Chapter 8 - The Locked Nursery
Mark ordered the estate searched.
Robert Crane had apparently never left the property.
His driver was waiting near the front gate.
His coat remained inside the conference room.
Yet Crane had vanished.
David checked the security cameras.
The last image showed Crane walking toward the east corridor.
The same corridor connected to the hidden servant passages.
“He knows the house.”
Mark said it quietly.
“Better than we thought.”
Elena immediately ran upstairs.
“Liam.”
Mark followed.
Two guards stood outside Liam’s bedroom.
“He’s inside.”
Elena opened the door.
The room was empty.
Mark stopped.
“Where is he?”
The guards stared at each other.
“He was here five minutes ago.”
Mark shoved open the closet.
Nothing.
“Elena!”
She ran toward the wall passage.
It was open.
Mark felt pure terror.
“LIAM!”
No answer.
He ran into the corridor.
The flashlight shook in his hand.
They followed the passage beneath the eastern stairs.
A small shoe lay on the floor.
Liam’s.
Mark picked it up.
“Elena.”
She understood.
They ran.
The passage ended behind the old nursery.
The door would not open.
Locked from the other side.
Mark slammed his shoulder against it.
“Liam!”
A muffled cry answered.
“Daddy!”
Mark hit the door again.
Wood cracked.
Elena shouted through the opening.
“Liam, move away from the door!”
Mark kicked near the lock.
The panel broke open.
He stumbled inside.
Liam sat against the wall.
Robert Crane stood near the window.
He held no weapon.
But he held Sarah’s missing steel box.
Mark moved between Crane and his son.
“Don’t come closer.”
Crane looked almost disappointed.
“You always were emotional.”
“You took my son.”
“I brought him somewhere quiet.”
Mark’s fists clenched.
“Why?”
Crane looked toward Liam.
“Because Rebecca failed.”
Elena entered behind Mark.
Crane recognized her.
“You.”
Elena stared back.
“You remember me.”
Crane smiled faintly.
“Sarah’s little insurance policy.”
Mark looked between them.
“You knew Elena?”
“Of course.”
Crane tapped the steel box.
“Sarah made the mistake of trusting too many people.”
Mark’s voice dropped.
“What did you do to my wife?”
Crane sighed.
“Mark.”
“What did you do?”
“I did what was necessary to protect what your father built.”
“My father?”
Crane laughed softly.
“You think your father was a saint?”
Mark stared.
Crane continued.
“Ashford Development survived because people like me cleaned up messes your family refused to see.”
“You stole from us.”
“I moved money.”
“You used charities.”
“I kept this company alive.”
“And Sarah found out.”
Crane’s smile disappeared.
“Yes.”
Mark took one step forward.
“Did you kill her?”
Crane glanced at Liam.
That small movement was enough.
Mark understood he would not answer in front of the boy.
Elena did too.
She slowly approached Liam.
Crane noticed.
“Stay there.”
Mark stepped closer.
“Your problem is with me.”
“My problem is that Sarah left documents somewhere I can’t find.”
Crane lifted the box.
“These are incomplete.”
Mark realized what he wanted.
The blue box.
The one Liam had mentioned.
“Where is it?” Crane demanded.
Mark said nothing.
Crane looked toward Liam.
“Your mother showed you something before she died, didn’t she?”
Liam began crying.
Elena moved.
Crane reached into his coat.
Mark lunged.
A gun appeared.
Elena pulled Liam behind an armchair.
Crane aimed at Mark.
“Don’t.”
The room froze.
Outside, security officers were approaching.
Crane heard them.
His eyes changed.
Desperation replaced control.
“You have no idea what Sarah found.”
Mark stared at him.
“Then tell me.”
Crane stepped backward toward the window.
“It wasn’t just theft.”
“What was it?”
Crane smiled strangely.
May you like
“It was ownership.”
Before Mark could ask what that meant, the lights went out.
