Chapter 21 - A Midnight Phone Call From An Unknown Number
Marcus inserted the vintage cassette into the old deck, pressing the play button as a low, mechanical hiss filled the quiet attic room.
His father's voice crackled through the dusty speakers, weak but distinct: Marcus... if you're hearing this, Eleanor didn't stop with me.
Before the recording could continue, Marcus's personal cell phone began to vibrate violently against the wooden tabletop.
He glanced down at the illuminated screen, expecting an alert from the hospital security detail downstairs.
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Instead, the caller ID displayed a restricted number originating from a maximum-security federal corrections facility upstate.
Marcus answered hesitantly, pressing the phone to his ear as a cold, familiar whisper echoed through the line: You forgot the most important secret of all, my son.
