Chapter 9: The Man Who Knew Too Much
I didn’t go to the address alone.
I didn’t tell Vanessa.
I didn’t tell my mother.
I waited until midnight.
Then I drove.
Not because I trusted Thomas.
I didn’t.
But because I needed answers.
Too many people had spent years deciding what I should know.
I was done being protected.
The address led me to an old office building on the edge of town.
The place looked abandoned.
The parking lot was empty.
The lights inside were off.
For a moment, I wondered if this was a mistake.
Then my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
Thomas.
Third floor.
I walked inside.
Every step echoed.
The elevator didn’t work, so I took the stairs.
When I reached the third floor, a door opened.
A man stood there.
Older.
Tired.
But exactly how I remembered him.
“Daniel.””
I stopped.
“Thomas.””
He looked at me.
“You look like your father.””
I hated hearing that.
“What happened to him?””
Thomas looked away.
“You really don’t know.””
“No.””
He sighed.
“Then Emily was right.””
I stepped closer.
“What does my wife have to do with this?””
Thomas looked at me sadly.
“Everything.””
I felt my anger rise.
“Stop speaking in riddles.””
He nodded.
“You deserve that.””
He walked into the office.
I followed.
Old papers covered the desk.
Folders.
Documents.
Photographs.
My eyes immediately landed on one picture.
My father.
Standing beside Thomas.
And another person.
My mother.
I picked it up.
“What is this?””
Thomas looked at the photo.
“That was taken two months before your father died.””
“So?””
Thomas looked at me.
“Your mother wasn’t supposed to be there.””
I frowned.
“She was his wife.””
“No.””
His voice became quiet.
“She was supposed to be nowhere near that meeting.””
I looked at him.
“What meeting?””
“The one where your father planned to expose someone.””
“Who?””
Thomas didn’t answer.
Instead, he opened a folder.
Inside were financial records.
The same kind Emily had been investigating.
“This is why she started asking questions.””
I looked through the documents.
Names.
Numbers.
Transfers.
Then I saw something.
A signature.
My mother’s.
I froze.
“No.””
Thomas watched me.
“Your father discovered money was being moved out of the company.””
“By my mother?””
“I didn’t say that.””
“But her signature is here.””
Thomas looked away.
“She was involved.””
My hands tightened.
“No.””
“She may not have understood everything.””
I looked up.
“Then explain.””
Thomas sat down.
“Your father trusted the wrong person.””
“Who?””
Before he answered, the office lights suddenly went out.
Everything went dark.
I heard movement.
A door opening.
“Thomas?””
No answer.
I reached for my phone.
Then someone grabbed my shoulder.
I turned.
A man whispered near my ear.
“Your wife should have stayed quiet.””
I froze.
Because I recognized the voice.
It was the same voice from the phone.
The same voice that knew about Emily’s letter.
The same voice that knew I was here.
I swung around.
But the man was already gone.
The lights came back on.
Thomas was on the floor.
Blood trickled from his forehead.
I rushed toward him.
“Thomas!””
His eyes opened slightly.
He grabbed my arm.
“Daniel…”
“Who was it?””
His breathing was weak.
“You need to leave.””
“Who was it?””
He looked toward the door.
Then whispered:
“The person who has been controlling your family…”
He coughed.
“…was never outside your home.””
My heart stopped.
“What are you saying?””
Thomas looked at me.
And with his final strength, he said:
“Look at the person who raised you.””
Then his hand fell.
And my phone buzzed.
A message.
From my mother.
Daniel, we need to talk. I know you found Thomas.
I stared at the screen.
Because she had no way of knowing where I was.
May you like
Unless…
She had been watching me the entire time.
