Chapter 5 - HER HUSBAND'S LAST LIE
Evelyn grabbed the metal water pitcher beside her bed.
“Stay away from me.”
Daniel stopped.
“I'm not here to hurt you.”
She almost laughed.
“You've had an interesting way of showing that.”
Margaret moved between them.
“Get out.”
Daniel ignored her.
“Evelyn, we have less than five minutes.”
“Before what?”
“Before the backup generator restores the security system.”
“You cut the hospital power?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
“Your father.”
Silence.
Evelyn's grip tightened around the pitcher.
“My father is dead.”
“You know that isn't true anymore.”
Margaret stared at Daniel.
“You knew.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Yes.”
“For four years?”
“Yes.”
Margaret slapped him.
Hard.
Daniel didn't retaliate.
“You stood at his funeral.”
“I know.”
“You watched my daughter mourn him.”
“I know.”
“You monster.”
Daniel's face twisted.
“You think I wanted this?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
He looked at Evelyn.
“Your father forced me into it.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Don't.”
“You need to hear me.”
“I've heard you lie for five years.”
“Then listen once more.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Your father wasn't kidnapped because he discovered Project Willow.”
“He disappeared because federal investigators were about to arrest him.”
Margaret went pale.
Daniel continued.
“Thomas staged his death.”
Evelyn felt dizzy.
“No.”
“He used me to do it.”
“Why would you help him?”
“Because he had evidence against my family.”
Daniel pulled a flash drive from his pocket.
“He threatened to destroy my mother, Vanessa, and me.”
Evelyn stared at the drive.
“What is that?”
“Proof.”
“Of what?”
“Everything.”
A sound came from the hallway.
Daniel turned.
“We're out of time.”
He placed the drive on the bed.
“Don't trust Reed.”
Evelyn stared.
“Marcus?”
“He worked Project Willow before he became a detective.”
“That's impossible.”
“Check his badge history.”
Daniel backed toward the door.
“Daniel.”
He stopped.
“Did Vanessa push me?”
Pain crossed his face.
“Yes.”
“Did you know she would?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Did you steal money from my foundation?”
Daniel hesitated.
That hesitation was enough.
Evelyn whispered.
“You did.”
“I moved it.”
“You stole it.”
“To protect it.”
“From whom?”
“Your father.”
The emergency lights flickered.
Daniel opened the door.
Evelyn called after him.
“Did you kill anyone?”
He stopped.
For several seconds, he didn't answer.
Then he looked back.
“Not the person you think.”
And disappeared.
The power returned.
Nurses rushed inside.
Security followed.
Marcus arrived fifteen minutes later.
Evelyn studied him differently now.
He noticed.
“What happened?”
“Daniel was here.”
Marcus cursed.
“What did he want?”
Evelyn looked at the flash drive hidden beneath her blanket.
“Nothing.”
Marcus stared at her.
“You're lying.”
“So are you.”
His expression changed.
“What does that mean?”
“Were you involved with Project Willow?”
Marcus went completely still.
Margaret watched him.
Evelyn waited.
Finally, Marcus closed the door.
“Yes.”
The answer hit harder than expected.
“You told me you learned about it three months ago.”
“I lied.”
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
Evelyn laughed bitterly.
“I'm getting tired of people protecting me.”
Marcus sat down.
“I was twenty-six.”
“Doing what?”
“Financial intelligence.”
“For the police?”
“Federal task force.”
“You investigated my father?”
“Yes.”
“Was he a criminal?”
Marcus didn't answer immediately.
“Your father created Willow as a legal private network.”
“That part I know.”
“Then people began using it to hide illegal payments.”
“Did Dad know?”
“Eventually.”
“And?”
“He tried to shut it down.”
Evelyn frowned.
“That isn't what Daniel said.”
“Daniel has reasons to lie.”
“So do you.”
Marcus nodded.
“Yes.”
That surprised her.
“What aren't you telling me?”
Marcus looked at Margaret.
Then Evelyn.
“Thomas contacted me six months ago.”
Evelyn stopped breathing.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“You've known he was alive for six months?”
“Yes.”
She threw the water pitcher.
Marcus ducked.
It smashed against the wall.
“Get out!”
“Evelyn.”
“GET OUT!”
Nurses rushed toward the room.
Marcus raised his hands.
“I couldn't tell you.”
“You could have!”
“He threatened your life.”
“Who?”
“Thomas.”
Silence swallowed the room.
Evelyn stared at Marcus.
“My father threatened me?”
“Not directly.”
“What did he say?”
Marcus pulled out his phone.
He opened an audio file.
Thomas Carter's voice filled the room.
“If Evelyn discovers I'm alive before Willow is finished, she becomes a liability.”
Evelyn's face went blank.
The recording continued.
“And liabilities have to be removed.”
Margaret began sobbing.
Evelyn couldn't move.
Marcus stopped the recording.
“That's why I stayed close to you.”
“You were protecting me from my father?”
“Yes.”
Evelyn looked toward the flash drive Daniel had given her.
Her entire understanding of the world was collapsing.
Then her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
“Hello?”
A man breathed on the other end.
“Evie.”
Her childhood nickname.
Only one person called her that.
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“Dad?”
Thomas Carter's voice softened.
“My little girl.”
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“Why didn't you come home?”
“I couldn't.”
“Did you threaten me?”
Silence.
“Dad?”
“People are manipulating you.”
“Did you threaten me?”
Thomas sighed.
“I did what was necessary.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“You're sick.”
“No.”
“You let me think you were dead.”
“To protect you.”
“Stop saying that!”
Thomas became silent.
Then his voice changed.
“Daniel gave you something.”
Evelyn looked at the flash drive.
“How do you know?”
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
“Evelyn.”
“No.”
“Listen carefully.”
Thomas's voice became cold.
“If you open that drive, you will destroy what's left of this family.”
“Maybe it deserves to be destroyed.”
A pause.
Then Thomas said something that froze everyone in the room.
“Ask your mother who Daniel really is.”
Evelyn slowly looked at Margaret.
Her mother began shaking her head.
“No.”
Evelyn whispered.
“Mom?”
Margaret backed away.
Thomas continued through the phone.
“Ask her why Daniel's DNA is in the Carter family records.”
The call ended.
Evelyn stared at her mother.
Margaret sank into the chair.
“Mom.”
May you like
Margaret began crying.
“Who is my husband?”
