Chapter 9: The Men at the Door
The knocking came again.
Harder.
Rachel stepped behind me.
“Who are they?””
Daniel didn't answer.
I kept my hand on the doorknob.
“Daniel.””
He swallowed.
“Creditors.””
“Why would creditors come to our house?””
“They're not supposed to know where you live.””
I looked at him.
“They?””
He closed his eyes.
“Emily, please.””
The attorney was still on speaker.
His voice came through the phone.
“Do not open the door.””
I stepped away from it.
The knocking stopped.
For several seconds, there was silence.
Then a man's voice came through the door.
“Daniel Harrison.””
Daniel flinched.
“We know you're inside.””
Rachel whispered, “What did you get yourself into?””
Daniel ignored her.
The man continued.
“Open the door.””
I looked at Daniel.
“What do you owe them?””
“It's complicated.””
“Everything with you is complicated.””
The attorney spoke.
“Emily, listen to me. Take the trust documents and go to a safe location.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
I turned toward him.
“You don't get to tell me what to do anymore.””
He looked desperate.
“If you leave with those documents, they'll come after you.””
“Why?””
“Because the property is worth money.””
I stared at him.
“That's what this has always been about.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
He stepped closer.
“You think I married you for the house?””
“I don't think it anymore.””
He stopped.
“You're wrong.””
“Then tell me the truth.””
“I loved you.””
“You lied to me.””
“I was scared.””
“You stole from me.””
“I was desperate.””
“You cheated.””
“I made a mistake.””
“You forged my name.””
Daniel's voice broke.
“I didn't have a choice.””
I stared at him.
“Everyone has a choice.””
The attorney interrupted.
“Emily, there is one more thing you need to know.””
“What?””
“The amended trust contains a condition.””
Daniel's face changed.
“What condition?””
The attorney answered.
“If Daniel attempts to transfer, refinance, or encumber the property without Emily's consent, his access to the trust is permanently terminated.””
I looked at Daniel.
“So you knew.””
“No.””
“You knew enough to be afraid.””
He didn't respond.
Outside, the man knocked again.
“Daniel! We know the documents are inside!””
Rachel looked at the folder.
“How do they know?””
Daniel's eyes moved to her.
She understood immediately.
“You told them.””
“No.””
“You told them about the trust.””
“I didn't.””
“Then who did?””
Daniel looked at me.
I suddenly remembered the message I'd received earlier.
*I have proof of what he's been doing.*
Rachel had sent it.
But she wasn't the only person who knew.
I looked down at the papers.
There was a name repeated across several documents.
*Mark Harrison.*
Daniel's brother.
The man who was supposedly working late.
The man who had supposedly received seventeen thousand dollars.
I looked at Daniel.
“Where is Mark?””
He didn't answer.
“Daniel.””
“He's gone.””
“Gone where?””
“I don't know.””
Rachel stepped closer.
“You're lying.””
Daniel snapped, “I don't know where he is!””
His voice echoed through the house.
Then the attorney said quietly:
“Emily, Mark is the person who contacted me.””
I froze.
“What?””
“Mark came to my office yesterday.””
Daniel's face went blank.
“What did he tell you?””
The attorney paused.
“He told me Daniel was planning to use the house to cover his debts.””
Daniel staggered backward.
“No.””
“And he gave me copies of the bank records.””
Daniel stared at the phone.
“Mark wouldn't do that.””
“He already did.””
I looked at the folder again.
The pieces were finally connecting.
Mark hadn't been helping Daniel.
He had been trying to expose him.
The five hundred dollars to Vanessa.
The transfers.
The forged signature.
The gambling debt.
The trust.
And the men outside.
It wasn't one secret.
It was a chain of them.
I looked toward the front door.
“We need the police.””
Daniel grabbed my wrist.
“No.””
I pulled away.
“Why not?””
“They'll arrest me.””
“Maybe they should.””
His face crumpled.
“Emily, please.””
I stepped backward.
“You had years to tell me the truth.””
“I was trying to fix it.””
“You had years.””
He lowered his head.
“I thought I could.””
The attorney said, “Emily, call the police now.””
I reached for my phone.
Daniel suddenly lunged toward the folder.
Rachel grabbed his arm.
He shoved her away.
She stumbled against the wall.
“Rachel!””
I dropped the phone and caught her.
Daniel grabbed the folder.
Then the front door exploded inward.
Two men rushed into the foyer.
One of them pointed directly at Daniel.
“Give us the documents.””
Daniel froze.
I stood between Rachel and the intruders.
The man looked at me.
“You must be Emily.””
My blood ran cold.
“How do you know my name?””
He smiled.
“Because your husband told us everything.””
Daniel whispered, “I never told them her name.””
The man's smile disappeared.
“Then you don't know who you've been married to.””
He pulled a photograph from his pocket and held it up.
It showed my father.
May you like
Standing beside Daniel.
But the date printed on the back was six months *after my father supposedly died*.
