inging a quiet chill that rattled the ta

s before the garage door even opened. The high stone house stood illuminate

s shoulder. The house was dead quiet. The warm smell of roasted chick

? Is th

ter pitcher. Her hair was styled perfectly, her silk blouse unwrinkled despite the

, stopping near the bas

on the side table. "He said he was delayed with transfer paperwork for th

very charity gala and country club luncheon. He wondered if she had any idea about the promise Marcu

lian said quietly. "I

ooth down the collar of his jacket. "Don't stay up too late.

lling back slightly before he

gym bag onto the wooden floor, and shut the door. He stood in the middle

dy. The room was strictly off limits. Marcus kept the heavy mahogany door locked at all ti

l he heard his mother close the d

o the dimly lit hallway in his socked feet. He moved silently, keeping his ba

tudy. He reached out, taking the brass han

d tight, jus

open a spring latch on the locker room supply closet during summer camp. He slipped the edge of the card

rd, angling the plastic carefully,

lick echoed throug

r five full seconds. No one moved downstairs

e dark study, and pulled the door shut beh

rough the large arched window, illuminating the massive dark oak desk sitting in the center of the room.

turning on the small flashlight screen

. It slid open smoothly. Inside were neat stacks o

ocuments, real estate contracts for the Highlan

he bottom filing drawer. It had a keyhole right abov

bedroom desk, and straightened the wire out into a thin rod. He inserted the wire into the k

ere shaking so hard with adrenaline that the paperclip

ed through his teeth, swe

g a pin drop into place. He gave t

k click

ed forward on steel tracks, revealing thick

aw Firm Corporate Accounts. Highland

ristine legal documents surrounding it, the edges of this folder were slight

the drawer and pulle

the mahogany desk, holding his

ars ago. The recipient was named Elena Miller. The monthly deposit amount was small, but consis

s trembled as he flip

allas General. A birth record c

onto the lines in t

ame: El

Elena Ro

: Undi

letter on old notebook paper, yellowed at the edges. Julian

en

into the Highland Park district until he turns eighteen. If you attempt to file for formal paternity or c

.

gs seizing up as if all the oxygen

. Eli was not just a talented transfer player from Oak

rate career and high society reputation in Highland Park. And now that Eli was an elite football prospect, Marcus was using his legal

engine hummed from t

t across the high arched window of the study, illuminating t

ther w

um. He shoved the yellowed letter back into the navy folder, tucked the fo

wist of the paperclip, grabbed his ph

s. The front door clicked open, followed by the deep, tired

door open an inch. The ha

uietly until the latch caught. He took three fast, silent

lia

boomed up the g

and resting on the brass knob, the thick navy fold

nding below, wearing his dark wool coat, holding his briefcase in one hand and his hou

ed, his voice dropping into a low, questioning r