Chapter 6 - THE SECOND SECRETEveryone dropped.
The window shattered.
Glass flew across the room.
Zoe screamed.
Elena pulled us behind the kitchen counter.
My father hit the floor.
Another shot.
Then silence.
I held Zoe against my chest.
She was shaking uncontrollably.
“Mommy?”
“I'm here.”
Daniel crawled toward the wall.
“Everyone stay down.”
Elena whispered:
“They're trying to scare us.”
Daniel looked at her.
“No.”
He pointed toward the broken window.
“They're trying to kill someone.”
My heart pounded.
“Who?”
He looked at me.
“You.”
The police arrived twenty minutes later.
Apparently Daniel had called them before the shooting.
The investigation revealed something terrifying.
The bullet came from a nearby rooftop.
The shooter was gone.
But they found one thing behind the house.
A black envelope.
Inside was a single photograph.
It showed me leaving my parents' house earlier that night.
Someone had been watching.
On the back were six words.
YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED HOME.
My father stared at the photograph.
“This is about the trust.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
“Then what?”
Daniel looked at me.
“It's about what your mother knew.”
I felt sick.
“What did she know?”
He hesitated.
“She discovered that the trust was only one part of it.”
“What is the other part?”
Daniel lowered his voice.
“A second inheritance.”
My father cursed under his breath.
Elena went still.
Daniel continued.
“Your grandfather didn't put thirty-two million into a trust.”
He looked directly at me.
“He put over one hundred million dollars into various accounts.”
I stared.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know.”
My father laughed bitterly.
“You're still hiding things.”
Daniel looked at him.
“No. I'm trying to keep her alive.”
Police officers searched the house.
One officer found a hidden compartment beneath the floorboards.
Inside was a notebook.
My mother's handwriting.
I opened it.
Page after page contained names.
Bank accounts.
Dates.
Payments.
Officials.
Judges.
Police officers.
Then I saw my father's name.
Next to it was a number.
$4,800,000.
Below that:
Payment for custody.
My hands shook.
“What is this?”
My father didn't answer.
Another entry:
ELENA THREATENED.
Another:
DANIEL FRAMED.
Then, at the very bottom, there was one sentence.
If Clara ever discovers the truth, tell her the person she trusts most is the one who betrayed her.
I slowly raised my head.
Everyone was looking at each other.
“Who does this mean?”
Elena whispered:
“We need to find out before they do.”
Daniel reached for the notebook.
I pulled it away.
“No.”
He stopped.
“You've all lied to me.”
I stood.
“I'm taking this.”
Daniel nodded.
“Good.”
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed immediately.
“What?”
He listened.
Then looked at me.
“The bank just froze your trust.”
My heart dropped.
“Why?”
May you like
Daniel's voice was barely a whisper.
“Because someone filed a death certificate for you.”
