Chapter 5 - A DEAD MAN’S HOUSE
Arthur didn’t sleep.
At 6:15 the next morning, he sat beside Leo’s hospital bed staring at an old photograph on his phone.
His father stood beside a fishing boat, smiling with one hand on Arthur’s shoulder and the other on Nolan’s.
Daniel Mercer.
Dead at fifty-eight.
Heart attack.
Closed casket because Arthur had been overseas when the body was found and decomposition had been severe.
At least, that was the story.
Leo woke quietly.
“Dad?”
Arthur locked the phone.
“Hey, buddy.”
“Did you find Uncle Nolan?”
“Not yet.”
Leo looked toward the door.
“And Victoria?”
“No.”
The boy pulled the blanket higher.
Arthur took his hand.
“You’re safe.”
Leo didn’t answer.
Arthur hated how quickly his son had learned not to believe promises.
A nurse entered with breakfast.
Behind her came Elena.
She carried two coffees.
Arthur took one.
“Thanks.”
“You look terrible.”
“So do you.”
“Good morning to you too.”
For the first time in twenty-four hours, Arthur almost smiled.
Then Elena sat down.
“I checked something.”
Arthur’s eyes narrowed.
“What?”
“The house.”
“What about it?”
“Your father owned it before you did.”
“I know.”
“No. I mean secretly.”
Arthur stared at her.
Elena placed printed property records on the table.
“After your mother died, Daniel transferred the property into an LLC. That LLC was controlled by another company. That company transferred ownership to you after Daniel’s death.”
“So?”
“So whoever ran those companies could make changes without your name appearing on the permits.”
Arthur looked at the papers.
“Victoria?”
“Maybe.”
Leo suddenly spoke.
“Grandpa came down there.”
Arthur turned slowly.
“What did you say?”
Leo stared at his cereal.
“Once.”
Arthur crouched beside the bed.
“Leo, Grandpa Daniel?”
He nodded.
“When?”
“A few weeks after Victoria put me inside.”
Arthur couldn’t speak.
“What did he say?”
Leo rubbed his thumb over the blanket.
“He said I looked like you.”
Arthur felt pressure build behind his eyes.
“What else?”
“He said he was sorry.”
Elena stepped closer.
“Sorry for what?”
Leo looked at her.
“For starting all of it.”
Arthur stood so fast the chair tipped over.
“What did that mean?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did Victoria call him Daniel?”
“No.”
“What did she call him?”
Leo’s face tightened as he tried to remember.
“She called him Mr. Mercer.”
Arthur shook his head.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
Then Leo whispered, “Uncle Nolan called him something else.”
“What?”
Leo looked at his father.
“Boss.”
Arthur’s phone rang.
Detective Reed.
Arthur answered immediately.
“Did you find Nolan?”
“No.”
“Victoria?”
“No.”
“What then?”
“We got DNA results from the blood in the truck.”
Arthur stood frozen.
“Whose is it?”
Reed paused.
“It’s Nolan’s.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
“How much?”
“Enough that I don’t think he walked far.”
Arthur glanced at Leo.
“Is he dead?”
“We haven’t found a body.”
Then Reed added, “Arthur, there’s something else.”
“What?”
“We opened the files on the basement laptop.”
Arthur’s hand tightened around the phone.
“And?”
May you like
“Your son wasn’t the first child they kept in that room.”
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