Chapter 7 - The Man Behind the Threat
The police took Derek to the station.
Not as a suspect.
Not yet.
Just to ask questions.
I stayed home with Noah.
The house felt completely different.
Every shadow looked suspicious.
Every sound made me turn.
At 6:43 PM, an officer called.
“Mr. Whitaker?”
“Yes.”
“We found something.”
“What?”
“A vehicle was parked across from your house earlier.”
“What kind?”
“Dark SUV.”
My stomach tightened.
“Did you get a plate?”
“We're working on it.”
Then he said something worse.
“The vehicle was registered to Evan Cole.”
I looked at the window.
“Where is Evan now?”
“We're trying to locate him.”
I hung up.
Noah was awake.
“Daddy?”
“Yeah?”
“Is Mommy coming home?”
I sat beside him.
“I hope so.”
“She promised.”
“I know.”
He looked at me.
“Daddy?”
“What?”
“Mommy said you would fix it.”
My throat tightened.
“I will.”
Later that night, Derek called from the station.
“They're letting me go.”
I didn't respond.
“Daniel?”
“What did you tell them?”
“The truth.”
“What is the truth?”
He sighed.
“I went to the warehouse eight years ago.”
“And?”
“I opened the basement.”
“What was inside?”
“Boxes.”
“What's in them?”
“Records.”
“Where are they?”
Derek went silent.
“Derek.”
“I moved them.”
“Where?”
“I thought they were safer.”
“Where?”
“I gave them to Lena.”
I closed my eyes.
“So Lena knew everything.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't she tell me?”
“Because she thought someone was watching you.”
“Who?”
Derek didn't answer.
Then I heard him say:
“Evan.”
I stared at the phone.
“You think Evan is behind this?”
“I think Evan knows who is.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means Evan isn't the one you should be afraid of.”
I remembered Lena's words.
Someone closer.
“Derek.”
“What?”
“Who was with you at the warehouse that night?”
He didn't answer.
“Derek.”
Finally:
“Your father.”
My heart stopped.
“My father was dead.”
“Not then.”
I couldn't speak.
My father had died seven years ago.
One year after the warehouse fire.
If he had been involved, everything I knew about my childhood was wrong.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because he made me promise.”
“What did he promise you?”
“Nothing.”
“What did he threaten?”
Silence.
Then Derek said:
“He told me that if I talked, you and Lena would be next.”
I sat down.
Noah was sleeping upstairs.
I looked toward the ceiling.
“How did Lena find out?”
“She found the ledger.”
“The blue ledger?”
“Yes.”
“Where is it?”
Derek breathed slowly.
“I don't know.”
I remembered the key.
“I'm going to the warehouse.”
“No.”
“I have to.”
“Daniel, listen to me.”
“I need answers.”
“You need to stay alive.”
The call ended.
I looked at the clock.
11:18 PM.
I grabbed my jacket.
Then I heard something outside.
A car door.
I froze.
The house was dark.
Another sound.
Footsteps.
I moved toward the window.
A shadow passed beneath the streetlight.
Then my phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
One message.
Come to the warehouse alone.
Another arrived.
Bring key 17.
I stared at the screen.
Then a third message appeared.
If you bring Derek, Noah won't see morning.
I immediately called the police.
But before they arrived, another message appeared.
A photograph.
Noah's bedroom.
Taken from inside.
The detective had told me the house was secure.
Yet whoever sent the picture was standing somewhere upstairs.
I ran toward the staircase.
“NOAH!”
I reached his room.
His bed was empty.
May you like
The window was open.
And on the pillow was a blue envelope with my name written across it...
