Chapter 4 The Man in the Dark
The lights went out.
Emilia could hear her own breathing.
Beside her, Thomas went completely still.
The stranger's hand remained on the ledger.
Then a quiet voice spoke close behind Emilia.
"Don't make a sound."
She recognized the voice.
Victor Shaw.
Her stomach tightened.
He had followed them.
Beyond the chamber, Marcus's voice echoed through the passage.
"Emilia?"
She wanted to answer.
Every part of her wanted to call his name.
But Victor's warning held her silent.
Thomas whispered, "Let her go."
Victor gave a quiet laugh.
"You still think this is about her?"
"What do you want?"
"The ledger."
"You already know what it contains."
"I know enough to understand what happens if the wrong person reads it."
Emilia stared into the darkness.
"Then why haven't you destroyed it?"
The question escaped before she could stop herself.
Silence.
Victor's hand withdrew from the ledger.
"Because destroying evidence doesn't destroy the truth."
A faint light appeared.
Victor had switched on a small flashlight.
His face emerged from the darkness.
He looked different now.
Less threatening.
More exhausted.
There was a scar near his left eyebrow, and his expression carried the weight of someone who had spent years carrying a secret he hated.
"You want answers," he said to Emilia.
"Yes."
"Then understand this first. Your grandfather wasn't the villain."
Thomas closed his eyes.
Victor continued.
"Neither was Richard Aldridge."
Emilia looked toward her father.
"Then who was?"
Victor's gaze shifted to Thomas.
"That's the question your father has been avoiding."
A loud crash came from the passage.
Marcus had reached the hidden entrance.
"Emilia!"
Victor's expression changed.
"We don't have much time."
Thomas stepped forward.
"Give me the ledger."
"No."
"You promised."
"I promised your father I'd keep you alive."
Thomas stared at him.
"That was before."
"Before what?"
Victor looked at Emilia.
"Before someone started killing people connected to Bellweather again."
The words silenced the room.
Emilia felt cold.
"Killing?"
Victor nodded.
"Three people are dead."
Thomas's face tightened.
"Who?"
"Martin Voss was one."
Emilia remembered the photograph.
The name.
Marcus had been searching for him.
"What happened to him?"
Victor did not answer immediately.
"He was found two weeks ago."
Thomas whispered, "Dead?"
Victor nodded.
"Edwin Shaw disappeared six months ago."
Thomas stared at him.
"Your father?"
Victor's jaw tightened.
"Yes."
Emilia understood.
The four men in the photograph had been connected to Bellweather.
One was dead.
One had disappeared.
Her grandfather was gone.
Only Thomas remained.
And Richard Aldridge was dead.
A terrible possibility entered her mind.
"Who is killing them?"
Victor looked at the ledger.
"We don't know."
"Then why are you protecting it?"
"Because whoever is responsible wants this book destroyed."
Marcus shouted from the passage.
"Emilia!"
Victor closed the ledger.
"Choose."
She stared at him.
"What?"
"Your husband is about to enter this room. If he sees this ledger, everything changes."
"Why?"
"Because his family name is in it."
Emilia's heart sank.
"What did his father do?"
Victor looked directly at her.
"You should ask what he tried to prevent."
Footsteps approached.
Marcus was almost there.
Victor handed the ledger to Thomas.
"Keep it hidden."
Thomas shook his head.
"No."
Victor looked at Emilia.
"Your father cannot protect you anymore."
Thomas's face hardened.
"Don't."
Victor ignored him.
"You have to decide whether you want the truth badly enough to lose the life you thought you understood."
The hidden door moved.
Marcus appeared in the passage.
His flashlight swept across the chamber.
It landed on Emilia.
He stopped.
For one brief second, neither of them moved.
Marcus's face revealed everything he had tried to hide.
Relief.
Fear.
Anger.
And something Emilia had not seen there in years.
Desperation.
"Emilia."
She almost cried at the sound of her name.
He stepped toward her.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
His gaze moved over her face.
Then to Thomas.
Then to Victor.
His expression hardened.
"Who is he?"
Victor said nothing.
Marcus recognized him.
"Shaw."
Victor smiled faintly.
"Mr. Aldridge."
Marcus stepped between Emilia and Victor.
"Stay away from my wife."
Emilia's chest tightened at the words.
My wife.
For years, she had wanted to hear him claim their marriage with more than a signature.
Now the words felt complicated.
Victor looked at Marcus.
"You should be asking why your father kept Bellweather from you."
Marcus's jaw tightened.
"I already know he hid something."
"You don't know half of it."
Marcus took another step.
"Then tell me."
Victor looked at Emilia.
"No."
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
"Why?"
"Because this isn't your decision."
The words struck Marcus harder than a physical blow.
Emilia saw it.
His face remained controlled, but something inside him shifted.
She knew that look.
Marcus was accustomed to being obeyed.
But Victor was right.
This was not his decision.
Emilia stepped forward.
"Marcus."
He looked at her.
"I'm glad you're here."
His expression softened.
"I thought something had happened to you."
"I know."
"I called you."
"I didn't have a signal."
"I know."
A silence settled between them.
Then Marcus said quietly, "I was terrified."
Emilia looked away.
The confession hurt.
Not because she disliked hearing it.
Because she had waited years to hear something like it.
"Marcus..."
He stepped closer.
"I'm sorry."
She swallowed.
"I know."
"No. You don't."
His voice was rougher now.
"I thought I was giving you everything you needed."
"You were giving me everything except yourself."
Marcus lowered his gaze.
"I know that now."
Emilia felt tears gathering.
"Knowing it now doesn't erase six years."
"I know."
"And I'm still angry."
"You have every right to be."
"Then why did you come?"
He looked at her.
"Because you're my wife."
She almost smiled sadly.
"You remembered."
Marcus absorbed the words.
He did not defend himself.
That was new.
Instead, he said, "I should have remembered every day."
Thomas watched them silently.
Victor closed the ledger.
Then he spoke.
"You have five minutes before someone else reaches this room."
Marcus turned.
"Who?"
Victor shook his head.
"That's what you're going to find out."
A sudden sound echoed from above.
A door slammed.
Everyone looked up.
Someone was inside the chapel.
Victor's expression changed.
"They're here."
Thomas moved toward the passage.
"How many?"
Victor listened.
"At least two."
Marcus looked at Emilia.
"Stay behind me."
This time, Emilia didn't argue.
Not because she needed him to protect her.
Because she knew something was coming.
The sound of footsteps moved across the chapel floor.
Slow.
Measured.
Then a man's voice echoed from above.
"Mr. Shaw."
Victor went pale.
The voice continued.
"We know you have the ledger."
Marcus looked at Victor.
"Who is that?"
Victor whispered one word.
"Edwin."
Emilia's blood ran cold.
"Your father?"
Victor nodded.
Marcus stared at him.
"He's alive?"
Before Victor could answer, something heavy struck the hidden stone entrance.
Once.
Twice.
The passage trembled.
Thomas grabbed the ledger.
Marcus moved toward Emilia.
Victor reached inside his coat.
Then the stone entrance began to crack.
A voice came through the opening.
Calm.
Almost gentle.
"Emilia Foster."
She froze.
The stranger continued.
"Your husband has spent six years believing he failed you."
Another strike.
The stone shifted.
"But he doesn't know the truth."
Marcus stared at the entrance.
"What truth?"
The voice answered.
"Your marriage was never an accident."
Emilia's heart stopped.
Marcus looked at her.
Neither of them spoke.
The stone door gave way.
And a figure stepped through the opening.