Chapter 8 - THE FIRST BODY
Ethan wanted to climb in after her.
“That’s what he wants.”
“He has Vanessa.”
“He already had her.”
“What does that mean?”
“Vanessa tried to leave six months ago.”
“Leave him?”
“Leave all of it.”
“She was living with me.”
“She was still working for Graham.”
“She started sneaking me information. She helped me see Sophie.”
“After bruising her.”
“Yes.”
There was no easy villain anymore.
A crash sounded inside the wall.
“Run!”
Ethan pulled her against him.
Ethan crawled into the service passage.
“Ethan!”
The passage opened into the laundry room.
Vanessa lay on the floor.
Blood covered her shoulder.
Ethan dropped beside her.
“Can you move?”
She laughed through clenched teeth.
“Not elegantly.”
“Where is he?”
“Basement.”
“Gas line?”
“He wants the drive more than he wants to kill us.”
“That’s supposed to help?”
“It means we have time.”
Ethan looked at the blood.
“You need a hospital.”
“So does your wife.”
The word wife landed strangely.
Claire was legally dead.
Vanessa had been about to become his wife.
Sophie had been trapped between both women.
Ethan tore a towel and pressed it to Vanessa’s shoulder.
“Hold this.”
“Why did you hurt Sophie?”
Vanessa’s face tightened.
“Not now.”
“Now.”
“I grabbed her when she tried to run to Claire.”
“Every day?”
“No.”
“Sophie said every day.”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Sometimes I locked her in her room.”
“Sometimes I scared her.”
“You put your hands on her.”
“Yes.”
“I’m not asking you to forgive me.”
“Good.”
“I’m telling you I started trying to undo it.”
“That doesn’t erase anything.”
“I know.”
Claire appeared in the doorway.
“Sophie’s hiding in the office.”
Then Claire looked at Vanessa’s wound.
“We have to get out.”
Vanessa pointed toward a floor drain.
“Emergency release is through the boiler room.”
The basement smelled like gas.
Claire covered her mouth.
Then Claire looked past them.
There was a body behind the furnace.
Ethan recognized him immediately.
His private investigator.
The man who had called yesterday and said:
Ethan dropped beside him.
In his hand was a folded note.
May you like
Three words were written in blood:
GRAHAM KNOWS EVERYTHING.
