Chapter 5 - THE FLASH
The library of Bellweather House smelled of old paper, lemon polish, and expensive perfume.
Nora walked through the double doors on autopilot, her right hand shoved deep into the pocket of her navy dress, gripping the diamond bracelet so hard the metal dug into her palm.
The room was chaotic. Cousins were adjusting ties. Aunts were complaining about the lighting. In the center, in front of a massive stone fireplace, her parents sat in two velvet armchairs.
“Finally,” Helen snapped as Nora approached. “We’ve been waiting for ten minutes. The photographer is losing the light.”
“It’s a windowless room, Mom,” Nora muttered.
“Don’t use that tone with me tonight,” Helen hissed, standing up to arrange the group. “Alright, married couples in the back row. Mark! Where is Chloe?”
Mark appeared from a side door leading to the manager’s office. He looked frantic. He was sweating through his velvet jacket, his eyes darting around the room like a trapped rat. He carried a heavy leather duffel bag in his left hand.
“She’s in the restroom,” Mark said, his voice tight. “Let’s just take it without her. I have a… business emergency. I need to leave immediately.”
“Nonsense,” Helen said. “You’re family. Get in the back row. Nora, go stand on the far left end. Next to Aunt Carol.”
Nora looked at the left end. It was practically in the shadows.
Less awkward.
She took a breath to object, but before she could speak, a shadow fell over the room.
The chatter instantly died.
Adrian walked into the library.
He didn’t hurry. He moved with a slow, deliberate grace that made the air in the room feel instantly thicker. He bypassed the aunts, ignored the cousins, and walked straight to the center of the formation.
He stopped directly behind Nora’s mother’s chair.
Dead center.
“Nora,” Adrian said, his voice echoing in the quiet room.
He held out his hand.
Helen gasped. “Excuse me, sir, this is for family only.”
Adrian didn’t look at Helen. His eyes were locked on Nora.
“Nora,” he repeated softly.
Nora’s heart pounded. She looked at Mark, who was staring at Adrian with sheer, unadulterated panic. Then she looked at her mother’s shocked face.
For the first time in thirty-six years, Nora didn’t shrink.
She walked past Aunt Carol. She walked past her sister Allison. She stepped right into the center of the room and placed her hand in Adrian’s.
He pulled her close, his solid warmth radiating against her side.
“What is the meaning of this?” Helen demanded, her face turning purple. “Mark, do you know this man?”
Mark opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
“Mark and I are well acquainted,” Adrian said smoothly, staring directly at Mark. “In fact, we have some urgent financial matters to discuss regarding an offshore account. Isn’t that right, Mark?”
Mark dropped his duffel bag. It hit the floor with a heavy, metallic thud.
The color vanished from his face completely. “How do you know about that?” he whispered.
“I know everything,” Adrian replied softly.
The photographer, oblivious to the lethal tension in the room, clapped his hands.
“Alright, everyone! Look here! On three. One… two…”
Nora looked straight at the camera. She stood tall. She didn’t smile, but for the first time in years, she didn’t look away.
“Three!”
The flash went off, a blinding burst of white light.
In that split second of blindness, Nora felt a sharp tug on her right side.
A hand slipped into her dress pocket.
Fingers brushed against hers, fast and desperate, grabbing the diamond bracelet.
Nora gasped, her vision still dotted with purple spots from the flash. She spun around, grabbing wildly in the dark.
Her hand caught a wrist.
The room’s lighting slowly swam back into focus.
Nora looked down at the wrist she was holding. It belonged to her older sister, Allison.
Allison’s face was pale, but her eyes were furious. She yanked her arm free, clutching the diamond bracelet against her chest.
“Give that back,” Nora whispered, her voice trembling with shock. “Allison, what are you doing?”
“Saving our family, you idiot,” Allison hissed under her breath.
Before Nora could stop her, Allison turned and shoved her way through the crowd, heading for the hallway.
“Adrian!” Nora gasped, grabbing his arm. “Allison took the drive. She took the bracelet.”
Adrian’s head snapped toward the door.
At the exact same moment, Mark bolted.
He didn’t grab his duffel bag. He simply turned and sprinted out the side door toward the manager’s office, fleeing the room like a coward.
“Stay here,” Adrian ordered, his voice suddenly sharp, a command rather than a request.
“No,” Nora said fiercely. “That drive has my parents’ money on it. She’s my sister.”
Adrian looked at her, seeing the absolute determination in her eyes. He didn’t argue. He gave a sharp nod.
They pushed through the confused murmurs of the family and hurried into the grand hallway.
The corridor was empty.
But at the far end, near the staircase leading to the bridal suite, Nora saw a flash of Allison’s emerald green dress disappearing upward.
“She’s going to the suite,” Nora said, running toward the stairs. “Leo is up there.”
Adrian was right behind her, his long strides easily keeping pace. “If she tries to make a deal with Vincent, she’s signing her own death warrant.”
Nora took the stairs two at a time, her heels sinking into the thick carpet.
When they reached the top landing, the heavy oak door to the bridal suite was slightly ajar.
Nora pushed it open.
The suite was massive, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the dark estate.
Allison stood in the center of the room, clutching the bracelet.
She wasn’t alone.
Vincent was standing by the window.
His two massive guards stood by the door, and as Nora and Adrian stepped inside, the guards immediately stepped sideways, blocking the exit.
The heavy door slammed shut behind them with a definitive, terrifying click.
“Ah,” Vincent smiled, turning away from the window. “A family reunion. How beautiful.”
He pulled the silver rosary from his pocket again, letting it dangle from his fingers.
Then, his eyes shifted to Allison.
“Now, Allison, my dear,” Vincent purred. “You said you had something that belongs to me. And in exchange, I’m supposed to give you a cut of the retirement fund your brother-in-law so graciously invested with me.”
Nora stared at her sister in absolute horror.
“You knew?” Nora breathed. “Allison… you knew Mark stole mom and dad’s money?”
Allison refused to look at Nora. Her hands were shaking, but she held her chin high.
“I have two hundred thousand dollars in credit card debt, Nora,” Allison snapped. “Mark told me what he was doing. He promised me fifty grand if I kept my mouth shut until the insurance payout cleared.”
“Insurance payout?” Nora yelled. “He’s going to burn this building down!”
“I don’t care about the building!” Allison screamed back.
“You care about money,” Vincent interrupted, his voice dropping the playful tone. It was suddenly cold, flat, and entirely lethal. “Hand over the drive, Allison.”
Allison took a step back, realizing for the first time that the man in front of her was not a businessman negotiating a deal.
“Not until you wire the money to my account,” Allison said, her voice trembling.
Vincent sighed heavily.
He reached inside his heavy leather coat.
He didn’t pull out a phone to make a wire transfer.
He pulled out a heavy, black handgun with a long suppressor screwed onto the barrel.
Nora screamed.
At that exact moment, a small figure darted out from under the bed.
“Mommy!”
Leo ran across the room, terrified by the gun, throwing his arms around Allison’s waist.
Vincent’s eyes darkened. He raised the gun, pointing it directly at Allison and the little boy.
May you like
“I don’t negotiate with thieves,” Vincent said softly.
Before he could pull the trigger, Adrian moved.
