Chapter 7 - THE MAN WHO CAME BACKDaniel Cross was alive.
Or someone wanted me to believe he was.
We drove to Robert's grave before sunrise.
Joselyn was there.
Alone.
At first.
Then a black sedan pulled up.
A man stepped out.
Older.
Gray at the temples.
Scar above his eyebrow.
Daniel Cross.
Sandra grabbed my arm.
"Frances, don't."
But I had spent nine years believing my husband died because of an accident.
I had spent weeks believing my daughter had married a man who wanted my money.
I had watched forged documents appear with my name on them.
Fear had already consumed too much of my life.
I walked toward him.
"Daniel."
He stared at me.
Then smiled sadly.
"I knew you'd come."
"You're supposed to be dead."
"I needed everyone to think that."
"Why?"
"Because Robert's enemies were still looking."
"Who killed him?"
Daniel looked toward the grave.
"Not who you think."
"Then tell me."
He shook his head.
"Not here."
He handed me a key.
Small.
Brass.
"What is this?"
"Storage facility."
"What's inside?"
"The truth."
He walked away.
I followed.
"Daniel!"
He stopped.
"Why did Robert trust you?"
He turned.
"Because I was the only person he knew who could disappear."
Then he got into the car and drove away.
We went to the storage facility.
Unit 314.
The key opened it.
Inside were boxes.
Dozens.
Photographs.
Contracts.
Bank statements.
Audio recordings.
And a video camera.
Sandra found a monitor.
We played the first recording.
Robert appeared on screen.
He looked tired.
Older than I remembered.
He was speaking directly into the camera.
"Frances, if you're watching this, I'm already gone."
My chest tightened.
"I need you to understand something."
Robert leaned closer.
"The person who destroys our family will not come from outside it."
The video cut.
Next recording.
Robert again.
"Joselyn is not guilty."
I looked at Sandra.
Then another recording.
"Derek is dangerous, but he is not the architect."
Another cut.
"The architect is someone you trust."
The screen went black.
Then one final file appeared.
No label.
I clicked it.
The video was from the night Robert died.
Security footage.
His office.
Vanessa entered.
Then Derek.
Then another person.
A woman.
I leaned closer.
The woman's face turned toward the camera.
I stopped breathing.
Sandra whispered:
"Frances..."
It was her.
Sandra.
My attorney.
The same woman I had trusted for years.
I turned slowly.
Sandra was standing behind me.
Her face was completely still.
"Tell me that isn't you."
She didn't answer.
"Tell me."
She closed her eyes.
"I can't."
My heart shattered.
"You knew."
"Not everything."
"You knew Derek?"
"I knew of him."
"You knew Vanessa?"
"Yes."
"You knew Robert was investigating them?"
"Yes."
"Then why did you help me?"
Her voice broke.
"Because Robert asked me to."
I stared.
"What?"
"Robert knew they were watching you."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because if you knew, they would know."
"You let me think you didn't understand what was happening."
"I had to."
"Why?"
She looked at the screen.
"Because there was someone inside your house."
I froze.
"What?"
"For years."
My voice became a whisper.
"Who?"
Sandra stared at me.
"Your daughter."
The words hit like a gunshot.
"No."
"Frances, listen to me."
"You said Joselyn wasn't guilty."
"I said she wasn't responsible."
"What's the difference?"
Sandra reached into her bag.
She pulled out an old photograph.
Joselyn.
At eighteen.
Standing beside a man.
The man was Derek.
Again.
I couldn't breathe.
"They knew each other before you met him," Sandra said.
"But why?"
"Because Robert asked Joselyn to infiltrate Meridian."
I stared at her.
"My daughter was working with my husband?"
"Yes."
"Then why did she lie?"
"Because she was trying to protect you."
"From what?"
Sandra looked toward the storage unit door.
"From the person who financed Meridian."
Footsteps echoed in the corridor.
Sandra's eyes widened.
"Someone followed us."
May you like
The footsteps stopped outside Unit 314.
Then the lock began to turn.
