Chapter 9: The Person Ethan Trusted
The name belonged to a woman.
Rachel Miller.
I had never heard it before.
Not once.
Not during my marriage.
Not during all the years I knew Ethan.
Daniel searched through the file.
“She’s not a relative.””
“Then who is she?””
“I don’t know.””
I looked at the document again.
Ethan had added her himself.
That meant something.
Ethan was careful.
He didn’t trust easily.
Especially when it came to our children.
“Find her,” I said.
Daniel looked at me.
“Emma, before we do that, we need to be careful.””
“Careful?””
“Yes.””
“Daniel, my husband left a message saying someone knows why he died.””
His expression softened.
“I understand.””
“No, you don’t.””
I picked up the letter.
“I spent six months thinking I lost them because of an accident.””
My voice cracked.
“Now you’re telling me Ethan was afraid something else happened?””
Daniel didn’t argue.
Because he knew I was right.
By the afternoon, Daniel found an address.
Rachel lived forty minutes away.
I drove there alone.
I didn’t know if that was brave or stupid.
Maybe both.
The house was small.
Quiet.
A woman in her fifties answered the door.
She looked at me.
And immediately froze.
“You’re Emma.””
I stepped back.
“You know me?””
Her face turned pale.
“I was wondering when Ethan’s wife would come.””
My heart started beating faster.
“You knew my husband?””
Rachel looked around nervously.
“Not here.””
“Why?””
“Because people watch this house.””
The words sent a chill through me.
She opened the door wider.
“Come inside.””
Her living room was filled with boxes.
Documents.
Old photographs.
Research.
This wasn’t a casual friendship.
This was something bigger.
“How did you know Ethan?””
Rachel sat down.
“Your husband helped me.””
“With what?””
She looked at me.
“With finding the truth.””
I waited.
Rachel took a deep breath.
“Ethan discovered that someone was manipulating information connected to highway safety reports.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“It means accidents that should have been prevented were being ignored.””
My stomach turned.
“And the crash?””
Rachel looked away.
“I don’t know exactly what happened.””
“Then why did Ethan think something was wrong?””
“Because before he died, he found evidence.””
“What evidence?””
Rachel reached into a box.
She pulled out a small envelope.
My hands went cold.
“It was supposed to go to you if something happened.””
I stared at it.
“Why didn’t you send it?””
Rachel looked ashamed.
“Because I was scared.””
“Of what?””
She didn’t answer.
Instead, she said:
“Emma, your family is not the only reason Ethan was worried.””
My heart stopped.
“What does that mean?””
Rachel pushed the envelope toward me.
“Open it.””
Inside was a single photograph.
A car.
A dark-colored sedan.
Parked near Ethan’s office.
On the back was a date.
Three days before the crash.
And a handwritten note.
*Same vehicle. Different location.*
I looked at Rachel.
“Who was driving?””
She hesitated.
Then whispered:
“I don’t know.””
The room became silent.
Then her phone rang.
Rachel looked at the screen.
Her face changed instantly.
“What is it?””
She stood up.
“We need to leave.””
“Why?””
She showed me the screen.
A message.
From an unknown number.
May you like
Only four words.
*She knows too much.*
