Chapter 15 - The BetrayalEmergency lights flickered on.
The voice came again.
“Ryan.”
I turned.
Christopher was standing behind me.
His face was pale.
“Was that you?”
“No.”
He looked at Daniel.
“Was it you?”
“No.”
Sophia stepped backward.
Then a door slammed somewhere in the passage.
We ran toward it.
Nothing.
Only darkness.
Then my phone rang.
Mom.
I answered.
“Mom?”
Her voice was whispering.
“Don't trust Christopher.”
I looked up.
Christopher heard her.
“What happened?”
My mother said:
“He lied.”
“About what?”
“He knew your father was alive.”
Christopher closed his eyes.
I turned toward him.
“Chris?”
He didn't answer.
My mother's voice continued.
“He knew Claire was alive.”
I stared.
“What else?”
“He knew about Sophia.”
Silence.
“Chris…”
“I was trying to protect the trust.”
“You lied to me.”
“I followed Evelyn's instructions.”
“That's not an answer.”
He looked exhausted.
“Your grandmother didn't trust anyone.”
“She trusted you.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“She used me.”
My mother whispered:
“He also knew who stole the original ledger.”
I frowned.
“Who?”
“Your grandmother's lawyer.”
Christopher laughed bitterly.
“That lawyer was my father.”
I felt sick.
“What?”
“My father was the one who started the theft.”
“And you?”
“I spent twenty years fixing it.”
Then Mom screamed.
The call cut off.
I looked at the screen.
“Mom!”
No signal.
We ran back upstairs.
The police had arrived.
The house was empty.
No mother.
No Ben.
No sign of the man in the photographs.
Then Detective Harris found something in the kitchen.
A bloodstained handkerchief.
He bagged it.
“There’s something else.”
He held up a key.
A hotel keycard.
Room 914.
Sophia knew the hotel.
“That's where Michael used to stay.”
Daniel looked at me.
“We're going there.”
The hotel room was empty.
But the television was on.
A video was waiting.
Michael appeared on the screen.
“Ryan.”
I stepped closer.
“You don't know me.”
He smiled.
“I know exactly who you are.”
“What do you want?”
“Your signature.”
“For what?”
“The trust.”
“No.”
He laughed.
“Then your mother dies.”
My blood turned cold.
He leaned toward the camera.
“You have twelve hours.”
The screen changed.
A live image appeared.
My mother was tied to a chair.
Behind her was a wall covered with photographs.
Every photograph was of me.
Every stage of my life.
School.
Graduation.
Work.
My apartment.
My truck.
Even this morning.
Someone had been watching me for years.
Then Michael spoke.
“Bring me the real ledger.”
The video paused.
“Or your mother will disappear.”
Daniel stared at the screen.
Then whispered:
“He's bluffing.”
“How do you know?”
“Because if he wanted her dead…”
He looked at me.
“She'd already be dead.”
I swallowed.
“So what does he really want?”
May you like
Daniel answered:
“You.”
