Chapter 3: The Message
Marcus stared at her.
“My father has been dead for eight years.””
Vanessa’s lips parted.
The phone trembled in her hand.
Diane stepped closer.
“Marcus.””
He didn’t look away from Vanessa.
“Show me the phone.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Please.””
“Show me.””
“I can explain.””
“Then explain.””
She glanced at Diane.
That was enough.
Diane understood.
“You knew him.””
Vanessa said nothing.
Diane’s voice hardened.
“You knew my husband.””
Vanessa swallowed.
“I met him.””
“When?””
“Before Marcus.””
Marcus laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“Before me?””
Vanessa’s eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.””
“Where?””
“I don’t remember.””
“Don’t lie.””
“I’m not lying!””
The guests stood frozen around the pool.
The music was still playing, but nobody seemed to hear it anymore.
Marcus held out his hand.
“Give me the phone.””
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she slowly placed it in his palm.
Marcus looked at the screen.
One message.
No number.
No contact name.
Just an encrypted notification.
*YOU WERE TOLD NOT TO WEAR THE SHOES.*
Marcus looked up.
“What does this mean?””
Vanessa’s eyes filled.
“I didn’t know they would recognize them.””
Diane took the phone.
Her face went white.
“What shoes?””
Vanessa said nothing.
Diane looked down.
“The pair you’re wearing.””
Vanessa nodded.
Diane’s voice became barely audible.
“Where did you get them?””
“I found them.””
“Where?””
“In a storage room.””
“Whose storage room?””
Vanessa’s eyes shifted toward the mansion.
Diane followed her gaze.
The mansion stood behind the glass doors, enormous and silent.
Marcus noticed.
“Which room?””
Vanessa whispered,
“Your father’s.””
Diane closed her eyes.
For eight years, she had refused to enter that room.
Not once.
Not even after the funeral.
Marcus stared at the house.
“My father’s study?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Why were you in there?””
“I was looking for something.””
“What?””
She shook her head.
“I can’t.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“You just accused my family of hiding something. Now you’re telling me you broke into my father’s study.””
“I didn’t break in.””
“Then how did you get inside?””
Vanessa’s silence answered him.
Diane walked past Marcus.
“Open the door.””
He turned.
“Mom?””
“The study.””
“You said you’d never go back in there.””
“I know.””
She looked at Vanessa.
“But if those shoes came from that room, then I need to know why.””
They entered the mansion.
The guests followed several steps behind, afraid to get too close.
The music continued outside.
Inside, the air was colder.
Marcus led them down a hallway lined with family photographs.
His father appeared in nearly every one.
Young.
Confident.
Smiling beside Diane.
Holding Marcus as a child.
Then Marcus stopped in front of a dark wooden door.
His hand hovered over the handle.
Diane whispered,
“Your father locked that room before he died.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Why?””
“I never found out.””
Vanessa suddenly grabbed his arm.
“Marcus.””
He pulled away.
“What?””
“You shouldn’t open it.””
Diane looked at her.
“Why?””
Vanessa’s face crumpled.
“Because I wasn’t the first person who went inside.””
Marcus slowly turned the handle.
The lock clicked.
The door opened.
Dust hung in the beam of hallway light.
The study was exactly as it had been eight years ago.
Desk.
Leather chair.
Books.
Old photographs.
And on the desk sat a single black box.
Marcus walked toward it.
Diane stopped breathing.
“That wasn’t there.””
Marcus touched the lid.
“Mom?””
Diane stared at the box.
“There’s something engraved on it.””
Marcus wiped away the dust.
Three words appeared beneath his fingers.
*FOR DIANE ONLY.*
Vanessa backed toward the door.
Marcus looked at her.
“Why would my father leave something for my mother?””
Vanessa whispered,
“He didn’t.””
Marcus frowned.
“What?””
Vanessa looked at the box.
“He left it for the woman who was supposed to receive it.””
Diane’s face went rigid.
“Who?””
Vanessa’s phone buzzed again.
This time, the message was only four words.
*SHE KNOWS ABOUT VANESSA.*
Diane stared at the screen.
Then slowly looked toward the hallway.
Someone was standing there.
May you like
Someone who had been inside the house all night.
Someone who knew exactly what those shoes meant.
