Chapter 6: The Man Who Was Watching My Daughter
Marcus was already shouting instructions into his radio when I climbed into the SUV.
"All units, emergency response. Cross residence. Possible intruder.
Protect Mrs. Cross and the child.""
I sat beside him.
"How long?""
"Seven minutes, sir.""
"Make it five.""
He accelerated.
Behind us, two security vehicles followed.
I called Victoria again.
"Are you still inside?""
"Yes. Emily and I are in the downstairs storage room.""
"Keep the door locked.""
"Alexander, there's someone trying the back entrance.""
I gripped the phone.
"Do not open it.""
"I won't.""
Then I heard a loud bang.
Victoria gasped.
"Alexander!""
"What happened?""
"Someone hit the door.""
I could hear Emily crying.
"Daddy, I'm scared!""
I closed my eyes for one second.
"Sweetheart, remember what we practiced? Stay close to Mommy. You're both safe. Daddy is coming.""
Another bang.
Then silence.
Marcus glanced at me.
"Sir, we're almost there.""
The next three minutes felt like three hours.
When we finally turned onto our street, I saw two of our security vehicles blocking the driveway.
A man in a dark jacket was running toward the side fence.
"THERE!"" Marcus shouted.
Our security team moved immediately.
The man tried to climb the fence, but two officers caught him before he reached the other side.
I jumped out and ran toward the house.
"Victoria!""
The front door was open.
I rushed inside.
"Emily!""
A small voice answered from the hallway.
"Daddy!""
She came running toward me, using her remaining strength to move as quickly as she could with her damaged prosthesis.
I dropped to my knees and caught her.
Victoria followed, trembling.
I held them both.
"Are you hurt?""
Victoria shook her head.
"No. We heard the door, and then he went around the house.""
I kissed Emily's forehead.
"You're safe now.""
She buried her face in my chest.
"I thought he was going to take me.""
I held her tighter.
"Nobody is taking you anywhere.""
Marcus appeared at the doorway.
"Sir, we caught him.""
I stood.
"Bring him inside.""
A few minutes later, two security officers escorted the man into the living room.
He was perhaps twenty-five years old, with a shaved head and a black crow embroidered on his jacket.
A small camera hung around his neck.
I stepped toward him.
"Who sent you?""
He looked at the floor.
"Nobody.""
I pointed toward the photograph on Marcus's phone.
"Then why were you watching my daughter?""
The man shrugged.
"Wrong place, wrong time.""
Marcus placed a plastic evidence bag on the table.
Inside was the envelope we'd found at the gate.
"Sir, we recovered this from the suspect's backpack.""
I opened it.
There was a photograph of Emily at school.
Another showed Victoria entering the hospital.
The third was a picture of my house taken from across the street.
On the back of the last photograph were four handwritten words.
*THE NEXT WARNING WON'T MISS.*
Victoria covered her mouth.
Emily began crying again.
I immediately turned the photographs facedown.
"Take her upstairs," I told Victoria gently.
She nodded and led Emily away.
Once they were gone, I looked at the man.
"What's your name?""
"Jason.""
"Who hired you, Jason?""
He shook his head.
"I don't know.""
"Who pays you?""
"An agency.""
"What agency?""
"Northstar.""
I exchanged a glance with Marcus.
"Who gave you the assignment?""
Jason hesitated.
Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded receipt.
The payment had been made through a business account.
The name on the receipt was Northstar Student Services.
But the contact number belonged to a phone registered under a different company.
I recognized the name.
Whitmore Consulting.
I looked at Jason.
"Did Richard Whitmore hire you?""
He shook his head quickly.
"No. I never met him.""
"Then who?""
Jason looked toward the staircase.
"Your brother.""
My stomach tightened.
"Daniel?""
He nodded.
"Daniel Cross paid the agency.""
I stepped closer.
"Why?""
Jason looked genuinely frightened now.
"He said we were supposed to watch the house. Nothing more.""
"Then why were you carrying a threatening message?""
"I was told to leave it at the gate.""
"By whom?""
He hesitated.
"Someone named Grant.""
Marcus immediately took out his phone.
"Grant who?""
Jason shook his head.
"I don't know his last name.""
"Where can we find him?""
Jason gave us an address.
It was an office building in downtown Dallas.
I recognized it.
Northstar Student Services occupied the seventh floor.
Marcus looked at me.
"Sir, should I contact the police?""
"Already done.""
I turned back to Jason.
"You're going to explain everything to them.""
He nodded.
But before the officers arrived, my phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
"Why did you send someone to my house?""
His voice sounded desperate.
"Alexander, listen to me.""
"That man was photographing my wife and daughter.""
"I didn't authorize that.""
"His payment came from your account!""
Daniel was silent.
Then he said something that made me stop breathing.
"I know. That's why I'm calling.""
"What?""
"Someone used my authorization to send those people.""
"Who?""
Daniel took a shaky breath.
"I went back through the records. The Northstar payments weren't approved by me alone.""
"Who else approved them?""
"I found a second authorization.""
"Whose?""
He whispered a name.
"Your father's.""
I stared at the phone.
"My father has been dead for three years.""
"I know.""
"Then how could he authorize anything?""
Daniel's voice cracked.
"Because the signature was added to the documents before he died.""
I looked toward the evidence bag.
"What documents?""
"The original Northstar agreement. Alexander, I found it in Father's private archive. He signed it himself.""
My mind raced.
"Why would Dad hire an organization that threatens children?""
"He didn't hire them to threaten children.""
"Then what did he hire them to do?""
Daniel paused.
"To investigate Richard Whitmore.""
I gripped the phone.
"What?""
"Father knew Richard was stealing from the foundation. He suspected someone inside our family was helping him.""
I felt the room tilt.
"Who?""
Daniel's answer came quietly.
"Father believed it was you.""
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Then Daniel continued.
"There's a recording in Father's archive. He left it for us. He said that if anything happened to the foundation, we had to listen to it together.""
"Where is it?""
"In the archive room beneath the old family estate.""
I looked toward Marcus.
He understood immediately.
"Sir, I'll prepare the vehicle.""
I turned back to the phone.
"Daniel, don't touch anything. Don't go anywhere.""
"I won't.""
Then he added:
"Alexander, there's one more thing.""
"What?""
"The recording isn't just about Richard.""
I waited.
Daniel's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Father mentions Emily's mother. He says Victoria knows why the accident happened.""
I felt my blood turn cold.
My wife had been driving that afternoon.
Our daughter had lost her leg.
For two years, I'd believed a truck driver running a red light was responsible.
Now my dead father's final recording might connect that accident to the same people who had been targeting my family.
I looked upstairs, where Emily was resting beside her mother.
Then I spoke into the phone.
"Daniel, we're going to that archive tonight.""
His response was almost inaudible.
May you like
"Alexander... I don't think you'll want to hear what Father left behind.""
And then the call ended.
