Chapter 17 - The Crash SiteDaniel arrived at the crash site just before midnight.
Snow covered the road.
The guardrail was still bent.
The tree still scarred.
Daniel stood where Rachel’s car had come to rest.
The memories returned.
Her last phone call.
Her voice.
The silence afterward.
Michael was nowhere.
Neither was Lily.
Marcus found a hidden compartment inside the damaged guardrail.
Inside was a metal box.
Daniel opened it.
There was one final letter from Rachel.
He unfolded it.
Daniel,
If you're reading this, then everything failed.
I wanted to tell you about Lily.
I wanted to tell you about your father.
I wanted to tell you the truth.
But every truth had a price.
Daniel’s hands trembled.
The people behind NorthStar are not after the money.
They are after the names.
The names of everyone who bought silence.
Daniel looked at Marcus.
Then continued.
The money is bait.
The evidence is the weapon.
The final paragraph was handwritten.
And Michael is not your enemy.
Daniel froze.
Marcus whispered:
“What?”
Daniel looked up.
Rachel had written another name beneath Michael’s.
Judge Jonathan Hale.
The head of the entire network.
The man believed to be dead.
Daniel realized the truth.
Michael had been trying to reach Lily because Hale had already found him.
A car appeared on the road.
Its lights cut through the snow.
Daniel raised his weapon.
The door opened.
Michael stepped out.
Lily was in his arms.
Daniel lowered his weapon.
“Put her down.”
Michael walked closer.
“Listen to me.”
“You killed Rachel.”
“No.”
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
“But I never killed her.”
Daniel stopped.
Michael’s eyes were wet.
“Rachel asked me to disappear.”
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
Daniel stared.
Michael handed Lily to him.
“She’s yours.”
Daniel took her.
“She’s always been yours.”
“Then why did you hunt us?”
“Because Hale was hunting you.”
Daniel frowned.
“You could have told me.”
“I tried.”
“When?”
“The black SUV.”
Daniel remembered.
Michael had been watching.
Trying to protect them.
Then Michael whispered:
“Hale is coming tonight.”
“What?”
“He found the evidence.”
A gunshot exploded.
Michael fell.
Daniel screamed.
“Michael!”
Marcus returned fire.
A figure disappeared into the trees.
Michael was bleeding badly.
He grabbed Daniel’s wrist.
“Take Lily.”
Daniel knelt.
“I’m not leaving you.”
Michael smiled faintly.
“You already lost one person you loved.”
He looked toward the road.
“Don’t lose two.”
Michael closed his eyes.
Daniel held Lily tighter.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A calm voice said:
“You have twenty minutes.”
Daniel recognized it.
Jonathan Hale.
“You killed my wife.”
“No.”
“You destroyed my family.”
“No.”
“You are going to die.”
A pause.
“No.”
The voice sounded almost amused.
“I’m going to offer you a choice.”
Daniel looked at Lily.
“What choice?”
“Your daughter…”
Another pause.
May you like
“…or the truth about Rachel.”
The line went dead.
