Chapter 14: The Last Threat
"My mother.""
My hands wouldn't stop shaking.
Officer Martinez took my phone.
"Don't respond.""
"I need to call her.""
"You can. Use another phone.""
Richard handed me his.
I dialed from memory.
One ring.
Two.
Three.
"Hello?""
My knees weakened with relief.
"Mom.""
"Emily?""
"Are you home?""
A pause.
"Yes. Why are you calling from another number?""
"Lock the doors.""
"What?""
"Mom, please.""
My voice broke.
"Lock every door and don't open them for anyone.""
She heard the fear.
"Emily, what's wrong?""
"I'll explain. Just do it.""
I heard the deadbolt click.
Then another lock.
"Done.""
Officer Martinez quietly asked for the address.
I wrote it down.
She stepped away and contacted the local police department.
My mother kept talking.
"Are you hurt?""
I looked at the reflection of my bruised cheek in the dark boardroom window.
"I'm okay.""
It was a lie.
But I needed her calm.
"I need you to stay inside until an officer comes.""
"Emily—"
"Please.""
Silence.
Then she said, "Okay.""
I closed my eyes.
"Thank you.""
When I hung up, Richard was standing beside me.
"We'll get you somewhere safe.""
"Who sent it?""
Laura was already working.
"Could be Martin.""
"No," Michael said.
Everyone turned.
"He was in this room when the photograph of Emily's apartment was taken.""
"Someone working for him," Charles suggested.
Michael shook his head.
"Maybe.""
Diane's voice suddenly came from the doorway.
"Or Kevin.""
Two officers escorted her back inside.
Kevin went pale.
"What?""
She smiled.
"Nobody's looked at him since we arrived.""
Every head turned.
Kevin stepped backward.
"I came here with everyone else.""
Marcus frowned.
"Actually, no.""
"What?""
"You said you were getting your jacket.""
Kevin's eyes shifted.
"You arrived ten minutes after us.""
Richard stared at him.
"Where were you?""
"At the restaurant.""
"Doing what?""
"Closing the office.""
Officer Martinez approached.
"Give me your phone.""
Kevin hesitated.
That was all it took.
"Phone. Now.""
He handed it over.
She checked the recent activity.
Then looked at him.
"Where's your other phone?""
His face went blank.
"I don't have one.""
Diane laughed.
"Terrible liar.""
Kevin turned toward her.
"Shut up.""
Officer Martinez said, "What other phone?""
Diane smiled.
"The one Martin gave him.""
Kevin's face collapsed.
Marcus whispered, "You were still working for Martin?""
"No.""
"Then why do you have his phone?""
"It's not like that.""
I almost screamed.
"Stop saying that!""
Everyone looked at me.
I stepped toward Kevin.
"All night, every time something terrible comes out, you tell us it's not what it looks like.""
My voice shook.
"So tell us what it is.""
Kevin stared at me.
Then he sat down.
"I was supposed to report what happened.""
"To Martin?""
"Yes.""
Richard's jaw tightened.
"From the beginning?""
"No.""
"When?""
Kevin looked at my bruised cheek.
"After Diane hit you.""
I felt sick.
"You texted him?""
"He told me to contain the situation.""
"Meaning?""
"Keep police out. Get you to apologize. Send you home.""
Marcus swore under his breath.
"And when I refused?""
Kevin closed his eyes.
"Martin told me your termination had already been prepared.""
Richard stepped forward.
"So you knew.""
"Not until then.""
"Where is the phone?""
Kevin pointed toward his bag.
An officer retrieved a small black device.
Officer Martinez opened it.
Messages filled the screen.
She scrolled.
Then stopped.
"This phone sent the threat to Emily.""
I stared at Kevin.
He shot upright.
"No!""
"The message is here.""
"I didn't send it.""
"It's in your sent folder.""
"I swear!""
Officer Martinez showed him.
Kevin's face went white.
"Someone used it.""
Diane laughed.
"Convenient.""
Kevin looked around desperately.
"The phone was in my office before we left.""
Marcus frowned.
"The office where the stolen laptop was found.""
"Yes.""
Michael stepped closer.
"Then Daniel may have seen it.""
Richard looked toward him.
"Call your son.""
Michael did.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then Laura's laptop chimed.
An incoming video call.
No caller ID.
She looked at Richard.
He nodded.
She answered.
Daniel appeared.
He was sitting in what looked like an interview room.
"Before anyone asks, no, I didn't threaten Emily.""
Officer Martinez stepped closer.
"How did you know about the threat?""
Daniel looked directly into the camera.
"Because whoever sent it also sent me something.""
He held up his phone.
A photograph.
My mother standing at her kitchen window.
My stomach dropped.
"When was that taken?""
"Six minutes ago.""
Officer Martinez immediately radioed the officers heading toward my mother's house.
Daniel continued.
"The sender included coordinates.""
"Why send it to you?"" Michael asked.
"Because they want a trade.""
"What trade?""
"The Mercer originals.""
Richard frowned.
"Martin?""
Daniel shook his head.
"Not Martin.""
"Then who?""
Daniel turned his phone toward the camera.
The message read:
BRING THE ORIGINAL RECORDING OR THE WAITRESS LOSES HER MOTHER.
Beneath it was a name.
Not M.
Not Martin.
A name we'd already seen tonight.
One that had been sitting in front of us almost the entire time.
Daniel said it aloud.
"Diane Whitmore.""
Everyone turned toward her.
Diane stared at the screen.
Then she started laughing.
"That isn't me.""
Michael's face hardened.
"No.""
He stepped toward her.
"She's telling the truth.""
Charles frowned.
"How can you possibly know?""
Michael stared at the message.
"Because Diane never used that surname with me.""
"What?""
"Every secret message she ever sent was signed Diane Hale.""
Richard went still.
Diane looked away.
Michael continued.
"Whoever sent this copied the name from public records.""
Officer Martinez's radio crackled.
A voice came through.
"Units reached the mother's residence.""
I stopped breathing.
"She's safe. Repeat, she's safe.""
My knees nearly buckled.
Then the officer continued.
"But we found someone outside the property.""
Officer Martinez grabbed the radio.
"Who?""
A pause.
"Male. Sixties. Vehicle registered in New York.""
Another pause.
Then:
"Driver's license identifies him as Arthur Hale.""
Richard's face went completely blank.
Charles whispered, "That's impossible.""
May you like
Michael stared at the radio.
Because Arthur Hale had supposedly died eight years ago.
