Chapter 9: The Man Who Was Supposed To Be Dead
The phone slipped slightly in my hand.
I couldn’t move.
My father.
Alive.
Talking.
After all these years.
Every memory I had carried.
Every birthday without him.
Every night wondering why he left.
All of it shattered in one sentence.
“I’m the reason Daniel never got caught.””
Officer Reed took the phone from me.
“Who is this?””
Silence.
Then my father answered.
“Someone who made terrible choices.””
My eyes filled with tears.
“Dad?””
The line went quiet.
Then:
“Megan.””
Just hearing him say my name broke something inside me.
“Why did you leave me?””
Nobody in the room moved.
Daniel looked away.
Laura stared at the floor.
Even the parrot became silent.
My father’s voice cracked.
“Because I thought staying would get you killed.””
I wiped my face.
“You let me believe you were dead.””
“I know.””
“You let me bury you.””
“I know.””
My anger finally came.
“You let me hate myself for years.””
Silence.
Then he whispered:
“I’m sorry.””
Officer Reed looked at me.
“Megan, ask him where he is.””
I nodded.
“Where are you?””
A pause.
“I can’t tell you.””
“Why?””
“Because someone is listening.””
Everyone looked around.
The basement suddenly felt dangerous again.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Who?””
My father didn’t answer.
Instead, he said:
“Daniel is not the person you should fear.””
Daniel looked shocked.
“What?””
The phone crackled.
Then my father continued.
“Laura isn’t either.””
Laura’s face changed.
“What?””
I looked between them.
“Then who?””
My father whispered:
“The person who has been helping you tonight.””
My blood ran cold.
Everyone looked at each other.
Officer Reed slowly lowered his radio.
Daniel stared at him.
Laura backed away.
I looked at Reed.
“No.””
My father spoke again.
“Megan, listen to me.””
The line became weaker.
“The officer standing next to you…”
Static.
“Has been working for them.””
The phone went dead.
Nobody moved.
The silence was unbearable.
Officer Reed looked at me.
“Megan.””
I stepped back.
“I don’t know what to believe.””
His face tightened.
“You know me.””
Do I?
That was the terrifying part.
I had worked with Reed for five years.
Trusted him.
But tonight had already proven that trust could be manufactured.
Daniel suddenly laughed.
Everyone looked at him.
“What’s funny?””
Daniel shook his head.
“You finally understand.””
Reed glared.
“Shut up.””
Daniel smiled.
“You’re not the hero here.””
Reed’s hand moved toward his belt.
Too quickly.
I noticed.
So did Daniel.
“Ask him about the file,” Daniel said.
I looked at Reed.
“What file?””
No answer.
“Officer Reed?””
His face became unreadable.
That scared me more than anger.
I stepped away.
“Reed…”
He sighed.
“Megan, this is more complicated than you think.””
Daniel laughed.
“There it is.””
Laura whispered:
“You knew.””
Reed looked at her.
“Not everything.””
The parrot suddenly screamed.
“SECOND CALL!””
Everyone froze.
The bird flapped wildly.
“SECOND CALL!””
I looked at the old phone.
“What second call?””
The parrot turned its head toward Reed.
Then spoke in a voice that made him go pale.
His own voice.
The exact same voice.
“I handled the daughter.””
Reed stopped breathing.
The bird continued.
“I’ll make sure she forgets.””
My stomach dropped.
Reed whispered:
“That’s not possible.””
The parrot stared at him.
Then played another sentence.
A sentence recorded years ago.
Reed’s voice.
“You should have killed the girl too.””
Nobody moved.
I looked at Reed.
The man I trusted.
The man who had stood beside me all night.
And for the first time…
he looked afraid of the bird.
Because the bird wasn’t just a witness.
It was a recording of everything he had done.
Reed slowly reached toward his weapon.
Daniel shouted:
“Get away from him!””
A gunshot exploded through the basement.
And the parrot screamed:
“RUN, MEGAN!””
I turned.
May you like
Because behind me…
the hidden door opened.
