Chapter 3 - The Hidden MessageDaniel spent the night in custody.
Valerie spent the night staring at the ceiling.
Thomas slept in her room.
For the first time in months.
Valerie sat beside him until sunrise, afraid to close her eyes.
Every time she did, she heard the recording.
Daniel's voice.
Thomas crying.
Nick stepping in.
The sound of the punch.
She hated herself for not knowing.
At six in the morning, her phone rang.
It was Detective Harris.
"We found something."
Valerie sat upright.
"What?"
"We searched Daniel's office."
"Did you find the financial records?"
"More than that."
Valerie waited.
"He had a second phone."
Her blood went cold.
"What kind?"
"An encrypted device."
The detective paused.
"And there's something else."
"What?"
"The phone contains messages with someone listed only as V."
Valerie frowned.
"V?"
"That's why I'm calling."
She looked at Thomas asleep beside her.
Then toward the hallway.
"Could it be another woman?"
"We don't know."
Valerie arrived at the police station an hour later.
Nick came with her.
He had refused to stay home.
"I need to know what happens," he said.
Valerie didn't understand why the boy seemed so calm around police.
Until she realized something.
Nick wasn't calm.
He was trained.
As though fear had become ordinary.
Detective Harris opened a folder.
"Daniel appears to have been preparing to empty several business accounts."
Valerie nodded.
"My company."
"Yes."
"And the woman?"
"We don't know who she is."
Nick suddenly looked up.
"I might."
Everyone turned toward him.
Nick reached into his backpack.
"I found something last night."
He placed a folded piece of paper on the desk.
"Where did you get this?"
"From Daniel's car."
Valerie stared.
"You were in his car?"
"No."
Nick shook his head.
"He dropped this when he ran from the garage."
Harris unfolded the paper.
There was an address.
A warehouse.
And a time.
Tonight. 11:30.
"What is this?" Valerie asked.
Nick's face went pale.
"The woman in the recording."
Harris looked at him.
"You recognized her voice?"
Nick nodded.
"She was there before Daniel hit me."
Valerie's heart pounded.
"Why didn't you say that yesterday?"
"I was scared."
"Of Daniel?"
Nick shook his head.
"Not only him."
The detective leaned forward.
"Who else?"
Nick stared at the table.
"There was another man."
The room fell silent.
"What man?"
"I don't know his name."
"What did he look like?"
Nick swallowed.
"Gray hair. Black coat. He told Daniel that everything was ready."
Valerie's thoughts raced.
Everything?
Ready for what?
Harris unfolded another document.
"We need to know something, Nick. How did you even end up at that garage?"
Nick went quiet.
"I was sleeping behind the bakery."
"I know."
"Someone came there."
"When?"
"Two nights earlier."
"Who?"
Nick didn't answer.
The detective waited.
Finally Nick whispered:
"A woman."
Valerie stared at him.
"What woman?"
"She asked me if I knew Thomas."
Valerie's stomach turned.
"Did you?"
"No."
"Then why did she ask?"
Nick's eyes filled with fear.
"She told me someone was trying to hurt him."
Harris sat back.
"When was this?"
"The night before I saw Thomas."
Valerie felt dizzy.
"Why would a stranger tell you that?"
Nick looked directly at her.
"Because she knew I would be there."
Silence.
The detective slowly closed the folder.
"You think somebody arranged for you to meet Thomas?"
Nick nodded.
"I think so."
Valerie stood.
"Who?"
Nick stared at her.
"I don't know."
Then his phone buzzed.
Everyone jumped.
Nick checked the screen.
There was a text from an unknown number.
Only five words.
YOU WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO SAVE HIM.
Nick dropped the phone.
Valerie picked it up.
Her hands trembled.
Harris read the message.
Then the phone buzzed again.
A photograph appeared.
It was Thomas.
Taken that morning.
He was asleep in Valerie's bedroom.
The photograph had been taken from inside the house.
Valerie couldn't breathe.
Someone had been watching them.
May you like
And they were still close.
Very close.
