Chapter 14 - The Fourth Envelope
I went alone because that was exactly what they wanted me to do.
The warehouse stood at the edge of the city.
One broken streetlight.
One open door.
No cars.
No cameras.
Or so it appeared.
I walked inside carrying the envelope.
“Gary?”
Silence.
Then a light switched on.
Gary stood twenty feet away.
He looked exhausted.
Older.
Smaller.
The man who had laughed at my consulting business was gone.
“You came.”
“Yes.”
“Where's Liam?”
“Not here.”
“You're lying.”
“Yes.”
He almost smiled.
“You really are your father's daughter.”
I held up the envelope.
“What happened that night?”
He looked at the floor.
“I didn't kill him.”
“Thomas says you did.”
“Thomas lies.”
“Your voice is on the recording.”
“I was there.”
“So was Mom.”
“Yes.”
“Who poisoned him?”
He looked at me.
“Your mother.”
My heart sank.
“Who finished it?”
He didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
“Gary.”
“She did not do it alone.”
“Who?”
His lips trembled.
“Evan.”
I stopped.
“No.”
“He was there.”
“No.”
“He helped her.”
“Why would he?”
“Because she told him your father was going to destroy all of you.”
I shook my head.
“He gave me the recording.”
“He gave you an edited recording.”
I thought about the missing six seconds.
Gary continued.
“Your brother was there when your father died.”
I felt sick.
“Then why protect me?”
“Because he regretted it.”
“Why didn't he tell me?”
“He was afraid.”
“Of Mom?”
“Yes.”
The warehouse lights flickered.
Gary looked toward the ceiling.
“She found us.”
“What?”
He looked at me.
“You were never supposed to come alone.”
Footsteps echoed behind me.
I turned.
Evan stood in the doorway.
My chest tightened.
“You.”
He looked devastated.
“Alina, listen.”
“You killed Dad.”
“No.”
“Gary says you did.”
“I was there.”
“That isn't the same thing.”
“I know.”
I stepped back.
“What did you do?”
Evan closed his eyes.
“I held him.”
My voice cracked.
“Why?”
“Because Mom told me he was going to kill you.”
My whole body went cold.
“What?”
“She said he had a gun.”
“He didn't.”
“I know that now.”
Gary interrupted.
“He knows what happened.”
Evan looked at me.
“Dad gave me the envelope.”
“The fourth?”
“Yes.”
“What's inside?”
Evan shook his head.
“Not documents.”
“What then?”
“A key.”
“To what?”
“The original Nexus server.”
I stared.
“Where is it?”
Evan pointed toward the back of the warehouse.
“Behind you.”
I turned.
A metal door stood hidden inside the wall.
The fourth envelope contained a physical key.
I opened it.
Inside was a small brass key.
A tag was attached.
ROOM 14
I looked at Gary.
“What is Room 14?”
He swallowed.
“The place where Nexus began.”
“Where?”
“Under your old family house.”
I stared at him.
Impossible.
The old house had been sold years ago.
Evan spoke.
“We never sold it.”
“What?”
“Mom bought it through another company.”
The warehouse lights suddenly went out.
A gunshot cracked through the darkness.
Gary fell.
Sarah screamed through the phone in my hand.
I hadn't called her.
The line was already open.
Someone had been listening.
Then a woman's voice came through the speaker.
May you like
My mother's.
“You should have stayed at Thanksgiving.”
