Chapter 1 #2
“Not about this.” Marcus’s expression turned serious.
“Mitch, when I heard you’d been attacked, I started digging deeper into everything.
And what I found about Sally Lane...” He shook his head.
“I knew while you were recovering from a head injury, you needed someone else besides Ryan to have your back.” The look in his eyes made Mitch’s skin crawl.
“That firm that Dane works for…” He gave a low whistle.
“The place has a nasty reputation. They take the cases that no one else will touch.”
Before Mitch could respond, he heard footsteps on the stairs. They were quick and light, and Mitch knew that Piper was awake.
“Grandpa?” Her voice carried down from the second floor. “Who’s here? I heard someone banging on the door.”
She appeared at the top of the staircase in running shorts and a faded t-shirt, her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. Then she saw Marcus, and her whole face lit up. “Uncle Marcus!”
She flew down the remaining stairs and launched herself at him. Marcus dropped his bag, and shoved the folder at Mitch just in time to catch her, laughing as he swung her up.
“Piper! Look at you!” Marcus said. “You’ve got so tall kid.”
“I guess,” Piper said with a shrug as Marcus put her down.
“And I didn’t bang on the door,” Marcus told her. “I rapped lightly.”
“It echoes through this old house like a gong,” Piper told him.
Marcus couldn’t answer.
Mitch realized that Piper was in her running clothes. “Where exactly do you think you’re going dressed like that?”
Piper held up a neatly folded set of athletic clothes. “To get Uncle Ryan. He promised to run with me this morning. I got his running stuff from the laundry room last night so he’d have it.”
Mitch hesitated. Ryan was at Seabird because of the break-in. They’d told Piper someone had gotten into the cottage, which was why Ryan was sleeping there to keep watch. But it was broad daylight now, and Ryan was literally just across the yard.
“All right,” he said. “But come straight back with him.”
“I will!” Piper started for the door, then paused to grin at Marcus. “Are you staying? How long are you here?”
“We’ll see,” Marcus said, ruffling her hair affectionately.
“Do you want to come for a run, Uncle Marcus,” Piper asked, heading for the front door.
“I would love to,” Marcus told her. “But I think I’d just conk out as I’ve been traveling most of the night.”
“Okay, maybe tomorrow then,” Piper said.
“Sure,” Marcus said with a nod.
“I just want to watch her get over to Seabird Cottage,” Mitch said to Marcus.
They followed Piper out into the cool morning air. The sun was climbing higher now, burning off the early mist that clung to the water. The bay was calm, the ocean beyond it a deep blue-green. Gulls wheeled overhead, their cries sharp in the quiet morning.
At the edge of Mitch’s property, where the grass met the gravel drive that separated the two cottages, Mitch and Marcus stopped. Piper ran across to Seabird Cottage’s front door and knocked. It didn’t take long before the door swung open and Ryan appeared.
“She knows about the break-in?” Marcus asked quietly, his eyes on the cottage door.
“We told her someone got into the cottage. That’s why Ryan’s staying there.” Mitch watched the door close behind his granddaughter. “She knows to be careful, to not go to the beach alone, to make sure an adult is always with her.”
“Smart kid.”
“Too smart sometimes.” Mitch turned to Marcus. “So is this file filled with information about Sally Lane?”
Marcus glanced back at Sunrise House, then started walking slowly in that direction. Mitch fell into step beside him.
“Yes,” Marcus said with a nod as they entered the house and walked through to the kitchen, where Mitch poured Marcus some coffee.
“How well do you know Sally?” Marcus asked, sitting on a chair at the kitchen counter.
“We dated for a couple of months,” Mitch told him, handing over a mug of coffee, then sitting in front of Marcus on the opposite side of the counter.
“We spoke about the usual things. Her late ex-husband was originally from Nantucket. When her ex-husband passed away, she came back here to be closer to her older brother.”
Marcus nodded and stirred sugar into his coffee before reaching for the folder Mitch had put between them.
“Did she tell you how her ex-husband died?” Marcus asked, his brows going up, and Mitch didn’t like the look in his friend’s eyes.
“No,” Mitch said. “I don’t believe she did.”
“Well, he was found dead in the woods having been stabbed,” Marcus’s words alarmed Mitch. “He and Sally were at their hunting cabin when it happened.”
“But why would they be there if they were divorced?” Mitch asked, confused.
“Something about splitting assets,” Marcus said, sipping his coffee.
“Who stabbed him?” Mitch asked, but feared he already knew the answer.
“Well, Sally was found with his blood on her hands and fingerprints on the hunting knife,” Marcus told him, making his alarm intensify. “She was the prime suspect until the case was suddenly dismissed and she was cleared of all suspicion.”
“What do you mean it was suddenly dismissed?” Mitch asked.
“Sally’s ex-late husband, Bradley Lane’s death was ruled an accident,” Marcus explained. “Sally also got paid millions by the Lane family, who is a prominent old-money Boston family.”
“How do you rule a stabbing an accident?” Mitch asked.
“I have no idea,” Marcus exclaimed. “The first autopsy report said there were multiple stab wounds.”
“What?” Mitch scoffed. “Did he fall on his own hunting knife multiple times?” This was getting more suspicious by the minute.
“Oh, no,” Marcus said, shaking his head.
Flipping through the file and pulling out two autopsy reports.
“The coroner blamed a junior who had just started working with him. He said that his new intern had given them the wrong report, and the multiple stab wounds belonged to a John Doe that had been brought in on the same day as Bradley Lane.”
“How convenient,” Mitch stated, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the autopsy reports before looking back at Marcus. “So if Sally was cleared…”
Marcus flipped through the file and pulled out another document, which he slid over to Mitch. “Bradley was contesting the divorce settlement,” Marcus said, tapping the document he’d pushed in front of Mitch.
Mitch’s brows rose as he saw the settlement figure. “Whoa… that’s quite a pricey divorce settlement.” He looked up at Marcus. “Surely old Boston money would have prenups.”
“Yup,” Marcus said, putting another document in front of him. “The only way Sally would get a dime or could get a divorce is if Bradley cheated on her or there was domestic abuse.”
“That’s a strange clause to put into a prenup, isn’t it?” Mitch’s senses went on alert.
“I have no idea,’ Marcus told him. “I’ll have to ask my father or older brother. They are the ones in my family who got married.” He shrugged. “But I guess you can basically put what you want in one.”
“It’s strange, though,” Mitch said, picking up the document and scanning it. Before putting it down and looking curiously at Marcus. “Did you check for any domestic abuse in Sally’s marriage?”
“I did,” Marcus nodded. “Nothing.” He pulled out another document. “According to some of the court transcripts, when Sally appeared, according to friends and family, they didn’t even know of an instance either of them raised their voices at the other one.”
“I wouldn’t believe that,” Mitch said instantly. “I do know Sally, and she is quite jealous and can be possessive.” His frown deepened. “Although I’ve never heard her raise her voice.”
“I’m trying to find some of the witnesses,” Marcus told Mitch as he pulled out another document. “This is what I wanted you to see.” He pushed the papers towards Mitch.
It was a copy of a contract with the company name, Barstow Security, in bold script. He read it, and his blood turned cold. Sally had secured the company’s services three days before her husband had been stabbed to death. He read the terms of the contract:
Hired for surveillance, protection, and to eliminate any and all threats to Mrs. S. Lane’s person.
“This doesn’t necessarily mean that they would kill for her,” Mitch pointed out.
“Maybe,” Marcus shrugged. “But then there is this one.”
He slid another document with the same letterhead, dated two days before Lori arrived. There were no details, just a line: For the account of Mrs. S. Lane.