Chapter 10: The Midnight Ultimatum
"Nobody leaves this house alone.""
Detective Bennett's voice cut through the hallway as she called for additional officers.
I held Sophie against my chest.
Her little fingers were tangled in my shirt, and her cheek was pressed against my shoulder.
"Daddy, is the bad man coming back?""
I kissed her hair.
"Not while I'm here.""
Detective Bennett approached us.
"Michael, I need you to listen carefully. We have reason to believe Daniel has been monitoring your movements. We need to move Sophie somewhere secure.""
"Then let's go.""
"Not yet. I want to know whether he has someone inside the house.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She was standing at the bedroom doorway, trembling.
"Michael, I didn't know he would threaten Sophie.""
I stared at her.
"You knew enough to keep giving me that medication.""
"I was scared!""
"So was our daughter.""
Vanessa lowered her head.
Detective Bennett interrupted.
"We'll deal with that later. Right now, I need everyone to stay together.""
An officer escorted Sophie downstairs while another checked the backyard.
I followed closely.
When we reached the living room, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
Detective Bennett gestured for me to answer on speaker.
"Hello?""
A familiar voice responded.
"Michael. It's Daniel.""
My stomach tightened.
"Where are you?""
He laughed softly.
"That's not important.""
"You threatened my daughter.""
"I warned you. There's a difference.""
I tightened my grip around the phone.
"If you come anywhere near her, I'll make sure you spend the rest of your life behind bars.""
"Still making threats from that wheelchair, Michael?""
I looked down at my legs.
"I'm not in the wheelchair anymore.""
Silence.
Then Daniel laughed.
"I know. That's the problem.""
Detective Bennett motioned for me to keep him talking.
"What do you want?""
"The original company documents. Your father's private records. Everything connected to the old warehouse accounts.""
"Why?""
"Because those records belong to me.""
I almost laughed.
"You've been stealing from my family, and now you want me to return the evidence?""
Daniel's voice became colder.
"Your father made a mistake. He trusted the wrong people. I helped correct that mistake.""
"By keeping me drugged?""
"By keeping you quiet.""
I looked at Sophie.
She was sitting beside the officer, holding her stuffed rabbit.
I lowered my voice.
"Leave my daughter out of this.""
"Then give me what I asked for.""
"Where?""
"Midnight. The old warehouse on Fulton Industrial Boulevard.""
Detective Bennett shook her head sharply.
I continued.
"And if I refuse?""
Daniel paused.
"Then the next photograph won't be taken through a window.""
The call ended.
I stared at my phone.
Detective Bennett immediately instructed her team to trace the number.
Then she turned toward me.
"We're not going to that warehouse.""
"He's threatening Sophie.""
"I understand. But we don't know how many people he's working with.""
I looked at the photograph again.
Daniel had taken it from somewhere close to our house.
Someone had been watching us.
Someone who knew when Sophie was upstairs.
I turned toward Vanessa.
"How did Daniel know about the warehouse documents?""
She looked confused.
"What?""
"The documents he wants. Where are they?""
Vanessa swallowed.
"Richard kept them.""
I turned toward the living room.
Richard was sitting between two officers.
"Where?""
He glared at Vanessa.
"Don't involve me.""
I stepped closer.
"You've already involved yourself.""
Richard sighed.
"Your father's old office. There's a locked cabinet behind the bookcase.""
"What's inside?""
"Original ledgers. Contracts. Transfer records.""
"Why does Daniel want them?""
Richard looked at me.
"Because they prove who ordered the money transfers.""
"Who?""
He looked toward Detective Bennett.
Then he lowered his voice.
"Your mother wasn't the only person involved.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Who else?""
Richard hesitated.
"Your father.""
I stared at him.
"You're lying.""
"Your father knew about the missing money. He discovered the transfers before he died.""
"Then why didn't he report them?""
Richard looked away.
"Because the person taking the money was someone he loved.""
Vanessa suddenly whispered:
"That's why he changed the trust.""
I looked at her.
"Who was it?""
Before anyone could answer, an officer hurried into the room.
"Detective, we found something outside.""
Bennett followed him toward the front door.
I went after her.
A small white envelope had been placed beneath the windshield wiper of my car.
Inside was a photograph.
It showed Sophie sitting in the kitchen earlier that morning.
On the back, someone had written:
*MIDNIGHT. NO POLICE.*
But the photograph wasn't what frightened me.
It was the reflection in the kitchen window.
A second person stood behind the photographer.
A woman.
I recognized her immediately.
My mother.
The woman in the photograph was wearing the same blue coat she had been buried in.
I stared at it, unable to breathe.
Then Richard spoke behind me.
"Michael, there's something I never told you about your mother's funeral.""
I turned.
May you like
He looked terrified.
"She wasn't supposed to be buried with that coat.""
