Chapter 6 - The Man Standing Beside the Devil
"Put it down, Marcus."
Vincent's voice was calm.
Too calm.
Marcus shook his head.
"I can't."
Lucy moved behind my legs.
Grimm immediately stepped forward.
His growl filled the office.
"Control your dog," Marcus warned.
Vincent looked at him.
"He's more loyal than you are."
Marcus swallowed.
"I've been protecting this family for twelve years."
"Then why are you pointing a gun at mine?"
For several seconds, nobody answered.
Then Rebecca spoke.
"Because Nolan promised him something."
Marcus turned toward her.
"Stay out of this."
"How much did he pay you?"
"Shut up."
Rebecca stepped forward.
"Did he promise to erase your brother's prison sentence?"
Marcus's expression changed.
Vincent noticed.
"Your brother?"
Marcus lowered the gun slightly.
"He was twenty-one. Nolan framed him for a robbery. My brother took the fall because he thought the family would protect him."
"And Nolan didn't," Vincent said.
Marcus shook his head.
"I asked for help. You were busy fighting a war with the Italians. Nolan offered to fix it."
"So you sold Daniel out."
"I didn't know he was going to burn the warehouse."
The room went silent.
Vincent's face hardened.
"You knew about the fire?"
Marcus looked away.
"I gave Nolan the location. That was all."
Rebecca laughed bitterly.
"That's what everyone says before someone dies."
Marcus raised his gun again.
"Enough."
Grimm lunged.
He struck Marcus's arm before the man could fire.
The gun discharged into the ceiling.
I covered Lucy.
Vincent tackled Marcus against the desk.
Two guards rushed in.
Within seconds, Marcus was disarmed and pinned to the floor.
But the gunshot had triggered something worse.
A security alarm began screaming throughout the mansion.
Vincent looked at the monitor.
"Someone's at the gates."
The screen showed three black SUVs.
Nolan's vehicles.
Vincent ordered the guards to secure the entrances.
Then he turned toward me.
"Take Lucy downstairs."
"No."
"Claire, this isn't a discussion."
"Daniel's letter said to trust the child. It didn't say to hide her."
Vincent looked at Lucy.
She was holding Grimm's collar.
"Mommy?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Sammy wants to show us something."
The dog had moved toward the office's side door.
He scratched it twice.
Then he looked back.
Vincent approached.
Behind the door was a narrow staircase leading to the old basement.
I had cleaned this mansion for three years.
I had never known it existed.
At the bottom was a steel door.
Lucy reached for the whistle.
"Can I?"
Vincent hesitated.
Then he nodded.
She blew a soft note.
Grimm barked once.
A lock clicked.
The door opened.
Inside was a small room containing a cot, a water bottle, an old radio, and a wall covered with photographs.
One photograph showed Daniel.
Another showed Rebecca.
The third showed Vincent.
And beneath them was a photograph of a woman I had never seen before.
Lucy approached it.
"Mommy."
"What?"
She pointed at the woman.
"That's the lady from my dreams."
Rebecca covered her mouth.
Vincent stared at the photograph.
Then he whispered the name.
"Elena."
I looked at him.
"Who is Elena?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Finally, he said, "My wife."
I frowned.
"You told everyone you never married."
Vincent looked toward the photograph.
"Because Nolan told me she died."
Then the old radio crackled.
A woman's voice came through.
"Vincent? If you can hear me, don't trust the men upstairs."
He grabbed the radio.
"Elena?"
A pause.
May you like
Then the voice whispered:
"Your brother knows I'm alive."
