Chapter 56 - THE MANSION
We arrived before dawn.
The mansion had been empty since Julian's father disappeared.
Dust covered the floors.
The furniture remained.
Photographs still hung on the walls.
Julian walked through the entrance.
He looked haunted.
“This was my childhood.”
I took his hand.
He squeezed it.
Then we heard a sound from upstairs.
A door closing.
Julian ran.
I followed.
We entered his father's study.
A man stood beside the window.
Older.
Thin.
Gray-haired.
Julian stopped.
“Dad.”
His father turned.
“You shouldn't have come.”
Julian's voice shook.
“You left me.”
“I had no choice.”
“You always had a choice.”
His father looked at me.
“Emily.”
I stepped forward.
“You destroyed my life.”
“I know.”
“You tried to take Noah's inheritance.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
He looked at Julian.
“Because Cole threatened to kill him.”
Julian froze.
“You?”
His father nodded.
“Cole knew I had a son.”
“He said if I didn't cooperate, Julian would die.”
Julian stared.
“You should have told me.”
“I was afraid.”
I asked:
“Where is Cole now?”
His father shook his head.
“He knows we're here.”
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice spoke calmly.
“Account 909 belongs to me.”
I recognized the voice from the photograph.
Andrew Cole.
“You have something that belongs to me.”
I looked at Julian.
Cole continued.
“Bring it to the courthouse tomorrow.”
“Why?”
May you like
“Because I'm going to make sure the world believes you're the criminal.”
The line went dead.
