Chapter 4 - THE VOICE BEHIND THE DOOR
“Emily... open the door.”
It was Vanessa’s voice.
How had she escaped the basement?
Oliver froze, his eyes wide with pure terror.
“Don't open it,” he whispered, backing into the corner of the bed.
I grabbed a heavy brass lamp from the bedside table.
My knuckles turned white around the metal base.
“Vanessa, stay away from this door,” I called out, trying to keep my voice steady.
“You don't understand, Emily,” Vanessa hissed through the wood.
“Luca is going to kill me.”
“Then you deserve it if you tried to hurt this little boy.”
“I didn't hurt him! I was protecting my future!”
A sudden, violent crash shook the hallway.
Followed by a man's agonizing groan.
Then silence.
Heavy footsteps approached the door.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird.
The door handle jiggled violently.
“Emily!” a deep, commanding voice called out.
It was Luca.
I let out a ragged breath and lowered the lamp.
I turned the lock and pulled the door open.
Luca stood there.
His suit jacket was gone, his white shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
His knuckles were stained with fresh blood.
“Are you both unharmed?” he asked immediately, scanning our faces.
“We're fine,” I nodded.
“Where is Vanessa?” Oliver asked bravely from the bed.
Luca stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.
“She's where she belongs,” Luca said grimly.
“Locked in the panic room until the federal police arrive.”
He walked over and sat down beside his son.
“Buddy, you were right about the man in the dark.”
“Did he confess?” Oliver asked.
“He did,” Luca said, running a hand through his dark hair.
“He told us everything about the night of your mother's accident.”
Luca looked up at me.
His gaze was intense, burning with a mix of grief and uncontrollable fury.
May you like
“Emily, my wife's car crash wasn't an accident.”
Cliffhanger: Luca pulled an old, bloodstained audio cassette from his pocket and placed it on the nightstand, saying it was recorded by his late wife just minutes before her brakes failed.
