Chapter 12 - The Bedroom Safe

Police arrived in six minutes.

It felt like an hour.

I stayed in the lobby while officers went upstairs. Martin stayed beside me. Victor sat across the room, staring at the floor.

I could hear nothing from the penthouse.

That silence was terrible.

Then an elevator opened.

Diane stepped out with an officer.

Her mascara had streaked down her cheeks.

“Brooke?” I asked.

“She’s still up there.”

“Ryan?”

Diane shook her head. “Grant locked himself in the primary bedroom. Ryan is trying to talk to him.”

I stared at her. “Why does Ryan have a gun?”

“He bought it last year.”

“He never told me.”

Diane looked ashamed. “He said you wouldn’t approve.”

That phrase again.

You wouldn’t approve.

As if secrecy became reasonable whenever I might say no.

An officer came down ten minutes later.

“Ms. Mercer, we have everyone safe. The firearm is secured.”

My knees nearly gave out.

“Brooke?”

“Safe.”

“Ryan?”

“Safe.”

“Grant?”

“In custody.”

I breathed for what felt like the first time in hours.

Then the officer’s expression changed.

“We found something else in the bedroom safe.”

“What?”

“Several passports.”

I frowned. “Whose?”

“Grant Hart. Diane Hart. Ryan Mercer.”

“That’s normal.”

“Not these.”

He showed me photographs.

The faces were theirs.

The names were not.

My mouth went dry.

“Fake passports?”

“Appear to be.”

Diane sat down heavily.

The officer continued. “There was also cash. Approximately two hundred thousand dollars. And airline confirmations for tomorrow morning.”

“Where?”

“Cayman Islands.”

Diane whispered, “He was going to leave.”

I looked at her.

She had just realized she was not part of the escape plan.

The officer handed Martin a property receipt.

At the bottom was one more item.

A sealed envelope marked FOR RYAN - AFTER CLAIRE SIGNS.

Ryan had already been escorted to a different floor for questioning.

I stared at the envelope.

Martin said, “Do not open it. Let police process it.”

I nodded.

Then the elevator opened again.

Brooke walked out.

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She looked at me and said, “There’s something I need to tell you before Ryan does.”

The House He Thought Was His