms.
“Enough to know your employee handbook needs work.”
He stepped closer.
“This doesn’t concern you.”
“Then your basement shouldn’t be having meetings under my bedroom.”
The stranger appeared behind Damon.
Tall.
Gray suit.
Scar beside his mouth.
He looked at Mara with zero warmth.
“Who is this?”
“The nanny,” Damon said.
The stranger laughed.
“You’ve got another one?”
Mara disliked him instantly.
He walked toward her.
“I’m Victor Shaw.”
“I didn’t ask.”
Damon looked at her.
Mara looked back.
A tiny flicker of amusement passed through his eyes.
Victor did not find it funny.
“You should teach your staff manners.”
Damon’s voice cooled.
“She doesn’t work for you.”
Victor leaned closer to Mara.
“You see anything downstairs?”
“No.”
“Good.”
His smile disappeared.
“Keep it that way.”
Victor left through the side entrance.
Mara waited.
“Who was he?”
Damon poured himself water.
“Former business partner.”
“Former because?”
“Because I stopped trusting him.”
“Comforting.”
Damon turned.
“You heard the word ledger.”
Mara said nothing.
“That ledger contains records from Cross Freight.”
“Illegal records?”
His silence answered enough.
Mara took one step back.
“I’m here to watch your children.”
“That’s exactly what I want you to do.”
“Then keep your criminal problems away from them.”
Damon’s expression hardened.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I know your six-year-old son is afraid of your basement.”
That hit him.
Hard.
He looked toward the stairs.
“Micah said something?”
“He notices everything.”
Damon’s face changed.
For the first time, Mara saw fear.
Not for himself.
For his sons.
The next morning, Mara found her purse emptied across her bed.
Her wallet was open.
Her phone lay on the floor.
A folded photograph rested on her pillow.
It showed Mara leaving family court three months earlier.
Someone had circled Lily’s face in red ink.
On the back were five words.
YOU DON’T BELONG IN THIS HOUSE.
Mara marched downstairs.
Damon was on the phone.
She slammed the photograph onto his desk.
“What the hell is this?”
His eyes dropped to the image.
Everything inside him went still.
“Where did you get that?”
“My room.”
He ended the call.
“Did the boys do this?”
“No.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Damon picked up the photograph.
“Because this picture was taken by a private investigator hired by Victor Shaw.”
Mara’s blood went cold.
“Why was he investigating me?”
Damon looked directly at her.
“He wasn’t.”
Mara waited.
Damon turned the photograph over.
“He was investigating everyone connected to this house.”
Then the office phone rang.
Damon answered.
His face changed.
“What?”
He listened.
“Lock the gates.”
Mara’s heart started pounding.
“What happened?”
May you like
Damon slowly lowered the phone.
“Your ex-husband is outside.”
