Chapter 6 - The Man in the PhotographMark rushed downstairs.
Sarah immediately saw his expression.
“What happened?”
Mark handed her the phone.
She read the messages.
Her face went pale.
Arthur stood up.
“We need police protection.”
Mark shook his head.
“Not yet.”
Arthur stared at him.
“Not yet?”
“If someone has access to this house's security system, I don't know who I can trust.”
Sarah looked at him.
“You trust me.”
Mark looked at her.
“Yes.”
“And Arthur?”
Mark hesitated.
“I want to.”
Arthur's face tightened.
“That isn't good enough.”
Before Mark could respond, the front doorbell rang.
Everyone froze.
It rang again.
Mark approached the security monitor.
The screen flickered.
A man stood outside.
Tall.
Dark coat.
Silver watch.
Mark's heart stopped.
Ethan.
He opened the door.
His brother stood beneath the porch light.
For several seconds, neither man moved.
Ethan looked older than Mark remembered.
There were scars near his left eyebrow.
His face carried the exhaustion of someone who had spent years running.
Finally, Ethan spoke.
“You shouldn't have opened that door.”
Mark stared at him.
“You're alive.”
Ethan nodded.
“I've been alive for twenty years.”
“Why did you let me believe you were dead?”
“Because Dad wanted me dead.”
Mark's eyes narrowed.
“What?”
Ethan stepped inside.
“Your father wasn't the man you thought he was.”
Arthur suddenly stepped forward.
“Ethan, we need answers.”
Ethan looked at him.
“Arthur.”
Then his eyes moved to Sarah.
“You must be Sarah.”
She nodded cautiously.
Ethan smiled faintly.
“Clara trusted you.”
Sarah's eyes widened.
“How do you know?”
“Because Clara told me.”
Mark stepped between them.
“Enough.”
He pointed toward the living room.
“Tell me everything.”
Ethan looked at Lily.
She ran toward him.
“Uncle Ethan!”
He caught her gently.
Mark stared.
Lily clearly remembered him.
Ethan hugged her.
“I promised your mother I'd protect you.”
Mark's voice cracked.
“Then why didn't you?”
Ethan slowly looked at him.
“Because I was trying to protect you too.”
He placed Lily back beside Sarah.
Then he turned to Mark.
“Your father didn't die of heart failure.”
Mark's face tightened.
“He was murdered.”
Arthur whispered:
“By whom?”
Ethan looked toward the portrait of Clara.
“The same person who killed Clara.”
Mark's voice dropped.
“Victoria?”
Ethan shook his head.
“No.”
May you like
He paused.
“Someone much closer to you.”
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