Chapter 4 - The Room Jude Kept Locked
The third floor had no lights on.
Audrey followed Jude and Reggie up the stairs, her heart beating so hard she could barely breathe.
“Brinley!” she called.
No answer.
The hallway was long, narrow, and covered in dustless darkness. At the end stood a white door with a brass lock.
Jude stopped in front of it.
For the first time, Audrey saw fear in him.
Not anger.
Not control.
Fear.
“Mr. Mercer,” Reggie said carefully, “we can force it.”
Jude stared at the door.
Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out an old key.
His hand trembled.
Audrey noticed.
So did Reggie.
Jude unlocked the door.
The room beyond was frozen in time.
It was a child’s bedroom.
Pale yellow walls.
A small white crib.
A rocking horse in the corner.
A shelf filled with books.
And a faded mobile of stars hanging above the bed.
Brinley sat on the floor beside the rocking horse, holding a framed photograph.
In the picture was a younger Jude Mercer.
He was smiling.
Beside him stood a beautiful woman with long dark hair, holding a little boy who could not have been older than two.
“Mommy,” Brinley said, “this is Mr. Sad Man when he was happy.”
Audrey’s eyes filled with tears.
Jude stood completely still in the doorway.
His face had gone pale.
“Put that down, Brinley,” he said.
But his voice was not harsh.
It was broken.
Brinley looked at the photo.
“Who is the little boy?”
Jude did not answer.
Audrey stepped closer.
“You don’t have to tell her,” she said softly.
But Jude’s eyes remained fixed on the photograph.
“My son,” he said.
The room became silent.
Audrey looked at him.
“You had a son?”
“His name was Noah.”
The name seemed to hurt him.
“He was four.”
Audrey’s throat tightened.
“What happened?”
Jude walked into the room slowly, as if every step cost him something.
“He died twenty-five years ago.”
Brinley hugged Buttons.
“Did he get sick?”
Jude stopped beside the rocking horse.
“No.”
His voice dropped.
“He was taken.”
Audrey’s heart began to pound.
“Taken by who?”
“The Bellini family.”
The name moved through the room like ice.
Jude looked at the crib.
“Back then, I was not who I am now. I had a small operation. I thought I could keep business separate from family. I thought I could protect them.”
He laughed once, without humor.
“The Bellinis taught me otherwise.”
Audrey understood suddenly.
Why Jude had become feared.
Why his estate was a fortress.
Why nobody entered the third floor.
Why everyone obeyed him without question.
“They took Noah to punish you,” she whispered.
“They took him to control me.”
Jude’s eyes darkened.
“They said if I gave them what they wanted, he would come home. I did everything. I gave up territory. Money. Men. I begged. I killed people trying to get him back.”
His jaw tightened.
“And still, he died.”
Brinley stood and walked toward him.
Audrey almost called her back.
But Jude did not move.
Brinley held out the photograph.
“He looks nice.”
Jude stared down at it.
“He was.”
“Did he like teddy bears?”
Jude’s face broke.
Just for a second.
“Yes,” he said. “He had one. A blue bear.”
Brinley looked at Buttons.
“Maybe Noah can play with Buttons in heaven.”
Audrey covered her mouth.
Reggie looked away.
Jude slowly crouched in front of Brinley.
His eyes were wet now.
No one in Providence had probably ever seen Jude Mercer cry.
Brinley touched his cheek.
“Don’t be sad,” she whispered. “You can be my friend.”
Jude closed his eyes.
Then he took a shaky breath.
At that moment, Reggie’s phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed immediately.
“What?” Jude demanded.
Reggie lowered the phone.
“The Bellinis sent another message.”
Jude stood.
“What do they want?”
Reggie looked at Audrey.
“They want Audrey and Brinley delivered to them by midnight.”
Audrey’s blood ran cold.
“And if we don’t?” Jude asked.
Reggie’s voice was grim.
“They said they will send Tristan Wells back in pieces.”
Jude’s gaze moved to Brinley.
Then to Audrey.
His entire body seemed to become still.
“No,” he said.
But this time, the word did not sound like an order.
May you like
It sounded like a promise.
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