Chapter 13: The Friend Who Knew Too Much
Ryan stared at the security report for nearly a full minute.
Thomas.
The name sat on the screen like a wound reopening.
His best friend.
The man who had stood beside him at his father’s funeral.
The man who had brought food to our house.
The man who told Ryan, “Your father would want you to be strong.””
I remembered him holding Emily when she was a baby.
I remembered trusting him.
And now his name was connected to the night everything changed.
“No,” Ryan whispered.
I looked at him.
“Ryan.””
He shook his head.
“Thomas wouldn’t.””
The pain in his voice was different.
Because this wasn’t just betrayal.
It was the collapse of a memory.
People can prepare themselves for enemies.
But nobody prepares for someone they called family.
Ryan grabbed his phone.
“I’m calling him.””
I reached for his arm.
“Wait.””
He looked at me.
“Why?””
“Because if he’s involved, he won’t admit it.””
Ryan stared at the screen.
Then slowly lowered the phone.
“You’re right.””
That scared me.
Because it meant Ryan was finally seeing the pattern.
Everyone who had lied to us had depended on one thing.
Emotion.
They counted on love making us blind.
That afternoon, Ryan invited Thomas to the office.
But he didn’t tell him why.
We watched through the conference room window as Thomas walked in.
He looked exactly the same.
Confident.
Friendly.
Relaxed.
“Ryan.””
He smiled.
“Everything okay?””
Ryan sat across from him.
“I found something interesting.””
Thomas laughed.
“Should I be worried?””
Ryan placed the security report on the table.
Thomas looked down.
His smile disappeared.
Only for a second.
But it happened.
“What is this?””
Ryan leaned forward.
“A visitor log from the night my father died.””
Thomas picked up the paper.
“You think I had something to do with this?””
“I asked a question.””
Thomas put the paper down.
“I was there because your father called me.””
Ryan froze.
“You never told me that.””
Thomas looked uncomfortable.
“I didn’t think it mattered.””
“Why?””
Thomas looked away.
“Because I didn’t want to hurt you.””
The answer felt wrong.
Ryan’s voice hardened.
“Try again.””
Thomas sighed.
“Your father knew something was wrong.””
“With what?””
Thomas looked toward the window.
“With Mark.””
The room went quiet.
I stepped closer to the glass.
Ryan noticed.
“What did my father know?””
Thomas swallowed.
“He knew Mark was moving money.””
Ryan’s eyes narrowed.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
Thomas looked at him.
“Because your father asked me not to.””
That answer changed everything.
Ryan leaned back.
“My father trusted you.””
“Yes.””
“Then why did you help hide this?””
Thomas didn’t answer.
And that silence was the answer.
Ryan stood.
“You were protecting him.””
Thomas shook his head.
“No.””
“Then who?””
Thomas looked at me.
And I immediately felt something was wrong.
“Your wife.””
My stomach dropped.
Again.
Ryan’s expression changed.
“What?””
Thomas looked at me.
“Rachel was there too.””
The room went silent.
I felt like the air disappeared.
Ryan looked at me.
“You never told me.””
Because I hadn’t.
Not because I was guilty.
Because I had forgotten one detail.
A detail I never wanted to remember.
“I was there,” I whispered.
Ryan stared.
“What?””
“I came back that night.””
Thomas nodded.
“She was outside the house.””
Ryan looked at me.
“Why?””
I closed my eyes.
Because the truth was finally coming out.
“I saw something.””
“What?””
I looked at him.
“I saw your father arguing with Mark.””
Ryan waited.
“And?””
My voice shook.
“And I saw Thomas walk into the office after Mark left.””
Thomas became pale.
For the first time.
Truly pale.
Ryan slowly turned toward him.
“What did you do after you entered that room?””
Thomas didn’t answer.
Then his phone buzzed.
He looked at the screen.
And his face changed.
Ryan noticed.
“Who is it?””
Thomas locked the phone.
Nobody moved.
Then Ryan reached across the table.
“Give me the phone.””
Thomas refused.
May you like
And that was when we knew.
He was hiding something.
