Chapter 2 - The Sound Under the Floor)
Marcus did not react to the knocking.
Not outwardly.
Three dull sounds.
Then silence.
Julian shifted his weight.
Marcus noticed.
“Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
There it was again.
One knock.
Then another.
Lily’s eyes moved toward the hallway beside the staircase.
Julian stepped forward.
“The heating system makes noise.”
Marcus looked at him.
“In September?”
“It’s an old house.”
“It was renovated two years ago.”
Julian’s expression sharpened.
“You came here looking for a fight.”
“I came here looking for my sister.”
“And I told you she left.”
“No. First you told me she was sleeping.”
Julian’s nostrils flared.
Marcus glanced toward Lily.
She was still standing halfway down the staircase.
“Lily.”
Julian immediately said, “Upstairs.”
Marcus ignored him.
“Come here, sweetheart.”
Lily hesitated.
Julian’s voice became harder.
“Lily.”
The child flinched.
Marcus saw it.
Something inside him changed.
He climbed the staircase slowly.
Julian grabbed his arm.
Marcus looked down at the hand.
“Let go.”
“You don’t walk around my house giving orders to my daughter.”
Marcus turned.
“Then stop making her scared to answer questions.”
Julian released him.
Marcus continued upward.
Lily waited until he reached her.
Then she threw her arms around his waist.
The force of it surprised him.
Marcus bent down.
She buried her face against his coat.
“Hey.”
He lowered his voice.
“What’s going on?”
She shook her head.
“Is Mommy okay?”
Another shake.
Julian started up the stairs.
“Marcus, leave her alone.”
Lily’s fingers tightened around Marcus’s coat.
That was enough.
Marcus stood.
“She’s coming with me.”
Julian stopped.
“No.”
“I’m taking her to lunch.”
“You’re not taking my child anywhere.”
“I’m her uncle.”
“And I’m her father.”
Marcus held Lily behind him.
“Then start acting like one.”
The air between them changed.
For a second Marcus believed Julian might swing at him.
Instead Julian smiled.
It was a dangerous kind of calm.
“You should leave before you make this worse.”
Marcus looked at Lily.
“Do you want me to leave?”
Her eyes filled immediately.
“No.”
One word.
Barely audible.
Julian’s face went rigid.
Marcus bent toward her.
“Do you want to come with me?”
Before Lily could answer, Julian said, “She’s staying.”
Marcus took out his phone.
“I’ll call Claire.”
“She doesn’t want to speak to you.”
“Then she can tell me herself.”
Marcus dialed.
A ringtone began somewhere inside the house.
Not upstairs.
Not in the foyer.
Lower.
Muffled.
Julian moved instantly.
He grabbed Marcus’s phone.
Marcus shoved him back.
The ringtone stopped.
Lily whispered, “Mommy’s phone.”
Marcus stared at her.
“Where is it?”
Julian stepped between them.
“That’s enough.”
Marcus looked past him.
At the end of the lower hallway was a narrow staircase descending beneath the main staircase.
He had known the house his entire life.
The basement entrance had once been open.
Now there was a heavy door at the bottom.
A black chain was looped around it.
Even from where Marcus stood, he could see the oversized brass lock.
His heartbeat changed.
“Why is the basement chained?”
Julian did not turn.
“Wine storage.”
“With a chain?”
“We had contractors here.”
Marcus started toward the stairs.
Julian blocked him.
“Don’t.”
That single word told Marcus more than every lie Julian had spoken.
Marcus stared at him.
“What’s down there?”
“My property.”
“No.”
Marcus’s voice dropped.
“What’s down there?”
Julian shoved him.
Hard.
Marcus stumbled one step but caught the banister.
Lily screamed.
Marcus recovered immediately.
Julian raised both hands.
“You came into my home. You threatened me. You’re frightening my daughter.”
Marcus almost laughed.
“You think that’s going to work?”
“I think you should leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere without Claire.”
Julian reached into his pocket.
Marcus expected a weapon.
Instead Julian produced his phone.
“I’m calling the police.”
Marcus stared at him.
“Good.”
That answer made Julian hesitate.
Marcus took a step closer.
“Call them.”
Neither man moved.
Then Lily whispered something behind Marcus.
“Uncle Marcus.”
He turned.
She was holding something small in her palm.
A silver button.
Claire’s.
Marcus recognized it because he had given his sister the cream sweater it belonged to last Christmas.
“Where did you get that?”
Lily looked toward the basement stairs.
“By the door.”
Julian snatched it from her hand.
“It’s nothing.”
Marcus grabbed his wrist.
“Give it back.”
Julian tried to pull away.
Marcus tightened his grip.
“You have exactly one chance to tell me where my sister is.”
“She left.”
“Then why is her phone here?”
“She forgot it.”
“Why is her sweater button beside a chained basement door?”
Julian said nothing.
Marcus released him and dialed 911.
This time Julian did not try to stop him.
He only watched.
And smiled.
When Marcus finished giving the address, Julian quietly said, “You’re going to regret this.”
Marcus stared back.
“No.”
He looked toward the basement.
“You are.”
May you like
Twenty minutes later, the first patrol car turned through the iron gates.
But by then, Julian Carter had already begun preparing another lie.
