Chapter 12: The Last Person I Trusted
I found Elena’s car abandoned three miles from the property.
The driver’s door was open.
The engine was still warm.
She had left in a hurry.
Or someone had made her leave.
Either possibility terrified me.
Detective Reynolds stood beside the vehicle, examining the ground.
“She wasn’t alone.””
I looked down.
Footprints.
Two sets.
“Marcus?””
The detective shook his head.
“No.””
“Then who?””
He didn’t answer.
That was becoming a habit I hated.
Back at the station, everything changed.
The investigation was no longer about finding Marcus.
It was about understanding the people around him.
My father.
My sister.
Everyone I trusted.
A detective brought in new evidence from Elena’s house.
A hidden journal.
Found behind the wall.
The handwriting belonged to Elena.
I opened it slowly.
The first page had a date.
Three years before Leo disappeared.
*I know what they are doing now.*
My heart sank.
I kept reading.
*I thought I could stop Marcus and Dad before anyone got hurt. I was wrong.*
The next pages were worse.
Elena had known about the organization.
She had known about the missing children.
But she had also been trying to expose it.
She wasn’t innocent.
But she wasn’t the monster I thought she was.
She was trapped.
Then I reached the final entry.
The last page.
*If Daniel finds this, it means Marcus failed. It means Leo is safe. But Daniel still doesn’t know the biggest truth.*
My hands trembled.
Below it was one sentence.
*Leo was never chosen by accident.*
I closed the journal.
No.
I couldn’t accept that.
I found Detective Reynolds.
“What does this mean?””
He read the page.
His expression changed.
“We need to talk to Leo.””
“No.””
“He may know something.””
“He’s been through enough.””
The detective nodded.
“But he may be the only person who knows why Marcus chose him.””
I hated that he was right.
That evening, I sat beside Leo.
He looked healthier.
But older.
Fourteen months had changed him.
“Buddy?””
He looked at me.
“Yes?””
“I need to ask you something.””
He nodded.
“About Marcus?””
“Yes.””
His face became serious.
“Okay.””
“Why did Marcus take you?””
Leo looked down.
“I don’t know.””
“Think carefully.””
He was quiet for a long time.
Then he whispered:
“He said my family had something he needed.””
My heart tightened.
“What something?””
Leo shook his head.
“I don’t know.””
“Did he mention Grandpa?””
Leo froze.
A reaction.
Small.
But I saw it.
“What?””
He looked scared.
“Grandpa came there.””
My breathing stopped.
“When?””
“When Marcus was angry.””
“What did Grandpa do?””
Leo’s eyes filled with tears.
“He told Marcus to let me go.””
I leaned forward.
“Then why didn’t he?””
Leo whispered:
“Because Marcus said it was too late.””
“Too late for what?””
Leo looked at me.
And said the words that changed everything.
“Because Grandpa said you already knew.””
I felt cold.
“Knew what?””
Leo reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small folded piece of paper.
“I found this under the bed.””
My hands shook as I opened it.
It wasn’t a note from Marcus.
It wasn’t from Elena.
It was from my father.
Only four words were written.
*Ask your mother why.*
I stared.
My mother.
A woman who had died when I was twelve.
A woman who had nothing to do with any of this.
Or so I thought.
Then Detective Reynolds rushed into the room.
“Daniel.””
I looked up.
“What?””
His face was pale.
“We found Elena.””
I stood immediately.
“Where?””
He hesitated.
“She’s at the old Carter family home.””
My heart stopped.
“That house has been empty for years.””
“I know.””
“Then why is she there?””
The detective looked at me.
“Because someone was waiting for her.””
“Who?””
He took a breath.
“Your mother.””
May you like
I froze.
Because my mother had been dead for twenty-six years.
