Chapter 6 - Lena's Secret
Nobody spoke.
The photograph showed Noah exactly where he was.
Sleeping beneath the blanket.
Taken seconds earlier.
From inside the house.
The detective immediately ordered everyone out of the room.
Officers searched the property.
Nothing.
No broken windows.
No forced doors.
No stranger.
But the photograph was real.
Someone had been watching us.
The detective turned toward me.
“Your son stays with you.”
I nodded.
Derek stood.
“I'll check the backyard.”
The detective stopped him.
“Don't go alone.”
Two officers followed.
I stayed beside Noah.
My hands wouldn't stop shaking.
Then Lena called again.
This time there was no man's voice.
It was her.
“Daniel?”
I almost dropped the phone.
“Lena?”
“Listen to me.”
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
“Are you safe?”
A pause.
“No.”
I closed my eyes.
“Where's Travis?”
“Not with me.”
“Who is threatening you?”
Another pause.
“Someone you trust.”
My eyes moved toward Derek.
He noticed.
Lena continued.
“I need you to stop looking at the obvious person.”
“Then tell me who.”
“I can't.”
“You can.”
“No.”
“Lena, Noah was attacked.”
Her voice broke.
“I know.”
“You knew this could happen?”
“I knew they were getting close.”
“Who?”
She whispered, “The people from the warehouse.”
I looked toward the detective.
He motioned for me to keep her talking.
“Why did you leave me?”
“Because I thought you were being watched.”
“By whom?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why did you trust Travis?”
“I didn't.”
That stopped me.
“What?”
“I never trusted Travis.”
“Then why was he around Noah?”
“Because I needed him to believe I trusted him.”
I couldn't understand.
“Lena, what are you talking about?”
“He was helping me.”
I looked at the detective.
His expression changed.
“Helping you do what?”
“Find the person who ordered the warehouse fire.”
Silence.
“The fire wasn't an accident?”
“No.”
My chest tightened.
“Who died?”
“Marcus Reed.”
I closed my eyes.
The employee from the old investigation.
Lena continued.
“Marcus discovered something.”
“What?”
“Financial records.”
“What records?”
“Payments.”
“To whom?”
She whispered a name.
I nearly dropped the phone.
It was someone I knew.
Someone who had been beside me after the warehouse fire.
Someone who had helped me rebuild the company.
Someone who had watched Noah grow up.
Someone I had trusted for years.
I couldn't say the name aloud.
The detective looked at me.
“Who?”
I shook my head.
Lena said, “Daniel, listen.”
“What?”
“If Derek tells you he knows nothing about the basement, don't believe him.”
I looked at my brother.
He was standing across the room.
He couldn't hear the call.
But somehow he looked at me.
Like he already knew.
Lena whispered:
“The basement wasn't built after the warehouse.”
“What does that mean?”
“It was there before.”
“Why?”
“Because the person who owned the property used it to hide records.”
“Records of what?”
“Payments.”
“From whom?”
“To the people who made problems disappear.”
I felt sick.
“Lena, where are you?”
“I can't tell you yet.”
“You need to come home.”
“I will.”
“When?”
“When it's safe.”
“What does safe mean?”
“After you find the ledger.”
“What ledger?”
“The blue ledger.”
The line crackled.
“Lena?”
She whispered:
“Daniel, don't let Derek—”
The call cut out.
I stared at the phone.
“Don't let Derek what?”
No answer.
I turned.
Derek was standing in the doorway.
He had heard the last words.
His face was pale.
“What did she say?”
I didn't answer.
He walked toward me.
“Daniel.”
I stepped back.
“What aren't you telling me?”
He stopped.
“I don't know what you mean.”
“You knew about the basement.”
He looked away.
“Derek.”
“I found it years ago.”
“You lied.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From who?”
He didn't answer.
The detective approached.
“Mr. Whitaker, I need you to come with us.”
Derek looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because your brother's wife just warned him not to trust you.”
Derek's jaw tightened.
Then he slowly reached into his pocket.
He pulled out an old key.
“I was going to give this to Daniel.”
The detective looked at it.
“Where does it go?”
Derek looked at me.
“The warehouse.”
He turned the key over.
A number was engraved on it.
The same number found beneath Noah's toy car.
Derek whispered:
“But there's something you need to know before you use it.”
May you like
He looked toward the window.
“Someone else already has a key...”
