Chapter 3
Arthur immediately locked the back door.
“Did someone come inside?”
Maya nodded.
“A man.”
Arthur crouched beside her.
“What man?”
“He opened the door.”
Ethan rushed into the kitchen.
“What did he look like?”
Maya squeezed her stuffed rabbit.
“He had a hat.”
The officer called for additional units.
Arthur checked Maya’s arms and face.
“Did he touch you?”
She shook her head.
“He gave me the envelope.”
Arthur felt furious with himself.
Someone had entered his house while police were standing outside.
The officer examined the back door.
“No forced entry.”
Arthur stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
“He probably had a key.”
Arthur immediately thought of Victoria.
The officer did too.
They returned outside.
Victoria was now sitting in the back of the patrol car.
Arthur held up the envelope.
“Who has a key?”
Victoria stared at it.
Her face drained of color.
“Where did you get that?”
“A man walked into my house.”
Victoria stopped pretending.
For the first time, she looked genuinely afraid.
“You need to leave.”
Arthur stepped closer.
“Who is he?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“You can tell the police.”
“No.”
Arthur laughed bitterly.
“You were willing to terrorize two children, but now you’re scared?”
Victoria looked toward Ethan and Maya.
Then tears filled her eyes.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain.”
Victoria lowered her voice.
“Your brother.”
Arthur froze.
“My brother is dead.”
Victoria shook her head.
“No, Arthur.”
Ethan stared at his father.
Arthur had rarely spoken about his older brother, Daniel.
Daniel had disappeared twelve years earlier after a boating accident.
His body had never been recovered.
Eventually, the family had accepted that he was dead.
Arthur stepped closer to the patrol car.
“Don’t use my brother to save yourself.”
“I met him two years ago.”
Arthur’s jaw tightened.
“You’re lying.”
“He contacted me.”
“Why?”
Victoria swallowed.
“Because he hates you.”
Arthur felt as if the ground had shifted beneath him.
The officer asked Victoria to continue.
She looked toward the house.
“Daniel believes Arthur stole his life.”
“That makes no sense.”
Victoria laughed sadly.
“Your father left the company to you.”
“Because Daniel was gone.”
“But Daniel wasn’t dead.”
Arthur could barely breathe.
Victoria explained that Daniel had survived the accident.
He had disappeared deliberately.
Years later, he returned and learned their father had died and Arthur had inherited the family business.
Daniel wanted everything back.
The house.
The company.
The money.
Arthur stared at Victoria.
“And you helped him.”
“At first, I didn’t know who he was.”
“But later?”
Victoria looked away.
“Yes.”
Arthur stepped back as though she had struck him.
“How long?”
“Almost eighteen months.”
Ethan whispered, “Dad?”
Arthur turned immediately.
His son looked terrified.
Arthur forced himself to stay calm.
“Go inside with the officer.”
Ethan took Maya’s hand.
Before leaving, Maya looked at Victoria.
“Why did you hurt us?”
Victoria began crying.
Maya waited.
Victoria had no answer.
After the children went inside, Arthur faced her again.
“What did Daniel want you to do?”
Victoria’s voice cracked.
“Make you look unstable.”
“Why?”
“To take the children.”
Arthur remembered the custody papers.
“And then?”
Victoria shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“You do.”
“I swear.”
Arthur held up the note.
“Then why does this say you weren’t the real problem?”
Victoria’s eyes moved toward the street.
The dark SUV was gone.
Suddenly, her breathing changed.
“Arthur.”
“What?”
“Check Ethan’s backpack.”
Arthur turned.
“Why?”
Victoria whispered, “Because Daniel put something in it yesterday.”
Arthur ran inside.
Ethan’s school backpack was beside the stairs.
Arthur emptied it onto the floor.
Books.
Pencils.
A lunch container.
Then something small and black rolled underneath the table.
The officer picked it up.
A tracking device.
Arthur looked at Ethan.
His son whispered, “They knew where we were.”
The officer nodded grimly.
“Yes.”
Arthur’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A familiar male voice spoke.
May you like
A voice he had not heard in twelve years.
“Hello, little brother.”
