Chapter 6 - THE SECRET JOSelyn KEPTThe blood in Derek's SUV was his.
That much the police could confirm.
But Derek was gone.
No body.
No witnesses.
No explanation.
News outlets picked up the story within hours.
Businessman missing after suspicious vehicle discovery.
Possible abduction.
Possible homicide.
The name Derek Hale was suddenly everywhere.
Joselyn's name appeared too.
My daughter was still missing.
But I had stopped believing she was simply a frightened woman caught in a bad marriage.
She knew something.
Something enormous.
And she had been keeping it from me.
Sandra and I spent the morning searching Robert's files again.
This time we found a hidden folder.
Inside was a transcript of an interview.
The interview was with Joselyn.
She was eighteen.
The date was nine years ago.
Before Robert's death.
I read the first line.
Question: Did anyone ask you to transfer documents from your father's office?
Joselyn had answered:
No.
Next question.
Did Vanessa Cole ever contact you?
Answer:
No.
Then:
Did you tell your father about Derek Hale?
Answer:
I don't know who Derek Hale is.
Nine years earlier.
She had never met him.
But Robert had asked about him.
Why?
The transcript continued.
Question: Do you know what Project Meridian is?
Answer:
No.
I frowned.
Why would Robert interview his own daughter about something she supposedly knew nothing about?
Then I found a second transcript.
This one was from two days before his death.
Same questions.
Different answers.
Did Vanessa contact you?
Yes.
Did you transfer documents?
Yes.
Did Derek Hale ask you to do this?
Yes.
I stopped.
The final line was blacked out.
Someone had tried to erase it.
But the pressure of the writing remained.
I held the paper under the desk lamp.
Words slowly became visible.
Did your father know?
The answer was still readable.
He knew everything.
I put the page down.
Sandra stared at me.
"Frances..."
"She lied to me."
"Maybe she was protecting you."
"She let me believe her father died without knowing why."
"Maybe she was afraid."
"She knew Derek before Derek met her."
Sandra shook her head.
"No. That's not what this says."
"What does it say?"
"That someone wanted you to believe Joselyn was involved."
I looked at her.
"What are you saying?"
"Look at the dates."
I did.
The interview was not conducted by police.
It had been conducted by a private investigator.
Robert had hired someone.
And the investigator was the same man whose voice had called me.
The man who claimed to be Robert's friend.
His name was Daniel Cross.
Sandra recognized him.
"He worked with Robert."
"On Meridian?"
"Yes."
"Where is he now?"
She looked at the file.
"Dead."
My stomach tightened.
"Dead?"
"Three years ago."
I stared at her.
Then laughed softly.
"Great."
"What?"
"Everyone connected to Robert is either dead, missing, or lying."
That evening, Joselyn called.
I answered immediately.
"Where are you?"
"I can't stay here."
"Where?"
She whispered:
"Mom, I need you to listen carefully."
"I'm listening."
"Derek didn't start this."
My body went cold.
"What?"
"He was working for someone else."
"Who?"
"I don't know his name."
"You must know something."
"He called her."
"Who?"
Joselyn hesitated.
"Vanessa."
I closed my eyes.
"Where is she?"
"I don't know."
"Then why are you calling me?"
"Because I found Dad's final message."
"What message?"
"He left it for you."
My heart stopped.
"Where?"
"Inside the company."
"What does it say?"
She started crying.
"It says you must never trust the person who tells you Derek is dead."
A door slammed in the background.
Joselyn gasped.
"Mom."
"Joselyn?"
"I have to go."
"Who's there?"
She whispered:
"Someone who should be dead."
Then the call ended.
I stood motionless.
Sandra looked at me.
"Who?"
I swallowed.
"I don't know."
My phone vibrated.
A photograph arrived.
Joselyn.
Standing beside a grave.
The grave belonged to Robert Weber.
But someone was standing behind her.
A man.
I zoomed in.
My breath caught.
May you like
It was Daniel Cross.
The man who was supposed to be dead.
