Chapter 4 - The Man Inside the Mansion
“Who wanted you dead?”
Laura stood in Richard’s study the following morning.
Richard stared through the window.
“That’s the wrong question.”
“What’s the right one?”
“Who benefited from leaving me alive but unable to walk?”
Laura felt cold.
“Richard.”
“The brake line was damaged.”
“Who knew your schedule?”
“Half this house.”
Laura looked toward the door.
“You think someone here did it?”
“I think someone here helped.”
Richard called Margaret.
“Bring Thomas in.”
Ten minutes later, Thomas Reed entered.
He had managed Bennett business operations for eleven years.
“What’s this about?” Thomas asked.
Richard placed a photograph on the desk.
The mechanic.
Thomas barely looked at it.
“Never seen him.”
Richard smiled faintly.
“I didn’t ask.”
Thomas froze.
Laura understood immediately.
Richard continued.
“You answered a question I never asked.”
Thomas looked toward the door.
Two security men were waiting outside.
Richard’s voice remained calm.
“Sit down.”
Thomas sat.
“Who paid him?”
“I don’t know.”
“Wrong answer.”
“Richard—”
“Who?”
Thomas swallowed.
“Your uncle.”
Laura looked at Richard.
“Uncle?”
Richard’s face showed no surprise.
“Edward.”
Thomas nodded.
Richard’s father had died six years earlier, leaving Richard control of the family fortune and businesses. Edward Bennett had expected a large share.
He received almost nothing.
“Why leave me alive?” Richard asked.
Thomas looked miserable.
“Edward thought if you survived disabled, the board would remove you.”
Richard gave a humorless smile.
“He underestimated me.”
“Yes.”
“Where is Edward?”
“I don’t know.”
Richard looked at security.
“Take Thomas downstairs. Call my attorney and the police.”
Laura waited until Thomas was gone.
“That’s it?”
“What did you expect?”
“I don’t know.”
“Gunfire?”
She stared at him.
“Your reputation is terrifying.”
“My reputation saves me from having to do terrifying things.”
That answer surprised her.
Richard rolled toward the window.
“I spent twenty years believing power meant making everyone afraid of me.”
Laura leaned against the desk.
“And now?”
“Now I can’t stand without assistance.”
He looked at her.
“Fear turned out to be useless when I needed someone to button my shirt.”
Laura stepped closer.
“You hate needing people.”
“Yes.”
“You especially hate needing me.”
Richard looked at her.
“That isn’t what I hate about you.”
“What do you hate?”
“That you remind me who I was before all this.”
Silence settled between them.
Then Laura said, “Maybe that man isn’t dead.”
Richard’s expression softened.
A knock came.
Daniel entered with Brandon and Emma.
Laura stared.
“What are you doing here?”
Brandon grinned. “Mr. Bennett sent a car.”
Laura looked at Richard.
“You sent—”
Emma walked directly toward Richard.
Children apparently had no respect for terrifying reputations.
She examined his wheelchair.
“Does it go fast?”
“Emma,” Laura warned.
Richard considered the question.
“Extremely.”
“Can I drive it?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because your mother would murder me.”
Emma nodded thoughtfully.
“That’s probably true.”
Daniel laughed.
Richard looked around the room.
His son.
Laura.
Two children who had somehow stopped being strangers.
For the first time since his accident, his mansion didn’t feel enormous.
Then Margaret entered.
“Richard.”
Her face was pale.
“What?”
“Edward Bennett is downstairs.”
Richard’s expression hardened.
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
Edward entered five minutes later.
Sixty-three. Silver-haired. Elegant.
He smiled at Laura.
“So this is her.”
Richard went still.
Laura frowned.
“You know me?”
Edward looked amused.
“Of course.”
Richard’s voice dropped.
“Explain.”
Edward looked at his nephew.
“You really don’t know?”
“Know what?”
Edward turned toward Laura.
“Your mother begged my brother to leave you alone twenty years ago.”
Laura felt sick.
Edward continued.
“And Arthur agreed.”
“After threatening me.”
“Yes.”
Richard’s hands tightened.
Edward smiled.
“The funny part is that Arthur eventually regretted separating you.”
Richard stared.
“What?”
“He tried finding Laura years later.”
Laura shook her head.
“No one contacted me.”
“Because I stopped them.”
Richard’s expression became deadly calm.
“Why?”
Edward looked at him.
“Because you were easier to control when you had nobody.”
The room went silent.
Then Daniel stepped forward.
“You were wrong.”
Edward looked at him.
Daniel stood beside Richard.
May you like
“He has somebody now.”
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