Chapter 8: The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Dad drove faster than I'd ever seen him drive.
Margaret sat in the passenger seat, calling the police every few minutes. Ethan and I sat in the back.
I kept looking at the photograph of Victor Hayes.
He had been at my mother's funeral.
I remembered him placing a hand on Dad's shoulder and saying, "Isabelle was a wonderful woman.""
He'd even given me a small silver bracelet.
I had worn it for years.
Now I wondered whether every kind gesture had been part of a lie.
"Dad?"" I asked.
"Yes, sweetheart?""
"Did you know Victor very well?""
Dad tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
"He helped me build my business. We were partners for almost twelve years.""
"Why did you stop working together?""
"After your mother died, he sold his shares and disappeared overseas.""
"Did Mom know him?""
Dad nodded.
"She trusted him at first. But near the end, she started saying he was meeting Daniel behind my back.""
Ethan looked up.
"Is Victor the bad man?""
Dad glanced at him in the mirror.
"I don't know, buddy.""
I stared out the window.
"Why would Mom record him?""
Margaret turned around.
"Because she probably knew the recordings would be important if something happened.""
A few minutes later, we reached the storage facility.
It was surrounded by a tall metal fence. A security guard stood beside the entrance.
Margaret showed him her identification.
"We need access to Unit 19.""
The guard checked his computer.
"That unit was accessed this morning.""
"By whom?""
He examined the screen.
"Victor Hayes.""
Dad's face tightened.
"When?""
"About twenty minutes ago.""
"Is he still inside?""
The guard shook his head.
"He left in a black SUV.""
Margaret called Officer Harris again.
This time, he answered immediately.
"We're sending officers.""
Dad stepped forward.
"Open the gate.""
The guard hesitated.
"Sir, I need authorization.""
Margaret showed him the police incident number.
He finally opened it.
We followed him down a narrow corridor lined with metal doors.
Unit 19 stood at the very end.
The lock had been cut.
Inside, cardboard boxes were scattered across the floor. A desk lamp lay broken beside a metal filing cabinet.
Someone had searched the room.
Dad stepped inside.
"Look for anything that belongs to Isabelle.""
I examined the shelves.
Most were empty.
But beneath a torn cardboard box, I found a small red notebook.
My mother's handwriting covered the first page.
I opened it.
There were dates, account numbers, and names.
Then I found an entry that made my hands shake.
October 12. Victor confirmed Daniel is planning to interfere with the car. He says he can stop him, but I no longer know whom to trust.
I showed Dad.
He read the sentence twice.
"Interfere with the car?""
Margaret took the notebook.
"There's more.""
She turned the page.
If I don't make it home tomorrow, Richard must know the truth about the accident. I did not lose control of the vehicle.
I felt tears sting my eyes.
"She knew.""
Dad leaned against the metal shelf.
"She knew they were going to hurt her.""
Margaret continued reading.
The next entry was dated October 13.
Victor called this morning. He says Daniel has changed the plan. I must leave immediately.
Below it was a final sentence.
If Victor is telling the truth, he may be the only person who can save me.
Dad stared at the notebook.
"Why would Victor help her and then disappear?""
A voice came from the entrance.
"Because he didn't disappear.""
We all turned.
A tall man stood in the doorway.
His hair was mostly gray now, and a deep scar ran from his left temple toward his cheek.
But I recognized him.
Victor Hayes.
Dad stepped in front of me.
"You.""
Victor raised both hands.
"Richard, I can explain.""
"You were with Daniel.""
"I was pretending to be.""
Dad laughed bitterly.
"Do you expect me to believe that?""
Victor looked at the notebook in Margaret's hands.
"You found Isabelle's journal.""
"Did you know she was going to die?"" Dad demanded.
Victor lowered his eyes.
"I knew Daniel was planning something. I didn't know how far he'd go.""
"Then why didn't you call me?""
"Because your phone was being monitored.""
Dad shook his head.
"You're lying.""
Victor stepped forward.
"Listen to me. Isabelle contacted me the morning of the accident. She said Daniel had tampered with her car and she needed help getting to the police.""
My chest tightened.
"What happened?""
Victor looked directly at me.
"She never reached the station.""
Dad grabbed his shirt.
"What did you do?""
"I followed her.""
"Then why didn't you stop the accident?""
Victor's eyes filled with tears.
"Because I wasn't following her alone.""
He pulled a photograph from his jacket.
It showed two vehicles on a dark road.
One was my mother's car.
The other was a black SUV.
Victor pointed at the SUV.
"Daniel was driving this.""
Dad released his shirt.
"Where did you get that?""
"From the original security camera footage.""
Margaret examined the photograph.
"Is the footage still available?""
Victor nodded.
"There's a backup.""
"Where?""
Victor looked toward the broken filing cabinet.
"Somewhere Daniel hasn't found.""
Suddenly, the sound of an engine echoed outside.
Victor's expression changed.
"Get down!""
He shoved the door shut.
A black SUV sped past the entrance.
I recognized the driver.
Daniel.
And he wasn't alone.
May you like
The passenger turned toward the building.
Nicole.
