Chapter 11 - Someone Was Waiting Upstairs
Police reached my building before I did.
The lobby was filled with officers.
My concierge, Mateo, met me near the elevators.
He looked devastated.
“Ms. Holloway, I am so sorry.”
“What happened?”
“Your father came in forty minutes ago.”
“With Lily?”
“No.”
I looked at Mercer.
“Then where is she?”
Mateo continued.
“Your father used an emergency authorization card.”
“I never issued one.”
“I know.”
That explained the locksmith.
They had been preparing access for weeks.
Mercer’s tactical team cleared the penthouse.
Dad was gone.
But someone had been there.
The front door showed no damage.
My study had been destroyed.
Drawers dumped.
Files torn open.
Books scattered.
My safe stood open.
I ran toward it.
“My grandmother’s letters.”
They were gone.
So were the original documents from my first property purchase.
Mercer examined the safe.
“Who knew the combination?”
“No one.”
“Your father?”
“No.”
Then I remembered.
Three months earlier, Mom stayed at my penthouse while her kitchen was supposedly being renovated.
I had opened the safe in front of her.
She had been standing behind me.
I sat on the edge of my desk.
“This has been happening in front of me for years.”
Mercer crouched beside a torn folder.
“They became careless because it worked for years.”
An officer called from the hallway.
“Agent.”
We followed him into the guest bedroom.
On the bed lay Lily’s cathedral-length wedding veil.
Nothing else.
I touched the fabric.
It was damp.
Rain.
“She was here.”
Mercer nodded.
Another officer entered.
“Building cameras captured Mr. Holloway leaving twelve minutes ago.”
“With Lily?”
“No.”
My heart pounded.
“Then she’s still here.”
We searched again.
Bedrooms.
Bathrooms.
Closets.
Balcony.
Nothing.
Then I remembered something strange about the penthouse renovation.
The previous owner had built a narrow storage chamber behind the library wall.
I rarely used it.
Only one person in my family knew it existed.
Dad.
I ran.
“Claire!”
Mercer followed.
I pressed the hidden latch.
The wall panel opened.
Lily was inside.
Her wrists were tied.
Tape covered her mouth.
She was shaking so badly she could barely stand.
I pulled the tape free.
She collapsed against me.
“Claire.”
“I’ve got you.”
“He’s coming back.”
“Dad?”
She shook her head violently.
“No.”
I froze.
“Who?”
Lily looked past me toward Mercer.
“Andrew.”
Mercer stiffened.
“That’s impossible.”
“He escaped.”
Mercer grabbed his radio.
Then Lily said the words that changed everything.
“Andrew said Dad was never running this.”
I looked at her.
“What?”
She started sobbing.
“He said Grandma discovered the wrong person stealing from her.”
“Who?”
Lily gripped my hand.
May you like
“Mom.”
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