Chapter 5 - The House Had Been Watching ThemThree days later, Rowan brought Micah and Elsie to a temporary family residence arranged through his attorney.
He didn't take them home.
Not yet.
Naomi had warned him that someone had entered his house while he was at the hospital.
Nothing had been stolen.
That made it worse.
They had searched.
That afternoon, Rowan returned with Marcus and a security specialist.
They checked every room.
Then the specialist found something beneath the kitchen table.
A tiny listening device.
Rowan stared at it.
“They were listening to me.”
Marcus nodded.
“Probably for months.”
Rowan's stomach twisted.
Then he remembered the children.
He checked the nursery.
Another device.
Then the hallway.
Another.
His home had become a surveillance system.
Someone had been watching his family.
His phone rang.
Delaney.
Rowan answered.
“Where are you?”
Her voice trembled.
“I need to see the children.”
“No.”
“Rowan, please.”
“You left them alone.”
“I know.”
“You allowed them to starve.”
“I didn't know it would get this bad.”
Rowan closed his eyes.
“Who is Graham Pike?”
Silence.
Then Delaney began crying.
“I was afraid.”
“Of him?”
“Yes.”
“What did he want?”
“He wanted information.”
“About my father?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“Stop lying.”
She breathed shakily.
“Your father had another family.”
Rowan felt the room tilt.
“What?”
“Before your mother.”
Marcus looked up.
Delaney continued.
“There was a woman named Evelyn.”
Rowan stared.
“She had a son.”
“Who?”
“Graham.”
Silence.
Suddenly the pieces began connecting.
Graham Pike wasn't a stranger.
He was Rowan's half-brother.
Delaney had known.
And someone had been manipulating her.
“Why did you take money from him?”
“I needed it.”
“For what?”
“My brother.”
Rowan froze.
“Your brother?”
“He was arrested.”
She cried harder.
“Graham said he could help him if I gave him information.”
“You used our children to get money.”
“I never wanted them hurt.”
Rowan's voice became cold.
“You abandoned them.”
“I thought someone would check on them.”
“No one did.”
She whispered:
“I know.”
Rowan ended the call.
Marcus stared at him.
“What are you going to do?”
Rowan looked toward the children's room.
“I'm going to find Graham.”
But before he could take another step, Naomi called.
“Rowan.”
“What?”
“We found something in your father's old property records.”
She paused.
“Your father left a trust.”
“What kind?”
“A private trust worth approximately forty million dollars.”
Rowan stared.
“And the beneficiary?”
May you like
Naomi's voice lowered.
“It's not you.”
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