Chapter 1
“Daddy… Mommy is under here.”
I stopped so suddenly that my shoes slid against the polished marble.
Sophie was sitting alone in the middle of our mansion foyer, her little lavender dress spread around her like a pool of color against the cream-colored floor.
She wasn't crying.
That frightened me more than tears would have.
My five-year-old daughter was staring at one particular seam between the marble tiles, pointing at it with a trembling finger.
I walked toward her slowly.
“Sophie, what did you say?”
She looked up at me.
“Mommy is under here.”
My stomach tightened.
I glanced around the enormous foyer.
The crystal chandeliers were glowing warmly above us. Everything looked perfect.
Too perfect.
“Where is your mother?”
Sophie pointed down again.
“Under here.”
I crouched beside her.
“Natalie?”
No answer.
I pressed my palm against the cold marble.
Nothing.
Then Sophie lifted her tiny hand and tapped the floor.
Three times.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
She waited.
Then tapped twice.
Tap.
Tap.
My eyebrows pulled together.
“Sophie, what are you doing?”
She whispered, “That's Mommy's knock.”
I stared at her.
Before I could answer, something came from beneath us.
Three faint knocks.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Then two more.
Tap.
Tap.
I stopped breathing.
Sophie grabbed my sleeve.
“See?”
I stared at the floor.
My wife was alive.
Somewhere beneath my feet.
I ran my fingers along the seam.
The marble looked completely ordinary.
Then my fingertip caught on something.
A tiny metal ring was recessed between two tiles.
I pulled it free with my fingernail.
My heart began pounding.
“Who put this here?”
Sophie looked toward the hallway.
She didn't answer.
“Sophie.”
She shook her head.
“I don't know.”
I wrapped my fingers around the ring and pulled.
Nothing happened.
I pulled harder.
The marble groaned.
Then an entire section of the floor shifted upward.
I stumbled backward as the concealed hatch opened.
Cold air rushed into the foyer.
Beneath the marble was a narrow staircase descending into darkness.
A single bare bulb glowed far below.
I stared down.
This was impossible.
I had lived in this mansion for years.
I knew every room.
Every hallway.
Every entrance.
There had never been a basement staircase beneath the foyer.
“Sophie, stay behind me.”
I moved toward the opening.
Then I heard breathing.
Weak.
Shaky.
Familiar.
“Natalie?”
A figure slowly lifted her head from the darkness.
Her long hair was tangled.
Her face was dirty.
There were faint bruises along her cheek.
But her eyes were open.
“Owen…”
My knees nearly gave out.
“Mommy!”
Sophie rushed toward the opening.
I caught her before she could fall.
“Natalie!”
“I’m here.”
Her voice broke.
“I’m alive.”
I reached down.
“Give me your hand.”
Natalie lifted her arm.
Our fingers almost touched.
Then she looked past me.
Her eyes widened with sudden terror.
“Owen…”
“What?”
“Don't let Vanessa close the door again.”
My blood turned cold.
I slowly looked toward the hallway.
At first, I saw nothing.
Then came a sound.
Footsteps.
Soft.
Measured.
Getting closer.
Jingling keys followed.
Sophie wrapped both arms around my leg.
“Daddy…”
I moved between her and the hallway.
The footsteps stopped.
A shadow appeared at the edge of the corridor.
May you like
I stared at it.
“Vanessa?”
