Chapter 8: The Name in the Book
Nobody moved toward the door.
The three knocks came again.
Slow.
Patient.
Almost polite.
Marcus stepped in front of Diane.
“Stay behind me.””
Rebecca shook her head.
“Don't open it.””
Marcus looked at her.
“You said he was dead.””
“I said your father was afraid of him.””
“Who is he?””
Rebecca's eyes dropped to the design book.
“Look at the last page.””
Marcus opened it.
At first, he saw nothing.
Then he noticed faint writing pressed into the paper.
A name.
*JONATHAN CROSS.*
Diane's face went white.
Marcus looked at her.
“You know him.””
She nodded.
“Your father's attorney.””
Marcus stared.
“The man who handled Dad's estate?””
“Yes.””
“Why would he be here?””
Rebecca whispered,
“Because he handled more than the estate.””
The door rattled again.
Marcus stepped toward it.
Evelyn grabbed his arm.
“Don't.””
“Why?””
“Because if Jonathan is here, he knows we found the book.””
Marcus pulled away.
“He can't scare me.””
Diane caught his hand.
“Marcus.””
He looked at her.
“For once, listen to me.””
Her voice cracked.
“Your father spent the last weeks of his life terrified.””
Marcus stared at her.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because you were twenty-four.””
“I wasn't a child.””
“You were his son.””
She wiped her eyes.
“And he made me promise that if anything happened to him, I would never tell you.””
Marcus looked toward the door.
“Why?””
“Because Jonathan threatened to hurt you.””
Silence.
The knocking stopped.
Marcus waited.
Nothing.
Then his phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through.
Calm.
Deep.
“Marcus.””
Marcus froze.
“Who is this?””
“You already know.””
Jonathan.
Marcus put the phone on speaker.
Everyone heard him.
Jonathan continued.
“Give me the book.””
Marcus looked at Rebecca.
“No.””
A quiet laugh.
“Your father made that mistake too.””
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“What did you do to him?””
“I didn't kill your father.””
“Then who did?””
A pause.
“That is exactly what you're about to discover.””
The call ended.
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
“Where is Jonathan?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Rebecca picked up the design book.
“We need to leave.””
“No.””
Marcus blocked the doorway.
“We're done running.””
Diane looked at him.
“Marcus, he's dangerous.””
“So are secrets.””
He took the book.
“Tell me everything.””
Rebecca hesitated.
Then she opened the final section.
Inside were bank records.
Property transfers.
Shell companies.
Payments.
Marcus's eyes widened.
“This is millions.””
Rebecca nodded.
“Your father used Diane's designs to build a hidden business.””
Diane whispered,
“He told me the company was failing.””
“It was.””
Rebecca pointed to the documents.
“Because Jonathan was draining it.””
Marcus followed the transactions.
“Why?””
“Because your father owed him.””
“For what?””
Rebecca looked at Evelyn.
Evelyn answered.
“Gambling.””
Marcus stared.
“My father gambled?””
“He lost everything.””
“And Jonathan covered the debt?””
“Until he couldn't.””
Rebecca turned another page.
“This is where the shoes come in.””
Marcus leaned closer.
A handwritten note appeared.
*PAIR 36 — ORIGINAL MASTER. DO NOT RELEASE.*
Below it was another line.
*HIDDEN MICROFILM — HEEL INTERIOR.*
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“You knew.””
Vanessa nodded.
“Claire told me.””
“So that's why you wore them.””
“I needed to get the evidence out.””
Rebecca shook her head.
“You didn't know Jonathan was watching.””
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“He followed me.””
Diane looked at her.
“Why didn't you come to me?””
Vanessa looked ashamed.
“Because I thought you'd blame me.””
“I do blame you.””
Vanessa flinched.
“But I also know you were manipulated.””
Marcus crouched beside the wine-stained shoe.
“Then the evidence is inside this heel.””
Rebecca nodded.
“We need to open it.””
Suddenly, glass shattered outside.
Everyone turned.
A dark figure sprinted across the pool patio.
Marcus ran toward the glass doors.
“Hey!””
The figure disappeared behind the cabana.
Marcus rushed outside.
Guests screamed.
The security lights flashed on.
Diane followed.
“Marcus!””
He stopped near the pool.
On the white stone patio lay the wine-stained designer heel.
The other shoe was gone.
Vanessa looked down.
“I had both.””
Marcus turned.
“Who took it?””
Nobody answered.
Then Rebecca noticed something on the ground.
A small piece of black leather.
And beneath it, written in gold ink:
*PAIR 36 IS MISSING.*
Rebecca looked toward the darkness.
“He has the other shoe.””
Marcus clenched his fists.
“Then we find him.””
Diane suddenly whispered,
“No.””
Everyone turned.
She was staring at the design book.
A new line had appeared beneath the old handwriting.
Fresh ink.
Written only minutes ago.
*THE OTHER SHOE ISN'T WITH JONATHAN.*
Marcus looked at her.
“Then where is it?””
May you like
Diane slowly turned toward the mansion.
“It's already inside this house.””
