Chapter 3 - The Person Who Always Knows)
Danielle entered through the kitchen entrance instead of the main foyer.
The staff looked surprised.
She placed one finger against her lips and continued.
Her heels made almost no sound on the carpeted service corridor.
For the first time in years, Danielle moved through her own home while deliberately trying not to be seen by security.
She hated how unnatural that felt.
Every corridor had cameras.
Every exterior door logged access.
Marissa had designed the system.
Do not trust the person who always knows where you are.
Michelle's sentence would not leave her mind.
Danielle reached the family wing.
Liam's bedroom was empty.
She checked the playroom.
Nothing.
Then she heard his voice downstairs.
"Again."
Danielle moved toward the staircase.
Liam was kneeling beside the fireplace.
Marissa crouched several feet away.
"How many knocks?"
"Three."
"Then what?"
"Nothing."
"Any voice?"
"No."
Marissa looked almost relieved.
Danielle stepped into the foyer.
"Liam."
He jumped up.
"Mom."
Marissa stood quickly.
"I thought you were still in the city."
"Clearly."
Something passed between them.
Liam ran to Danielle.
"It knocked."
"I believe you."
Marissa's eyes narrowed slightly.
Danielle looked at her.
"I want everyone out of the foyer."
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
"Danielle."
"Staff, guards, everyone."
Marissa remained still.
Danielle's voice lowered.
"That includes you."
For a moment the two women simply looked at one another.
Then Marissa nodded.
"Call me if you need anything."
"I know how."
After the foyer was empty, Danielle locked the doors.
She crouched beside the fireplace.
"Liam, show me exactly where you heard it."
He pressed his ear against the right side.
Danielle did the same.
Nothing.
Then Liam tapped the floor.
"Here too."
Danielle examined the marble hearth.
One section was slightly cleaner than the rest.
Not cleaner in a way anyone would notice.
Cleaner in the way polished stone looked when something had recently scraped across it.
Danielle ran her fingers along the edge.
A faint groove.
The entire fireplace assembly had moved.
She stood.
The digital plans said the structure was fixed.
Someone had altered the plans.
"Stay here."
She went to Victor's library.
The room was empty.
She opened the cabinet containing the antique chess sets.
The blue rook was still missing.
Danielle began searching drawers.
On the third drawer she found a brass key.
Too large for a normal lock.
A tiny rook had been engraved on the head.
She heard the library door open.
Danielle closed the drawer.
Marissa entered.
"You told me to leave the foyer."
"I didn't tell you to follow me."
"I didn't."
"Then why are you here?"
"Your father wants you in his office."
"Tell him I'm busy."
Marissa studied her.
"Did Evelyn give you anything?"
Danielle felt a cold certainty settle inside her.
"I never told you I met Evelyn."
Marissa did not react.
"Your car's GPS."
"You checked my GPS?"
"It's my job."
"No. Your job is security."
"Those are the same thing."
Danielle stepped closer.
"Are they?"
Marissa's face remained calm.
"Michelle was missing. Caleb was missing. You left the property without protection. I checked where you went."
"Why?"
"Because if the person who took them wanted you next, I'd need to know where you were."
It was a good answer.
Danielle almost believed it.
Almost.
"Did you tell my father?"
"No."
"Did you send him the photograph?"
"No."
"Did you alter the architectural plans for this house?"
That finally changed Marissa's expression.
Only slightly.
"What?"
"The fireplace."
"I didn't alter anything."
Danielle watched her.
Marissa looked toward the drawer behind Danielle.
"What's in your hand?"
Danielle had not realized she was still holding the brass key.
She closed her fingers around it.
"Nothing."
Marissa's gaze sharpened.
Then Liam screamed from the foyer.
Both women ran.
Danielle reached him first.
He stood beside the fireplace holding a wooden block.
His face was pale.
"What happened?"
Liam pointed.
A thin line of dust had fallen from between two pieces of marble.
Then came three knocks.
Clear.
Deliberate.
Everyone froze.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Liam whispered.
"See?"
Danielle stepped toward the wall.
A weak male voice came from somewhere behind the stone.
"Please."
Danielle's breath stopped.
"Who are you?"
Silence.
Then a scrape.
The voice returned.
"Help me."
Marissa reached for her radio.
Danielle caught her wrist.
"No."
Marissa looked at her.
"We need the guards."
"We need to know who's behind that wall."
"I agree."
"Then you're staying where I can see you."
Marissa's jaw tightened.
Danielle removed the brass key.
She searched the fireplace surround.
Nothing.
Liam tugged her sleeve.
"The lion."
He pointed toward a decorative brass lion built into the side of the mantel.
Danielle looked closer.
One eye contained a tiny keyhole.
She inserted the key.
It turned.
A mechanical click sounded beneath the floor.
Marissa's face went white.
Danielle saw it.
"You knew."
"No."
"You knew something."
"Danielle, stop."
Danielle pulled on the fireplace surround.
It moved.
The entire marble structure rolled several inches along hidden tracks.
Behind it was a narrow wooden door set into the wall.
A trapdoor.
Liam stared.
Danielle opened it.
Cold air rose from below.
A narrow staircase descended into darkness.
Then the voice came again.
This time it said her name.
"Danielle."
She nearly dropped the key.
Marissa stepped backward.
Danielle turned toward her.
"Who is down there?"
Marissa's silence answered before her mouth did.
Danielle gave Liam her phone.
"Call Thomas Hale. Tell him to come here now."
Marissa reached toward the boy.
Danielle moved between them.
"Don't."
"Danielle, you're making a mistake."
"Then explain it."
"I can't."
"Can't or won't?"
Marissa looked toward the staircase.
"Your father needs to be here."
Danielle felt every remaining piece fall into place.
She looked at Liam.
"Go to the kitchen. Find Mrs. Porter. Stay with her."
"No."
"Liam."
"I'm not leaving you."
Danielle crouched.
Her voice softened.
"I need you to be brave enough to do what I say."
He swallowed.
Then nodded.
The moment he disappeared down the corridor, Danielle stepped onto the stairs.
Marissa followed.
"Stay here."
"I can't let you go down alone."
"You've spent twelve years making sure no one can get near me without your permission."
Danielle looked into the darkness.
"Apparently I should have been asking who could get near me because of it."
She descended.
At the bottom she found the underground room.
And a man sitting against the wall.
Dirty cream shirt.
Messy brown hair.
Hollow cheeks.
A beard grown wild from weeks without care.
Danielle stopped breathing.
"Caleb?"
His eyes opened.
For a second he seemed to believe she was an illusion.
Then he began to cry.
"Danielle."
She ran to him.
"Everyone thought you disappeared."
His hands clutched her arms.
"You have to get Liam out."
"What happened to you?"
Caleb looked past her.
Marissa stood on the stairs.
His entire body recoiled.
"She knows."
Danielle rose.
Marissa's hand went toward her concealed weapon.
Danielle moved before she could draw it.
"Put it down."
"Danielle."
"Weapon. Floor."
Marissa hesitated.
Then slowly removed the handgun.
Danielle kicked it away.
"Who locked him down here?"
Caleb caught her sleeve.
"Marissa didn't do this alone."
Danielle looked down.
"Who else?"
May you like
His answer tore apart everything she thought remained of her family.
"Your father."
