Chapter 13 - The BetrayalThe farmhouse had been empty.
At least officially.
Marcus searched every room.
No one.
But on the kitchen table was a fresh cup of coffee.
Still warm.
Someone had been there minutes ago.
Daniel looked at Maya.
“Who knew we were coming?”
“Nobody.”
“Someone did.”
Marcus checked his phone.
Then frowned.
“My location was shared.”
“With whom?”
“I don’t know.”
He examined the device.
A tracking app was installed.
Daniel looked at Maya.
“Could you have been tracked?”
“Yes.”
“Could Emma?”
“Maybe.”
Marcus went silent.
Then he whispered:
“Daniel.”
“What?”
“The tracking software came from your home network.”
Daniel felt a chill.
Someone had access to his house.
Not an outsider.
Someone had been inside his system.
The next morning, Daniel returned home.
He checked every room.
Nothing looked disturbed.
Then Emma pointed to the bookshelf.
“Daddy.”
There was a photograph missing.
Rachel’s wedding photograph.
Daniel searched.
Behind the empty frame was another note.
YOU’RE LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE.
Marcus came closer.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel stared at the wall.
Then he remembered something.
Rachel had always hidden things in books.
He pulled out an old dictionary.
Nothing.
Another book.
Nothing.
Then one of Emma’s storybooks.
A tiny key fell out.
Marcus looked at it.
“Storage unit?”
Daniel nodded.
They drove to the storage facility.
Unit 314.
Inside was a single metal cabinet.
The key fit.
Inside was a laptop.
Old.
Encrypted.
Daniel turned it on.
One folder appeared.
FOR DANIEL ONLY.
He opened it.
A video.
Rachel.
Again.
But this time she looked terrified.
“Daniel, if you're seeing this, you need to understand that someone close to us betrayed me.”
Daniel leaned closer.
Rachel continued.
“I thought it was Michael.”
She paused.
“I was wrong.”
Daniel’s chest tightened.
“The person helping NorthStar is someone you have known for years.”
The screen flickered.
Rachel whispered the name.
“Marcus.”
Daniel turned.
Marcus was standing behind him.
Silence.
Daniel slowly stood.
“Is this true?”
Marcus looked devastated.
“I can explain.”
Daniel reached for the laptop.
“What did you do?”
“I protected Rachel.”
“You worked for NorthStar?”
“No.”
“Then why does she blame you?”
Marcus swallowed.
“Because I made a deal.”
“What deal?”
“To keep you alive.”
Daniel stared.
Marcus continued.
“Rachel discovered who was behind the operation.”
“Who?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“You have to.”
Marcus shook his head.
“Because that person owns the police.”
Daniel’s anger rose.
“Then why did you stay silent?”
Marcus looked at him.
“Because three years ago, I was given a choice.”
“What choice?”
“Save you.”
He pointed toward the door.
“Or save Rachel.”
Daniel froze.
“You chose me?”
Marcus nodded.
“Rachel knew she was going to die.”
Daniel’s voice broke.
“You let her?”
“She ordered me to.”
Silence.
Marcus looked down.
“She told me that if I tried to stop it, they would kill you, Emma, Maya, and Lily.”
Daniel shook his head.
“She sacrificed herself.”
“Yes.”
“And you let me believe it was an accident.”
“Yes.”
Daniel turned away.
Then the laptop beeped.
A new file had appeared.
Someone had remotely accessed it.
A message flashed across the screen.
MARCUS IS TELLING YOU HALF THE TRUTH.
Then:
ASK HIM ABOUT THE NIGHT YOUR FATHER DIED.
Daniel slowly turned back.
“Marcus.”
Marcus’s face changed.
“What happened to my father?”
Marcus closed his eyes.
May you like
Then whispered:
“I killed him.”
