Chapter 10: The Brother’s Warning
The silence after the phone call felt heavier than anything I had ever experienced.
Laura stood in Emma’s doorway.
Her face had lost all color.
She had heard Michael’s voice.
She had heard the warning.
*Don’t trust Laura.*
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then Emma grabbed my hand.
“Daddy…”
I looked down at her.
She was trembling.
Not because she understood the words.
But because she understood the fear.
I pulled her close.
“It’s okay.””
But I didn’t believe myself.
Not anymore.
Because every time I thought I finally knew the truth, another secret appeared.
Laura slowly stepped into the room.
“Daniel.””
I looked at her.
“Did Michael tell the truth?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I don’t know.””
The answer hurt.
“You don’t know?””
She shook her head.
“I don’t know what Michael is capable of anymore.””
I looked at the photograph on Emma’s bed.
The message on the back.
*Find the person who killed her.*
My hands tightened around it.
“Someone is still watching us.””
Laura nodded.
“Yes.””
“Who?””
She looked terrified.
And that scared me more than anything.
“Daniel…”
“What?””
“I think Michael knows.””
The next morning, Detective Harris returned to the house.
I showed him the message.
I showed him the photograph.
And I told him about the call.
He listened quietly.
Then he asked the question I had been avoiding.
“Do you believe Michael is alive?””
I looked at the photograph.
The one showing him in our home.
“Yes.””
“Do you believe Laura is telling the truth?””
I looked at her.
She looked away.
That hesitation said everything.
“I don’t know.””
Detective Harris nodded.
“Good.””
I frowned.
“Good?””
“Yes.””
He placed a folder on the table.
“The worst thing you can do right now is trust someone completely.””
Inside were documents from the investigation.
Bank records.
Company files.
Old reports.
Then I saw a familiar name.
*Mercer Holdings.*
My father’s company.
“What is this?””
Detective Harris pointed at the documents.
“Your father created a private intelligence division.””
I stared.
“Why?””
“Information.””
I remembered Laura’s words.
He collected secrets.
“He monitored people.””
“Yes.””
“And Michael found out.””
Detective Harris nodded.
“But there’s something else.””
He pulled out another file.
“This was recovered from a hidden server.””
I opened it.
Inside were hundreds of videos.
Recorded conversations.
Private moments.
Families.
Employees.
Politicians.
Everyone.
My stomach turned.
Then I saw a folder.
*MERCER FAMILY.*
My fingers went cold.
I opened it.
There were videos of me.
Laura.
Emma.
Even before she was born.
Someone had been watching us for years.
Then I saw a final file.
Created one day before Laura’s accident.
I clicked it.
The screen showed Laura.
She was sitting in our kitchen.
Crying.
Talking to someone off-camera.
I leaned closer.
Her voice filled the room.
“If anything happens to me, Daniel cannot know.””
I froze.
Detective Harris looked at me.
The video continued.
Laura wiped her tears.
“Because if he knows, he’ll go after them.””
A man’s voice answered.
Michael.
“You still believe he can be protected?””
Laura looked down.
“He’s my husband.””
“And that’s why he’s vulnerable.””
The video ended.
I sat there unable to speak.
Because the recording proved something.
Laura had been hiding something from me.
But maybe she had been trying to protect me.
Or maybe…
She had been protecting herself.
I looked at her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Laura cried silently.
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
She whispered:
“Of what you would do if you knew.””
I stood up.
“Who were you talking about?””
Laura didn’t answer.
She didn’t need to.
Because the answer was already in my mind.
My father.
Michael.
Vanessa.
Everyone connected to the same secret.
Then Emma screamed.
From upstairs.
I ran.
Her bedroom door was open.
The window was broken.
And on the floor was Bunny.
But Emma was gone.
Again.
My heart stopped.
Then I saw the message written on the wall.
Not with paint.
Not with ink.
With something much older.
May you like
A sentence carved into the wood.
*COME FIND THE TRUTH.*
