Chapter 8 - The Man Who Knew Everything
I called back.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Emily was gone.
Or someone had taken her.
I grabbed my jacket.
Mark stood up immediately.
“Where are you going?”
“To find her.”
“You don’t even know where she is.”
I looked at the picture.
“Yes, I do.”
Because behind Emily’s daughter was a background detail.
A sign.
A street name.
Something most people would miss.
But Jason and I grew up around that neighborhood.
I knew exactly where it was.
Twenty minutes later, Mark and I arrived at an old apartment building.
The place looked abandoned.
Broken windows.
Peeling paint.
A dead hallway light flickering above us.
“This is a terrible idea,” Mark said.
“I know.”
“You’re walking into a trap.”
“I know.”
“Then why are we here?”
I looked at the building.
“Because my kids have spent weeks being afraid.”
I stepped forward.
“And I’m done being afraid.”
We climbed the stairs.
Third floor.
Apartment 3B.
The door was slightly open.
My stomach tightened.
“Emily?”
No answer.
I pushed the door.
Inside was chaos.
Papers everywhere.
A broken chair.
An overturned table.
Someone had searched the place.
Mark whispered:
“They were looking for something.”
I walked inside.
Then I saw it.
A picture frame on the floor.
Jason.
Emily.
And a little girl.
Behind the frame was a hidden compartment.
Inside was a small USB drive.
I picked it up.
“Daniel…”
Mark pointed.
There was a note attached.
My hands shook as I opened it.
Daniel,
If you are reading this, it means I failed to keep the truth hidden.
Trust nobody.
Not Diane.
Not the people who claim they are helping you.
Especially not the person closest to you.
I read it again.
The person closest to me?
Who?
Before I could think, the apartment door slammed shut.
We turned.
A man stood there.
Tall.
Black jacket.
Exactly like Lily described.
He smiled.
“You took longer than I expected.”
My body froze.
“You.”
The man laughed.
“So Diane’s little granddaughter finally talked.”
Mark stepped in front of me.
“Who are you?”
The man ignored him.
He looked directly at me.
“You really think Diane was the villain?”
I said nothing.
He walked closer.
“She was trying to protect you.”
“By starving my daughter?”
His smile disappeared.
“She was trying to make Lily afraid to talk.”
My fists tightened.
“What?”
The man looked at the USB drive.
“That contains information that could destroy powerful people.”
“Who?”
He smiled again.
“People who own your company.”
I felt a chill.
“What are you talking about?”
He leaned closer.
“Your boss isn’t your friend.”
The room went silent.
Because my boss was the one person who had supported me after my brother died.
The man reached into his pocket.
Mark immediately grabbed my arm.
But the man didn’t pull out a weapon.
He pulled out a photograph.
He threw it onto the table.
I picked it up.
And my blood turned cold.
It was a picture of my boss.
Standing beside Diane.
Standing beside the man in front of me.
All three of them together.
Years ago.
May you like
The man whispered:
“You’ve been surrounded by enemies your entire life.”
