Chapter 6 - Marcus Came to Eli’s SchoolThe school called at 12:18 p.m.
Adrian answered before the second ring.
“Mr. Mercer?”
“Yes.”
“This is Principal Hayes.”
His stomach dropped.
“What happened?”
“Eli is safe.”
Everything after those words became noise.
“Why are you saying that?”
“A man attempted to collect him.”
Adrian stood.
“Who?”
“He identified himself as Eli’s uncle.”
Marcus.
“Did he get near my son?”
“No.”
Adrian was already moving.
“We had your updated instructions. Only you are authorized.”
“Where is Marcus now?”
“He left.”
“Police?”
“On the way.”
Adrian reached the school in nine minutes.
Eli sat inside the counselor’s office eating crackers.
He looked irritated.
Not terrified.
“Dad.”
Adrian pulled him into a hug.
“Too tight.”
“Sorry.”
Eli leaned back.
“Uncle Marcus said you sent him.”
“I didn’t.”
“I know.”
Adrian looked at him.
“How?”
“You said only you.”
Such a small thing.
A clear promise.
Eli trusted it more than Marcus.
Adrian felt something painful.
He had not always given Claire that same clarity.
Detective Ford arrived.
Security footage showed Marcus at the front desk.
Baseball cap.
Sunglasses.
Old family authorization displayed on his phone.
The receptionist checked the new restrictions.
Denied him.
Marcus smiled.
Said Adrian had changed his mind.
She called Adrian.
Marcus left.
No scene.
No threats.
That made it more frightening.
He believed he could walk into an elementary school and take Eli through confidence alone.
“What did he want?” Adrian asked.
Ford shook her head.
“Could be Eli.”
“Or the red box.”
“Or information.”
Eli listened.
“I know something else.”
Adrian turned.
“What?”
“Uncle Marcus came to our house when you weren’t there.”
“When?”
“A lot.”
Adrian frowned.
Marcus visiting was normal.
“What was different?”
“He went into Mom’s old office.”
“With Veronica?”
“Yes.”
“After I married her?”
Eli nodded.
“What were they looking for?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did they say anything?”
Eli thought.
“One time Uncle Marcus said Mom hid important things inside stupid stuff.”
Adrian remembered Claire’s compass necklace.
The red box.
The photograph.
“What else?”
“Veronica said, ‘What about the phone?’”
Adrian froze.
“Which phone?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did Marcus answer?”
“He said Mom would never throw it away.”
Claire’s old iPhone.
Adrian remembered it.
Cracked screen.
Thousands of photographs from Eli’s baby years.
Claire refused to replace it until every photo was transferred.
After the crash, Adrian never found it.
“Where did she keep it?”
Eli looked at him.
“In the fake book.”
Adrian’s pulse accelerated.
Claire owned a hollow book safe disguised as an antique copy of Jane Eyre.
He used to tease her about it.
Where was it?
“The library.”
They went directly home with police.
Eli walked toward the fireplace.
Lower shelf.
He stopped.
“It’s gone.”
A clean rectangle of dust marked where the book had sat.
Adrian looked at Ford.
“Marcus.”
“Or Veronica.”
The security system showed both entering the library dozens of times.
No camera inside.
Then Adrian received a message.
Unknown number.
A photograph.
Claire’s old iPhone sat on a table.
LOOKING FOR THIS?
Adrian stared.
Another message.
TELL POLICE TO BACK OFF.
Then:
CLAIRE RECORDED YOU TOO.
Adrian felt a different kind of fear.
Not legal.
Personal.
Marcus knew exactly where to push.
Adrian and Claire’s final months had been ugly.
Arguments.
Accusations.
A divorce.
Adrian saying things he regretted.
If Marcus had Claire’s phone, he might have recordings.
“What?” Ford asked.
Adrian showed her.
She read.
“Is there something on the phone that hurts you?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why are you scared?”
Adrian looked away.
“Because I wasn’t a good husband near the end.”
Ford nodded.
“That doesn’t make you responsible for her crash.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Adrian stared.
Maybe not fully.
Marcus sent an audio file.
Ford copied it into evidence before they opened it.
Claire’s voice.
Adrian’s.
Their dining room.
Three months before the divorce.
Claire:
“You keep choosing him.”
Adrian:
“He’s my brother.”
“And I’m your wife.”
“I’m not choosing anyone.”
“You always say that after you choose Marcus.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
He remembered every word.
Claire:
“I found money missing.”
Adrian:
“You found accounting errors.”
“Six million dollars is not an error.”
“You don’t know it’s six.”
“Because Marcus won’t give me the records.”
Adrian sounded tired.
Impatient.
“Claire, I have a meeting tomorrow.”
She went silent.
Then:
“So you’re waiting for me to stop talking.”
Adrian whispered:
“God.”
Marcus’s message followed.
STILL THINK YOU WERE THE GOOD GUY?
Adrian stared at it.
The old version of himself would have defended.
Explained.
Claire was angry.
He was tired.
Marcus had manipulated them.
All true.
None erased the recording.
He typed:
NO.
Ford looked at him.
“You’re answering?”
“Yes.”
Adrian continued.
I WAS WRONG.
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Marcus did not expect that.
Adrian typed:
THAT DOESN’T MAKE WHAT YOU DID AN ACCIDENT.
A minute passed.
Marcus:
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT I DID.
Adrian:
THEN COME EXPLAIN IT TO POLICE.
No response.
Ford almost smiled.
“You just removed half his leverage.”
“Not all.”
“No.”
Adrian looked at Eli.
“He’ll try something else.”
He was right.
Twenty minutes later a local news alert appeared.
VIDEO SHOWS CLAIRE MERCER THREATENING BROTHER-IN-LAW BEFORE CRASH.
Marcus had released the next weapon.
A thirty-second clip.
Claire holding a brass fireplace poker.
Marcus backing away.
Claire shouting:
“If you come near my son, I swear to God—”
The clip ended.
Eli looked toward Adrian.
“Mom looks mad.”
“Yes.”
“Did she hurt Uncle Marcus?”
May you like
Adrian did not know.
And Marcus was counting on everyone filling the missing seconds with whatever story frightened them most.
Related Stories
