Chapter 8: Blood Beneath the Floorboards
The police lights painted the Hale property in alternating flashes of blue and red.
Darius barely remembered the drive.
He remembered Tanya telling him to slow down. He remembered gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his fingers ached. He remembered the image of Lucas standing outside the school building, looking like a boy who had spent his whole life waiting for someone to explain why he wasn't wanted.
Now that boy was missing.
And there was blood on the stairs.
When Darius reached the property, two uniformed officers were securing the front gate. A third stood beside an ambulance.
He jumped out of the car before Tanya had fully stopped.
"Where's my son?""
An officer stepped into his path.
"Sir, you need to stay behind the tape.""
"My son was inside that house!""
"What's his name?""
"Lucas Hale. Sixteen years old. Dark hair, brown eyes, wearing a navy jacket.""
The officer consulted his radio.
"We have not located anyone matching that description.""
Darius felt the words hit him like a physical blow.
"Then keep looking!""
Tanya caught his shoulder.
"Darius, let them work.""
He turned on her.
"Don't tell me to calm down.""
"I'm not telling you to calm down. I'm telling you not to get arrested before we find him.""
A paramedic approached carrying a medical bag.
"Are you family?""
"Yes," Darius said immediately.
"We found a blood trail in the basement, but we haven't confirmed who it belongs to. There are signs of a struggle.""
"Was anyone injured?""
"We don't know.""
Darius looked toward the house.
The front door stood open. One of its hinges had been torn loose, leaving the wood splintered around the frame.
He recognized the old porch from the photograph.
Lucas had stood right there.
He had been so close.
"Sir," the officer said, "did you receive any threats?""
Darius pulled out his phone and showed him the messages.
The officer read them, then called another officer over.
"Get digital forensics to preserve these. We need the original messages and the sender information.""
Tanya gave them the screenshots and explained what she knew about Grant Mercer.
When she mentioned the forged adoption papers, the officer's expression changed.
"You're saying there may be a connection to a decades-old financial investigation?""
"Yes," Tanya replied.
"And we believe the missing teenager has evidence related to it.""
The officer spoke into his radio again.
"Notify the detective. We may have a kidnapping.""
Darius moved toward the house.
This time, the officer didn't stop him, but he followed closely.
Inside, the air smelled of dust and damp plaster. Furniture had been pushed against the walls. A lamp lay shattered near the staircase.
On the floor, several drops of dark blood marked the wooden boards.
Darius stared at them.
"Is this Lucas's?""
"We're waiting on identification," the officer said.
Darius knelt beside the stairs.
A small object lay beneath the banister.
A silver chain.
Attached to it was a simple metal pendant shaped like a compass.
Darius picked it up carefully.
He had seen that pendant before.
His father had worn an identical one for years, claiming it was a gift from Darius's grandfather. After the funeral, Darius had searched for it but never found it.
He turned the pendant over.
Two letters had been engraved on the back.
*L.C.*
Lucas Cole.
His son had been wearing his grandfather's initials.
Darius closed his fist around the chain.
"He was here.""
Tanya crouched beside him.
"How do you know?""
"Because this belonged to my father.""
An officer appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
"We found the basement entrance.""
Darius followed him down.
The basement was cold and narrow, with exposed pipes running across the ceiling. Filing cabinets stood against one wall, their drawers pulled open. Papers littered the floor. A chair lay on its side beside a broken table.
At the far end, a heavy metal door hung open.
Beyond it was a small room with no windows.
Blood stained the edge of a desk.
Darius stopped breathing.
"Where did the trail lead?""
The officer pointed toward a narrow passage behind the room.
"We're checking it now.""
Darius stepped inside.
The passage smelled of wet earth and rust. It ended at a small service door that opened into the woods behind the property.
A muddy footprint marked the threshold.
Beside it lay a torn strip of navy fabric.
Darius picked it up with shaking fingers.
"Lucas.""
Tanya stood behind him, her face pale.
"We'll find him.""
He wanted to believe her.
But as he stared into the dark woods, another thought took hold.
What if Lucas hadn't been taken by a stranger?
What if he'd gone willingly?
What if the boy had spent sixteen years believing Darius was the villain in his story—and had finally decided to confront him?
A voice behind them interrupted his thoughts.
"Darius Cole?""
He turned.
A detective in a dark coat stood at the top of the stairs, holding a clear evidence bag.
"My name is Detective Harris. We found something in the house you need to see.""
He handed Darius the bag.
Inside was a photograph of Elena, taken outside St. Catherine's Hospital three weeks earlier.
Someone had drawn a red circle around her face.
On the back, in block letters, were four words.
*SHE MUST NEVER TESTIFY.*
Darius looked at Tanya.
"Testify about what?""
Detective Harris answered before she could.
"We don't know yet. But someone has been watching her.""
Darius's stomach tightened.
"Then we need to get back to the hospital.""
The detective shook his head.
"An officer is already there. Your daughter is with her, correct?""
"Yes.""
"Then stay here until we know whether the hospital is secure.""
Darius's phone rang.
An unfamiliar number.
He answered immediately.
"Lucas?""
A man's voice replied.
"Not quite.""
Darius went rigid.
"Who is this?""
"Someone who knows where your son is.""
"Put him on the phone.""
A quiet laugh.
"You really do think you can order everyone around, don't you?""
"Tell me what you want.""
"The box.""
Darius looked down at the brass key in his hand.
"What box?""
"The one your father left behind. The original records. The documents Martin never managed to destroy.""
Darius felt his blood turn cold.
"Where's Lucas?""
"Safe. For now.""
"If you hurt him—"
"Then you should bring me what I asked for.""
The line went dead.
Darius stared at the phone.
Tanya had heard enough to understand.
"They want the safe-deposit box.""
Detective Harris took out a notebook.
"Who was that?""
"I don't know.""
"Did the caller identify himself?""
"No.""
The detective nodded to an officer.
"Trace the call. Notify the bank that the box may be connected to an active criminal investigation.""
Darius turned toward him.
"I'm going to the bank tomorrow morning.""
"Not without us.""
"Fine. Then come with me.""
Detective Harris studied him.
"Mr. Cole, if these people are connected to the missing teenager, we need you to cooperate with every instruction we give you.""
Darius looked toward the open basement door.
"Then find my son.""
At the hospital, Elena was awake when Darius returned.
Maya sat beside her, drawing a picture on the back of a menu. She had drawn three people holding hands beneath a crooked yellow sun.
One tall man.
One little girl.
One woman in a hospital bed.
When she saw Darius, she put down the pencil.
"Did you find my brother?""
Darius knelt beside her.
"Not yet, sweetheart.""
Maya's face fell.
"But you will?""
He took her small hand.
"I'm going to keep looking.""
Elena watched him with worried eyes.
"What happened?""
He told her about the house, the blood, and the photograph.
When he finished, she closed her eyes.
"Martin's son.""
"Grant Mercer?""
Elena nodded.
"He came to see me two weeks ago. He said he wanted to make things right.""
"What did he tell you?""
"That Lucas had found the original adoption records. That he wanted to meet me.""
Darius leaned forward.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because Grant said Naomi was watching the hospital. He promised he would bring Lucas himself.""
Darius stared at her.
"Did you believe him?""
"I wanted to.""
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
"I thought maybe the nightmare was finally ending.""
Darius gently took her hand.
"We're going to find them both.""
She squeezed his fingers.
"There's something I haven't told you.""
He waited.
"Before Martin died, he left a recording with Lucas. A confession.""
Darius felt his heart quicken.
"What did he confess?""
Elena looked toward Maya, who was now watching them.
"I don't know the whole truth. But Martin told Lucas that your father hadn't died of a heart attack.""
Darius went completely still.
Elena's voice dropped to a whisper.
"He said someone had changed the medication your father took that night.""
Darius felt the room tilt.
"Who?""
Elena began to cry.
"Martin never said the name.""
Then Maya reached into her little pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
"Mommy gave me this before I went to the wedding.""
Darius unfolded it.
It was a handwritten note in Elena's familiar script.
If Darius ever finds the boy, tell him to ask Naomi what she put in Edward Cole's coffee.
Darius looked up.
May you like
Elena's face had gone white.
And outside the hospital room, someone was quietly turning the handle of the door.
