Chapter 6: The Man Who Knew Max
I didn’t sleep that night.
I sat on my bedroom floor with Max lying beside me.
Just like he had years ago.
The only difference was that now he moved slower.
He rested his head on my leg.
And every few minutes, I checked the photo on my phone.
The stranger beside Dad.
The puppy version of Max.
The message.
Who was that man?
And why had Dad hidden him from me?
At 7:13 the next morning, another message arrived.
No greeting.
No explanation.
Just an address.
And one sentence.
*Come alone if you want the truth about your father.*
I should have deleted it.
I knew that.
Every warning sign in my head was screaming.
But I looked at Max.
Then at Dad’s letter.
And I grabbed my jacket.
My mother found me by the door.
“Where are you going?””
I froze.
For a moment, I considered lying.
Then I remembered what happened when everyone kept secrets.
“Someone contacted me.””
Her face changed instantly.
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
“Emily, don’t.””
The fear in her voice stopped me.
Not anger.
Fear.
“You know who it is.””
She looked away.
That was all the answer I needed.
“Mom.””
She sat down slowly.
“I hoped this day would never come.””
“What day?””
“The day you started asking questions.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“What aren’t you telling me?””
She covered her face.
“Your father wasn’t just trying to save Max.””
I waited.
“He was trying to protect him.””
“From what?””
She looked at me.
“I don’t know.””
“That’s not true.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I know your father was afraid.””
The words hit me.
Dad was many things.
Funny.
Stubborn.
Protective.
But afraid?
Never.
“What was he afraid of?””
My mother whispered:
“The people who wanted Max back.””
The room went silent.
I looked toward the hallway.
Max lifted his head.
“Who wanted him back?””
My mother didn’t answer.
Because my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, there was only breathing.
Then a man’s voice.
Older.
Calm.
Familiar.
“Emily Carter?””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“Who is this?””
A pause.
Then:
“My name is Daniel.””
I looked at the photo.
The stranger beside Dad.
“Are you the man from the picture?””
Silence.
Then:
“Yes.””
My heart started racing.
“Why do you have a picture of my father?””
The man took a breath.
“Because I was there the day he found Max.””
I looked at my mother.
She looked terrified.
“Why did you text me?””
Another pause.
Then his voice lowered.
“Because your father died before he could tell you the truth.””
I swallowed.
“What truth?””
The man answered:
“Max wasn’t abandoned.””
I closed my eyes.
I already knew those words.
But hearing them again made it worse.
“Then what happened?””
Daniel was quiet.
Long enough that I thought the call had dropped.
Then he said:
“Your father didn’t rescue Max.””
I froze.
“What?””
“He took him.””
My blood went cold.
“What are you talking about?””
Daniel whispered:
“Emily, your father spent the last years of his life protecting that dog.””
I looked at Max.
And for the first time, I wondered if the dog I had loved my entire life was carrying a story nobody had ever told me.
Daniel continued.
“But if your mother gave him away…”
His voice became serious.
“Then whoever your father was hiding Max from may know where he is now.””
The line went silent.
I stared at my phone.
“Wait.””
But Daniel had already hung up.
And behind me, Max suddenly stood.
Slowly.
Painfully.
Then he walked to the front door.
The same door he had waited by every day after Dad died.
May you like
And he started whining.
Like someone was standing outside.
