Chapter 8: The Man Who Knew My Father
Thomas Reed poured three cups of coffee.
My hands were too tense to hold one.
I stared at the photograph on the wall.
My father.
My mother.
A stranger.
A version of my family I had never known existed.
“Tell me everything,” I said.
Thomas looked at me carefully.
“Before I do, I need to know something.””
“What?””
“Did your mother send you here?””
I shook my head.
“She tried to hide this from me.””
Thomas nodded slowly.
“That sounds like Evelyn.””
The way he said my mother’s name bothered me.
Not with hatred.
With disappointment.
“What happened to my father?””
Thomas sat down.
“Your father discovered something.””
“Something about what?””
“Money.””
I frowned.
“Money?””
“He worked for a company that was moving illegal funds.””
My heart sank.
“My father was involved?””
“No.””
Thomas answered quickly.
“Your father tried to expose them.””
I sat back.
“Then why did he disappear?””
Thomas looked at the floor.
“Because people got scared.””
“Who?””
He looked directly at me.
“Your mother.””
I felt anger rise.
“My mother didn’t hurt him.””
Thomas didn’t respond.
That silence told me more than words.
“Say it.””
He sighed.
“Evelyn knew your father was in danger.””
My voice lowered.
“And?””
“She chose to protect herself.””
I stood.
“No.””
Thomas remained calm.
“You want to believe she was innocent because she raised you.””
I clenched my jaw.
“You don’t know her.””
“I knew her before you did.””
That hurt because it was true.
Thomas continued.
“Your father planned to leave the city. He had evidence.””
“What evidence?””
“A recording.””
My mind immediately went to the shed.
The recorder.
The hidden device.
“Another recording?””
Thomas nodded.
“Your father trusted recordings because he knew people could deny anything.””
Detective Harris leaned forward.
“Where is this evidence?””
Thomas looked uncomfortable.
“That’s the problem.””
“What?””
“It disappeared the same night your father did.””
I looked around the room.
“Then why contact me now?””
Thomas looked at me.
“Because two weeks ago, someone started searching my house.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who?””
“I never saw their face.””
Detective Harris wrote something down.
“But you knew they were looking for something.””
Thomas nodded.
“They asked about your father.””
A cold chill moved through me.
“Who knew about this?””
Thomas hesitated.
“Your mother.””
“And Daniel?””
His expression changed.
“I don’t know your brother.””
That answer bothered me.
Because Daniel had known enough to be involved.
On the drive back, I barely spoke.
When I returned to the hospital, Maya immediately noticed something was wrong.
“What did you find?””
I sat beside her.
“My father didn’t abandon us.””
Her eyes widened.
“What?””
“He was trying to protect us.””
I told her everything.
The photo.
Thomas.
The missing evidence.
When I finished, Maya looked troubled.
“Caleb.””
“What?””
“Your mother said something before she locked me up.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
“She said if I knew the truth, I would leave you.””
I frowned.
“Why would she think that?””
Maya hesitated.
“Because she said your father wasn’t the only person who kept secrets.””
The room went quiet.
“What secret?””
She looked at me.
“I don’t know.””
My phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number appeared.
*Stop asking questions about your father.*
I stared at the screen.
Then another message came.
*You don’t know what your wife found.*
I looked at Maya.
She was reading my face.
“What is it?””
I turned the phone toward her.
Her expression changed instantly.
Because beneath the message was a photo.
A photo of Maya.
May you like
Taken inside our house.
While she was alone.
