Chapter 7: The Bookstore in Vermont
The private jet touched down in Burlington just after sunrise.
Marcus barely noticed the landing.
For the entire flight from New York, he had replayed the anonymous text in his mind.
You're already too late.
It wasn't a threat.
It was confidence.
Whoever had sent it believed they had already reached the music box.
Daniel Carter closed his laptop as the aircraft taxied toward the private terminal.
"My team has local law enforcement standing by."
Marcus shook his head.
"No sirens."
"No marked cars."
Daniel raised an eyebrow.
"You think they'll run?"
Marcus stared through the oval window.
"No."
"I think they'll disappear."
Two black SUVs left the airport and headed north through the Green Mountains.
Morning fog drifted between towering maple trees.
Picturesque farmhouses dotted the winding roads.
The peaceful landscape felt strangely disconnected from the violence that had consumed Marcus's life over the past twenty-four hours.
Khloe's adoptive mother, Margaret Ellis, owned a small independent bookstore in the town of Maple Hollow.
It was the kind of place where children sat on the floor reading picture books while retired teachers debated classic novels over coffee.
The last place anyone would expect to find the center of a billion-dollar conspiracy.
Marcus's phone buzzed.
Khloe.
He answered immediately.
"How are you feeling?"
"Tired."
Her voice sounded stronger than the night before.
"How far away are you?"
"About twenty minutes."
She was quiet for a moment.
Then she whispered,
"Marcus..."
"Yeah?"
"If the music box is gone..."
"Don't blame Margaret."
"I won't."
"I gave it to her because I trusted her."
Marcus smiled softly.
"So do I."
At St. Augustine Medical Center, Khloe stared out the hospital window after ending the call.
The baby kicked gently beneath her hand.
For the first time since the attack, she allowed herself a small smile.
"Your father never gives up," she whispered.
A knock came at the door.
Daniel's deputy, Captain Sarah Bennett, stepped inside.
She carried a tablet and a warm cup of tea.
"Morning."
Khloe smiled.
"Morning."
Sarah handed her the tea.
"Daniel asked me to stay with you."
"I'm guessing that means I'm still in danger."
Sarah didn't answer directly.
"We're not taking chances."
Khloe appreciated the honesty.
Meanwhile...
Mercy General Hospital.
Adrian Cole slowly regained consciousness.
His vision blurred.
Voices echoed around him.
Pain radiated through every inch of his body.
A detective noticed his eyes opening.
"Mr. Cole?"
Adrian struggled to focus.
"You can hear me?"
He blinked once.
The detective leaned closer.
"We need names."
Adrian swallowed painfully.
"They..."
His voice cracked.
"They'll kill me."
"They already tried."
Adrian closed his eyes.
Then whispered one word.
"Hale..."
The detective nodded.
"Victor Hale?"
Adrian slowly shook his head.
"No..."
The detective frowned.
"Then who?"
Adrian forced another breath.
"His..."
The heart monitor suddenly accelerated.
Doctors rushed into the room.
"Everyone back!"
The detective stepped aside.
Adrian tried to finish the sentence.
"His..."
Then he lost consciousness again.
Maple Hollow looked exactly as Marcus remembered.
Quiet streets.
Historic brick buildings.
Flower baskets hanging from old-fashioned street lamps.
Children riding bicycles without a care in the world.
Marcus's SUV stopped outside Ellis & Pine Books.
The front door stood slightly open.
Daniel exchanged a glance with him.
Neither man liked what that meant.
Marcus pushed the door wider.
A small brass bell chimed overhead.
No one answered.
The bookstore was silent.
Books lay scattered across the floor.
A chair had been knocked over.
One coffee mug rested shattered near the register.
Marcus's pulse quickened.
"Margaret?"
No reply.
Daniel motioned for two officers to search the back rooms.
Marcus walked deeper into the store.
Family photographs lined one wall.
One picture caught his attention.
Khloe.
Smiling.
Standing beside Margaret.
Holding a small antique music box decorated with carved roses.
Marcus carefully removed the photograph from its frame.
The music box.
This was the clearest picture he'd ever seen of it.
Suddenly—
"Marcus!"
Daniel's voice echoed from the office.
Marcus hurried toward him.
Margaret sat tied to a wooden chair.
Her wrists were bound with zip ties.
A strip of duct tape covered her mouth.
She looked frightened...
But alive.
Marcus quickly removed the tape.
"Margaret."
She burst into tears.
"They took it."
Marcus knelt beside her.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"There were two men."
"They asked about the music box."
Daniel cut the zip ties.
"When?"
"This morning."
Marcus looked around the office.
Nothing else appeared stolen.
Only one thing mattered to the intruders.
"The music box?"
Margaret nodded.
"I gave it to them."
Marcus closed his eyes briefly.
"It's not your fault."
She shook her head.
"I tried to hide it."
"They knew exactly where to look."
Daniel exchanged a look with Marcus.
Someone had told them.
Back in New York...
Captain Sarah Bennett stood outside Khloe's hospital room speaking quietly with another officer.
"Nobody goes in without clearance."
The officer nodded.
"What about visitors?"
"Especially visitors."
Sarah turned toward the hallway just as the elevator doors opened.
An elderly woman stepped out carrying a bouquet of white lilies.
She smiled warmly.
"I'm here to see Mrs. Thorne."
Sarah checked her visitor list.
"I'm sorry."
"You're not scheduled."
The woman looked disappointed.
"I've known Marcus since he was a little boy."
Sarah remained polite.
"I'll have to verify that."
The woman nodded.
"Of course."
As Sarah reached for her radio...
The elderly woman's smile disappeared.
She suddenly pulled a small syringe from beneath the flowers.
Sarah reacted instantly.
She grabbed the woman's wrist before the needle could move.
The bouquet fell to the floor.
White lilies scattered across the hallway.
Within seconds, security officers surrounded them.
The woman didn't struggle.
She simply smiled again.
"You stopped me."
Sarah stared at her.
"Who sent you?"
The woman laughed softly.
"You'll never find the one giving the orders."
Back in Vermont...
Marcus carefully examined the office.
His eyes stopped on the desk calendar.
One date had been circled in red.
Tomorrow.
Daniel noticed it too.
"What happens tomorrow?"
Margaret looked confused.
"I don't know."
Marcus lifted the calendar.
Something slipped from underneath.
A folded note.
He opened it.
Only one sentence had been written.
The truth begins where Eleanor ended.
Below the sentence was an address.
Not in Vermont.
Not in New York.
A cemetery in Boston.
Marcus looked at Daniel.
"Eleanor's grave."
Daniel slowly nodded.
"I don't think this investigation is about a company anymore."
Marcus folded the note carefully.
"I think it's about my family."
Just then, Daniel's phone rang.
He answered.
His face grew serious.
"What happened?"
Marcus already sensed the answer wouldn't be good.
Daniel ended the call.
"Sarah stopped another attack."
Marcus froze.
"Khloe?"
"She's safe."
Marcus exhaled.
"But..."
Daniel looked him straight in the eye.
"The woman they arrested keeps repeating the same sentence."
"What sentence?"
Daniel spoke slowly.
"You can protect the wife..."
May you like
He paused.
"...but no one can protect the heir."
