Chapter 2 - The Second Break-In
At 7:52 the next morning, Marco Duca stood in the mansion’s security room watching 24 monitors and waiting for a woman who had already embarrassed him once.
He had no intention of allowing it twice.
Cal leaned against the wall with coffee.
“You realize staring at the monitors harder doesn’t improve them.”
Marco didn’t look at him.
“Why are you here?”
“To watch history.”
“Leave.”
“No.”
Marco finally turned.
Cal lifted his cup.
“You’d miss me.”
Marco decided murder before breakfast would complicate his schedule.
At precisely 8:00, the outer gates locked.
Every contractor had been removed.
Every employee badge had been revalidated.
Guard rotations had been randomized.
The delivery entrance had 2 additional men.
The cameras had independent verification.
Even the kitchen windows had sensors.
Marco had personally inspected the pantry.
Mostly because Cal had suggested Tessa might already be hiding there.
At 8:17, nothing happened.
At 8:31, nothing happened.
At 9:06, Marco’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Duca.”
Tessa’s voice came through.
“Good morning.”
Marco straightened.
Cal noticed.
“Where are you?”
“That’s not a very romantic greeting.”
“This isn’t romance.”
“Excellent. Your flirting needs work.”
Cal nearly choked.
Marco walked away from him.
“Where are you, Tessa?”
A pause.
“Your office.”
Marco stopped.
He turned toward the monitor showing his private office.
Empty.
He checked another angle.
Empty.
“You’re lying.”
“Am I?”
Marco left the security room.
Cal followed.
They crossed the mansion quickly.
Marco opened his office door.
Nobody.
The room was exactly as he had left it.
His desk.
Leather chairs.
Bookshelves.
Locked cabinet.
Windows.
Nothing.
Then his phone vibrated.
A photograph arrived.
Marco opened it.
It showed him standing in the doorway.
Taken from behind.
Marco turned instantly.
Empty corridor.
Another message appeared.
7/10. Better.
His jaw tightened.
“Tessa.”
Her laugh came through the phone.
Then a door clicked downstairs.
Marco and Cal moved at once.
They reached the kitchen 40 seconds later.
A pear was missing.
On the island sat a folded note.
Marco opened it.
You fixed the doors. You still trust identities too easily.
Cal looked at the fruit bowl.
“She took another pear.”
“I can see that.”
“Starting to feel personal.”
Marco’s phone buzzed again.
A video.
Tessa was outside the gates, walking toward a dark sedan.
She turned toward whatever camera she had positioned and held up the pear.
“See you tomorrow.”
Marco watched twice.
Cal watched him.
“You’re smiling.”
“I’m not.”
“You definitely are.”
Marco’s expression hardened.
Then an alarm suddenly screamed.
Not one alarm.
Every alarm.
The security room called.
Marco answered.
“Boss, we have a breach.”
His amusement disappeared.
“Tessa?”
“No.”
Marco looked through the windows.
Three vehicles were racing toward the front gate.
And this time, nobody had hired them.
The first SUV hit the outer barrier.
Steel screamed.
Guards moved.
Marco’s hand disappeared beneath his jacket as Cal barked instructions into his phone.
Then the vehicles stopped.
Doors opened.
Nobody emerged.
Marco’s instincts went cold.
“Back.”
The explosion shattered the morning.
Not large enough to destroy the mansion.
Large enough to create chaos.
Smoke rolled across the driveway.
Sprinklers activated near the entrance.
Guards shouted.
Cameras blinked out.
Marco stared at the dead security screens.
Someone had waited until Tessa’s test was over.
Someone knew exactly when his security would be distracted.
His phone rang.
Tessa.
He answered immediately.
“Where are you?”
“Half a mile away. What happened?”
“Stay away.”
“That sounded like an explosion.”
“Tessa.”
Silence.
Then her voice changed.
Professional.
Controlled.
“Marco, listen to me. The vehicle at your east gate isn’t part of the diversion.”
He turned.
“How do you know?”
“I’m looking at it.”
Marco crossed toward the window.
A white utility van sat beyond the eastern trees.
No markings.
“You see it?”
“Yes.”
“I saw the same van yesterday.”
Marco’s blood cooled.
“Yesterday where?”
“Outside my office.”
Silence.
This wasn’t an attack only on him.
“Tessa, leave.”
“I already tried.”
A hard breath came through the phone.
“Someone blocked the road.”
Marco was moving before she finished.
“Cal.”
Cal saw his expression.
“What?”
“They’re after her.”
Marco headed for the garage.
Cal followed.
Outside, another blast echoed behind them.
Marco didn’t look back.
For the first time since hiring Tessa Morgan, the question was no longer how she had entered his house.
May you like
It was who had followed her there.
And why.
