Chapter 2 - The Old Blue Envelope
Adrian remained perfectly still in his vehicle until the black town car drove away into the stormy evening.
He watched Marissa gather the soaked dollar bills and hurry inside the decaying building.
His mind was racing with terrifying questions that he could not answer.
Why was the family's chief legal counsel terrorizing a widowed housekeeper for a blue envelope?
Adrian pulled his collar up against the rain and stepped out of his car.
He walked quickly to the front door of the apartment complex and slipped inside before the security lock clicked shut.
He climbed three flights of stairs that smelled strongly of damp wood and cheap cleaning supplies.
When he reached apartment 3B, he paused for a moment to collect his thoughts.
He raised his fist and knocked firmly on the thin wooden door.
He heard the sound of a baby crying softly inside, followed by hurried footsteps.
The door opened just a few inches, secured by a heavy brass chain.
Marissa stared at him through the narrow gap, her eyes wide with absolute shock.
She asked him what he was doing in this part of town and if he was lost.
Adrian lied and said he was in the neighborhood for a real estate meeting and wanted to drop off a scarf she had left behind.
Marissa hesitated, looking nervously down the empty hallway before undoing the chain lock.
She invited him into the tiny, freezing apartment and apologized for the mess.
Adrian stepped inside and immediately noticed how bare the living room was.
There was almost no furniture, and the heating radiator was completely silent despite the bitter cold.
His eyes fell upon a small, worn wooden table in the corner of the room.
A single framed photograph sat on the table, illuminated by a cheap lamp.
Adrian walked slowly toward the table, completely ignoring Marissa's questions about the imaginary scarf.
He stared at the face of the man in the photograph, feeling the floor drop out from beneath him.
He recognized the man instantly.
It was Julian Keane.
But Julian Keane was not just a stranger or a disgruntled former employee.
Julian had the exact same striking green eyes and sharp jawline as Adrian's late father.
Adrian turned to Marissa, his voice barely a whisper as he asked if this was her late husband.
Marissa backed away from him, her posture instantly shifting from polite submission to defensive panic.
She reached behind her back and grabbed a heavy kitchen knife from the counter.
She pointed the blade directly at Adrian's chest.
She looked at him with tears streaming down her face and a desperate fire in her eyes.
May you like
She tightened her grip on the knife and took a step toward him.
"Arthur finally sent you to finish the job, didn't he?"
