Chapter 7: Let Him In
The doorbell rang again.
Once.
Twice.
Then a third time, slower.
Ethan stood between the living room and the front door, staring at the security monitor.
Marcus was still outside.
He wore a charcoal suit, one hand resting casually at his side.
He didn't look nervous.
He looked prepared.
Ethan's phone remained in his hand.
The photograph of Gloria was still on the screen.
“Mom,” he said quietly, “he took that picture from inside this house.””
Gloria stared at the monitor.
“I know.””
Sophia wiped her face.
“He told me he could see everything.””
Ethan turned.
“You knew he was watching us?””
“I knew he had access to the system.””
“When?””
Sophia hesitated.
“Before today.””
Ethan's expression hardened.
“You have been lying to me all night.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“No.””
His voice was low.
“You were trying to protect yourself.””
The doorbell rang again.
Marcus's face appeared on the monitor.
Then his voice came through the intercom.
“Ethan, open the door.””
Ethan didn't move.
Marcus smiled faintly.
“I know you're in there.””
Gloria walked toward the door.
Ethan grabbed her arm.
“Don't.””
She looked at him.
“He wants us afraid.””
“He wants something.””
“Yes.””
Gloria gently pulled her arm free.
“So do we.””
She pressed the intercom.
“What do you want, Marcus?””
Marcus's expression changed when he heard Gloria.
“Good evening, Gloria.””
“You're trespassing.””
“I came to talk.””
“You can talk from the porch.””
Marcus laughed softly.
“That won't work.””
Ethan stepped toward the intercom.
“You forged my signature.””
Marcus looked directly into the security camera.
“No.””
Ethan frowned.
Marcus continued.
“I used a signature that already existed.””
“That isn't better.””
“I didn't say it was.””
Sophia whispered, “Marcus, please leave.””
Marcus's smile disappeared.
“You don't get to tell me when to leave.””
Ethan stared at the monitor.
“You threatened my wife.””
Marcus looked almost amused.
“Your wife has been threatening herself for months.””
Sophia's face drained of color.
Ethan turned toward her.
“What does that mean?””
Marcus ignored him.
“Open the door, Ethan.””
“No.””
Marcus nodded.
“Then I'll tell you what your mother never did.””
Gloria's expression tightened.
“Don't.””
Marcus smiled.
“You're the one who should be worried, Gloria.””
He raised a small brown envelope toward the camera.
“I have the original.””
Gloria went completely still.
Ethan noticed.
“What original?””
Marcus lowered the envelope.
“The document your father signed before he died.””
Ethan stared at his mother.
“You said Dad never left anything else.””
“I said I didn't know.””
Marcus laughed from the monitor.
“She knows.””
Gloria's voice trembled.
“Ethan, don't listen to him.””
“Why?””
“Because he's manipulating you.””
Marcus interrupted.
“Ask her why your father changed the trust three weeks before his death.””
Ethan looked at Gloria.
“Did he?””
Silence.
“Mom?””
Gloria closed her eyes.
“Yes.””
Ethan stepped backward.
“What did he change?””
“I was going to tell you.””
“When?””
“I needed to be sure.””
“About what?””
Marcus leaned toward the camera.
“He made one condition.””
Ethan looked at the monitor.
“What condition?””
Marcus smiled.
“He named a second beneficiary.””
Sophia covered her mouth.
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
“Who?””
Marcus said nothing.
Gloria looked at Sophia.
Sophia looked at the floor.
Ethan's breathing became heavier.
“Who is the second beneficiary?””
Marcus lifted the envelope.
“Open the door.””
“No.””
Marcus's smile vanished.
“Then I'll send you the document.””
Ethan waited.
His phone buzzed.
A new message appeared.
An image.
Ethan opened it.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then stopped.
His face changed.
Gloria saw it.
“What is it?””
Ethan slowly looked at her.
“It's Dad's signature.””
Marcus's voice came through the intercom.
“And underneath it is the name of the person he wanted to protect.””
Ethan stared at the screen.
“Who?””
Marcus looked straight into the camera.
“Your mother.””
Gloria's lips parted.
“That isn't possible.””
Marcus smiled.
“It is.””
Ethan turned toward Gloria.
“What did Dad leave you?””
She shook her head.
“Nothing.””
Marcus laughed.
“She's still lying.””
The front door suddenly rattled.
Not a knock.
A hard strike.
Sophia screamed.
Ethan moved in front of Gloria.
Marcus's voice came through the intercom one final time.
“You have thirty seconds.””
The monitor went black.
Then every light in the living room flickered.
Gloria looked at Ethan.
May you like
And whispered,
“Don't let him inside.””
