Chapter 6 - THE MAN DOMINIC LEFT INSIDE
Hannah did not open the door.
The head of security tried the handle again.
“Hannah.”
She backed away.
“Mr. Mercer told me to lock it.”
“He changed his mind.”
“Then he can tell me himself.”
Silence.
Lily clutched Hannah's hand.
The man's name was Daniel Cross.
He had worked for Dominic for nine years.
He had driven Lily to preschool.
He had stood beside Dominic at charity events.
He had carried Eleanor's casket.
“Hannah,” Daniel said quietly, “don't make this harder.”
That sentence answered everything.
Hannah moved Lily behind the sofa.
Her ankle screamed.
She ignored it.
“Why do you have Eleanor's wedding ring?”
No answer.
Then:
“You shouldn't know that.”
The lock moved.
Not from Hannah's side.
Daniel had a master key.
Hannah looked around.
One door.
Three tall windows.
Second floor.
No escape.
The key turned.
Lily pulled something from her velvet purse.
Another bell.
Hannah stared.
“I thought I had yours.”
“You do.”
Lily held up the tiny brass bell from her miniature horse set.
Not silver.
Not loud.
But enough.
“Daddy said make noise.”
She rang it as hard as she could.
Daniel opened the door.
Hannah grabbed the nearest object.
A heavy wooden bookend.
“Stay back.”
Daniel stepped inside.
He didn't have a weapon in his hand.
That somehow made him scarier.
“I'm not going to hurt Lily.”
Hannah laughed shakily.
“That's what everybody in this house says right before they hurt someone.”
His expression changed.
Shame.
Good.
He still had some.
“What does Frank want?” Hannah asked.
Daniel looked toward Lily.
“The locker.”
“He's too late.”
Daniel's face told her he hadn't known.
Hannah continued.
“Dominic has it.”
For the first time, Daniel panicked.
“Where is he?”
“Not telling you.”
Daniel pulled out his phone.
Before he could use it, Lily threw her stuffed horse.
It hit his wrist.
The phone fell.
Hannah kicked it beneath a cabinet.
Her injured ankle nearly collapsed.
Daniel lunged.
Then stopped.
Because Lily had backed against the window.
“Don't come closer.”
Her small face was white.
Daniel froze.
“Lily.”
“No.”
“I would never hurt you.”
“You lied to Daddy.”
Daniel's face broke.
For a moment, Hannah did not see a criminal.
She saw a tired man who had carried a secret too long.
“Why?” Hannah asked.
Daniel looked at the ring on his chain.
“Eleanor gave this to me.”
Hannah blinked.
“That doesn't make sense.”
“She caught me following her.”
“Following her for Frank?”
“Yes.”
Lily stared at him.
“My mommy knew?”
“Yes.”
“Was she scared?”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Hannah tightened her grip on the bookend.
“Then why give you the ring?”
“Because she knew I hated myself.”
He touched the chain.
“She told me to remember I still had choices.”
Hannah almost couldn't believe it.
“And you chose Frank anyway.”
“For four years.”
“Why?”
“My son.”
The answer came immediately.
Hannah frowned.
Daniel swallowed.
“He was sixteen when Frank recruited me. Stupid kid. Drugs. Cars. Debt. Frank arranged a robbery and made sure my son was there.”
Hannah understood.
“He owned you.”
“He had enough evidence to put Michael away for twenty years.”
“So you helped him destroy Dominic's family.”
Daniel looked at Lily.
“Yes.”
No excuse.
No request for sympathy.
Just yes.
Then his phone buzzed beneath the cabinet.
Hannah didn't move.
Daniel looked toward it.
“Frank will know something's wrong.”
“Good.”
“No.”
Daniel suddenly looked terrified.
“You don't understand. He's still on the property.”
“Where?”
Daniel hesitated.
Lily said, “Tell her.”
He looked at the little girl.
Then broke.
“The old carriage house.”
Hannah immediately reached for the room phone.
Daniel grabbed her wrist.
“Wait.”
She raised the bookend.
He released her.
“If police rush him, he'll burn everything.”
“What everything?”
“Eleanor's originals.”
Hannah froze.
“The locker had copies?”
“Yes.”
Daniel nodded.
“Frank kept the originals because he never trusted Caroline, Claire, me, anyone.”
“Why keep evidence?”
“Insurance. Everyone who worked for him had enough information to hurt him. The files let him control them.”
Hannah stared.
“And tonight?”
“He planned to burn them after Dominic was arrested.”
Lily whispered, “Daddy isn't arrested.”
“Not yet.”
Daniel looked at Hannah.
“Frank planted more than bottles in Dominic's office.”
“What?”
“I don't know all of it.”
Hannah didn't believe him.
Daniel saw that.
“Guns. Cash. Records from old jobs Dominic never authorized.”
Lily looked confused.
Hannah squeezed her hand.
“Adult mess.”
Lily nodded solemnly.
Daniel stared at her.
Then the intercom came alive.
Frank's voice.
“Daniel.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“You've disappointed me.”
Lily moved behind Hannah.
Frank continued.
“But you still have an opportunity to fix that.”
Daniel said nothing.
“Bring Lily to the carriage house.”
Daniel stared at the speaker.
“No.”
Hannah looked at him.
Frank's voice remained calm.
“You know what happens to Michael if you refuse.”
Daniel's eyes filled.
Then Lily spoke.
“Who's Michael?”
Daniel looked down at her.
“My son.”
“Do you love him?”
“Yes.”
Lily thought.
“My daddy loves me.”
Daniel's face tightened.
“So you shouldn't make him scared.”
The simplicity of it destroyed whatever was left of Daniel's obedience.
He walked to the wall.
Ripped the intercom wire out.
Then handed Hannah his master key.
“Lock me in.”
She stared.
“What?”
“Police will assume I'm helping Frank if they find me with you.”
“You are helping him.”
“Not anymore.”
He removed the gold ring from his neck.
He crouched several feet from Lily and placed it on the floor.
“Your mother told me to choose better.”
He stood.
“I took four years.”
Hannah picked up the ring.
Daniel looked toward the hall.
“There is a staff stairwell behind the third bookcase. It leads to the kitchen.”
“You expect me to trust you?”
“No.”
He swallowed.
“But trust Eleanor.”
He pointed toward the ring.
“There's an inscription inside.”
Hannah looked.
Tiny words.
D.M. — ALWAYS COME HOME.
Lily started crying.
“My mommy wrote that.”
Daniel nodded.
Then they heard footsteps running down the hall.
Police.
Daniel raised his hands before they entered.
Twenty-five minutes later, Dominic came through the library door.
Lily ran into him.
He lifted her with both arms.
No composure.
No dignity.
He simply held her.
Hannah watched from the sofa while a paramedic wrapped her ankle.
Dominic whispered into Lily's hair:
“I came back.”
Lily gave him the ring.
“Mommy said you should.”
Dominic saw the inscription.
His eyes closed.
Then Hannah told him about the carriage house.
Detective Chen immediately ordered officers toward it.
Dominic stopped her.
“Daniel said he'll burn the evidence.”
Chen stared at him.
“You have another idea?”
Dominic looked toward Caroline.
She had just entered under guard.
He held up Eleanor's ring.
Caroline understood.
“Frank thinks I'm still afraid of him.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“Are you?”
“Yes.”
Caroline looked at Lily.
“I'm just more afraid of what happens if I stay silent.”
An hour later, Caroline walked alone across the snow toward the old carriage house.
A wire beneath her gown carried every word back to Detective Chen.
Dominic listened from an unmarked vehicle.
The carriage-house door opened.
Frank Mercer stood inside.
Seventy-one.
Silver-haired.
Immaculate suit.
Gentle smile.
He looked like someone's favorite grandfather.
“You came.”
Caroline stepped inside.
“You threatened Lily.”
Frank sighed.
“Everyone has become very emotional tonight.”
“You kidnapped her once.”
“I protected the family.”
“You destroyed it.”
Frank's smile faded.
Caroline stared at him.
“Eleanor recorded everything.”
That was a lie.
Frank didn't know it.
His eyes sharpened.
“Impossible.”
“She named you.”
Frank stepped closer.
“She never understood what I built.”
“For Dominic?”
“For all of you.”
Frank's voice finally rose.
“Dominic was twenty-two when his father died. He would have been dead within a year if I hadn't taken control.”
Caroline whispered, “So you decided you owned him.”
“I saved him.”
“You made him dependent on you.”
Frank's face twisted.
“I made him powerful.”
Caroline shook her head.
“You made him lonely.”
Silence.
Then Frank reached toward a metal barrel.
Gasoline fumes filled the carriage house.
Caroline saw boxes stacked behind him.
Files.
Photographs.
Original ledgers.
Frank struck a match.
Dominic's voice exploded through Caroline's hidden earpiece.
“NOW.”
Police rushed the building.
Frank dropped the match.
Caroline kicked the barrel.
Gasoline spilled away from the papers.
Officers grabbed Frank.
For one second, it seemed finished.
Then Frank laughed.
Dominic entered.
“What?”
Frank looked at him.
“You still think tonight was about destroying evidence?”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
Frank smiled.
“No, son.”
He looked toward the mansion.
“I needed you out of the house.”
Dominic went white.
He turned.
In the distance, flames suddenly rose behind the Mercer estate.
Not from the mansion.
From the staff cottage.
Hannah's cottage.
And inside it was the suitcase containing everything Hannah owned.
Including the one photograph of her own mother she had left.
May you like
Frank smiled.
“Now you'll learn what happens to people who make your problems their own.”
