Chapter 5 - THE WATCH THAT STOPPED AT 2:14
Adrian did not call the house.
That was the first sign Julian’s accusation had landed.
The second was worse.
Adrian believed it might be true.
They remained in the crowded station while commuters moved around them.
Maeve’s mind was already at the mansion.
With Eli.
With Hannah.
With the man Adrian trusted to secure every door.
“What’s his name?” Maeve demanded.
“Marcus Hale,” Adrian said.
“How long has he worked for you?”
“Eleven years.”
Julian gave a bitter smile.
“So he started under Malcolm.”
Adrian looked at him.
“Marcus was the one who found the wrecked car after your disappearance.”
Julian nodded.
“He also told Father there was no blood trail leading away.”
Adrian’s expression sharpened.
“There was?”
“I crawled almost a hundred yards.”
Maeve felt sick.
Adrian turned toward the station exit.
“I’m going home.”
Julian caught his arm.
“If Marcus is involved, charging into the house tells him everything.”
“My nephew is there.”
The word struck Maeve.
Nephew.
It was the first time anybody had said it.
Julian heard it too.
His face tightened.
Adrian continued.
“And Hannah.”
Maeve stepped between them.
“We go back.”
Julian looked at her.
“You don’t understand how Marcus works.”
“No. You don’t understand how mothers work.”
He fell silent.
“My son is in that house.”
Adrian nodded.
“We go back.”
The drive took nineteen minutes.
It felt like two hours.
Adrian contacted no security personnel.
Instead, he called his housekeeper’s direct line.
Maeve’s phone.
It rang inside her coat pocket.
Adrian looked at her.
“That tells us nothing.”
Maeve frowned.
“What are you doing?”
“Testing who rerouted internal calls.”
He called the kitchen.
No answer.
The upstairs sitting room.
No answer.
Finally Hannah answered Maeve’s personal phone from the mansion.
“Hello?”
Maeve nearly cried.
“Hannah.”
“Oh my God. Where are you?”
“Is Eli okay?”
“He’s sleeping.”
“Who’s with you?”
“Mr. Sloane.”
Maeve looked at Walter’s empty seat in her imagination.
“Where is Marcus?”
A pause.
“He came upstairs ten minutes ago.”
Adrian’s eyes sharpened.
“What did he want?” Maeve asked.
“He asked where you went.”
“Did Walter tell him?”
“No.”
“What happened?”
Hannah lowered her voice.
“Mr. Sloane told me to lock the sitting-room door.”
Adrian accelerated.
Julian looked out the back window.
Maeve said, “Keep it locked.”
“Okay.”
“And Hannah?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t open it for anyone except me.”
A small pause.
“Okay.”
The call ended.
Julian exhaled.
“He knows.”
Adrian shook his head.
“Not yet.”
“You’re sure?”
“No.”
They entered the property through the delivery gate.
Adrian used a mechanical key instead of the electronic system.
Inside, the mansion looked normal.
Too normal.
Marcus Hale stood in the foyer.
Tall.
Gray at the temples.
Dark suit.
Calm face.
Maeve had seen him a hundred times.
He had held doors.
Carried groceries when her arms were full.
Once replaced a flat tire on Hannah’s car without being asked.
Nothing about him looked like a man who had helped erase Julian Vale.
“Sir,” Marcus said.
His eyes moved to Julian.
And stopped.
That was enough.
Adrian saw it.
So did Maeve.
Marcus recovered quickly.
“Who is your guest?”
Adrian’s voice was flat.
“My brother.”
Marcus did not react.
But his right hand tightened.
Once.
Julian whispered, “Hello, Marcus.”
Marcus looked older.
“Julian.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“You recognized him.”
“I worked for your father.”
“You told me there was no blood trail from the car.”
Marcus’s eyes shifted.
“That was nine years ago.”
“Was there?”
Silence.
“Marcus.”
“Yes.”
One word.
Adrian’s face hardened.
“There was a trail.”
“Yes.”
“And you lied.”
“I followed orders.”
“From my father?”
Marcus looked toward Julian.
“Mostly.”
Maeve hated that word.
“Mostly from whom?” she asked.
Marcus looked at her for the first time.
Then at the ceiling.
Toward Eli.
Julian moved in front of Maeve.
“Don’t look at my son.”
Marcus’s expression changed.
Not threatening.
Sad.
“I never harmed the boy.”
Maeve stepped forward.
“Did you know about him?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Since the hospital.”
Rage moved through her.
“You people all knew my child existed except me knowing who his father actually was.”
Marcus looked ashamed.
Good.
Maeve wanted him ashamed.
Adrian said, “Who ordered you to watch the hospital?”
Marcus did not answer.
Walter appeared on the staircase.
“Tell him.”
Marcus looked up.
Walter descended slowly.
“You’ve protected the dead long enough.”
Marcus laughed quietly.
“Interesting coming from you.”
Walter stopped.
“At least I’m here.”
“So am I.”
“No. You’re still standing beside Malcolm.”
Marcus’s face finally cracked.
“Malcolm protected this family.”
Julian stared.
“He tried to kill me.”
“He tried to stop you from destroying it.”
“There it is,” Adrian said.
Marcus turned.
“You have no idea what your brother intended.”
“He intended to clean the businesses.”
“He intended to expose your father.”
Adrian’s voice was ice.
“Maybe he should have.”
Marcus looked almost wounded.
“You say that because you inherited the clean version.”
The room went silent.
Adrian frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Marcus nodded toward the silver pocket watch still in Julian’s coat.
“Ask him why it stopped at 2:14.”
Julian went still.
Maeve noticed.
Adrian did too.
“You know?”
Julian hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Then tell me.”
Julian took out the watch.
“At 2:14 that morning, Malcolm gave me a choice.”
“What choice?”
“Disappear voluntarily.”
Julian opened the back of the watch.
A tiny engraved plate was hidden inside.
Maeve had not noticed it before.
Two initials.
A.V.
Adrian Vale.
Adrian stared.
Julian continued.
“Or Father would make you disappear instead.”
Adrian’s face emptied.
Maeve whispered, “The attack wasn’t just about Julian.”
“No,” Julian said.
“Malcolm wanted one obedient son.”
Adrian looked at Marcus.
“And if Julian refused?”
Marcus looked down.
“You were next.”
Celeste appeared at the upper hallway.
Nobody had heard her approach.
She looked at Marcus.
“You never told him that part, did you?”
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
Celeste came downstairs carrying a small blue baby blanket.
Maeve recognized it.
Eli’s.
“What are you doing with that?”
Celeste stopped.
“It was in Marcus’s office.”
Maeve’s heart slammed.
Marcus looked genuinely surprised.
“That is not mine.”
Celeste held it out.
Inside the folded blanket was a hospital bracelet.
ELI BENNETT.
Maeve grabbed it.
“This disappeared the day we came home.”
Julian’s face changed.
“You said you never touched him.”
Marcus stared at the bracelet.
“I didn’t.”
Adrian’s voice dropped.
“Then why was this in your office?”
Marcus looked at Walter.
Then Celeste.
And for the first time, fear crossed his face.
“Because somebody needs you looking at me.”
Walter frowned.
“Who?”
Marcus reached slowly into his jacket.
Adrian’s men raised their weapons.
“Easy,” Marcus said.
He removed only an old photograph.
A child stood on a dock wearing an oversized coat.
Adrian recognized himself.
Beside him stood Malcolm.
Behind Malcolm was a woman Maeve had never seen.
Marcus handed the picture to Adrian.
“Look at her necklace.”
A small oval locket hung at the woman’s throat.
Adrian went pale.
“That belonged to my mother.”
Marcus shook his head.
“No.”
He pointed at the back of the photograph.
Written there in Malcolm’s hand were four words.
FOR OUR SON, ADRIAN.
Adrian stared.
“My mother isn’t in this picture.”
Marcus looked at him.
“No.”
May you like
Then he said the words that changed the room.
“Evelyn Reed wasn’t your mother.”
