Chapter 5 - THE MAN AT THE DOOR
“Claire, Sophie, office.”
Vanessa blocked the hallway.
“If Graham sees Claire—”
“He already knows something’s wrong.”
“No. He doesn’t know she’s here.”
“You said the house is wired.”
“Audio downstairs. Cameras outside. He doesn’t know about the nursery.”
“Why?”
“I cut that circuit months ago.”
Ethan almost laughed at the insanity of trusting any sentence she said.
Then Graham’s voice came through the downstairs speakers.
“Ethan? You home?”
Sophie whispered, “Uncle Graham.”
He had never seen Claire afraid of anyone when they were married.
Now she could barely stand.
“Look at me.”
“You’re not going back.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“I just did.”
He led Claire and Sophie into his office and locked the hidden pocket door behind the bookcase.
Then he went downstairs.
Graham stood in the kitchen.
The same smile he had worn at Ethan’s wedding rehearsal dinner.
“Surprise,” Graham said. “Thought you were in New York.”
“Meeting got canceled.”
“So I heard.”
That answer landed wrong.
Ethan leaned against the island.
“Vanessa called you?”
“She said you two were fighting.”
Vanessa’s face stayed neutral.
Ethan understood the performance.
They had done this before.
“What about?”
“You tell me.”
Ethan looked at the broken crystal on the floor.
Then at the photograph still sitting on the counter.
The address on the back.
“Where’d you get that?”
“Private investigator.”
That had not been part of any plan.
Ethan needed both of them uncertain.
Graham picked up the photo.
“This is fake.”
“Is it?”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you sweating?”
“Ethan, you’ve been under pressure.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Talk to me like I’m unstable.”
Graham’s expression hardened.
The friendly mask slipped.
“Where’s Sophie?”
“Upstairs.”
“Call her down.”
“No.”
Then Graham smiled again.
“Since when do I need permission to say hello to my goddaughter?”
“Since today.”
Vanessa shifted her weight.
Then toward the west hallway.
Ethan moved between him and the stairs.
“What’s upstairs?”
“Bedrooms.”
“Anything else?”
Graham reached inside his jacket.
But Graham only pulled out his phone.
The screen showed a security app.
May you like
A floor plan of Ethan’s house.
“You opened the wrong door.”
