Chapter 5: The Truth Maya Carried
I read the same sentence three times.
Your father didn’t die in the accident.
My mind refused to accept it.
For years, I had lived with a painful but simple truth.
My father was gone.
Now a ten-year-old girl who couldn’t speak had walked into my diner and shattered everything I thought I knew.
“Maya,” I whispered.
She looked at me.
“Are you sure?””
Her eyes filled with sadness.
She nodded.
Then she signed slowly.
“I saw him.””
The diner was almost empty now.
Only Rick remained, standing behind the counter with his arms crossed.
The police had taken Thomas away, but officers were still outside collecting information.
Rick walked closer.
“Emma.””
I looked at him.
“You need to sit down.””
“I’m fine.””
“You’re holding a notebook that says your dead father might not be dead.””
I looked down.
My hands were trembling.
“I need to know what happened.””
Maya sat across from me.
She took a napkin and a pen.
Her handwriting was messy, like she didn’t write often.
She wrote:
*I was hiding.*
Then:
*I saw the woman in the blue car.*
Then:
*She was looking for your father’s evidence.*
I stared at the words.
“What evidence?””
Maya looked toward the notebook.
Then she pointed at page seven.
“Everything.””
Rick pulled up a chair.
“Let’s start from the beginning.””
Maya nodded.
She wrote carefully.
*The woman’s name was Laura.*
I recognized it.
Not personally.
But from the notebook.
A missing person.
A woman who disappeared two years earlier.
“Laura was alive?”” I asked.
Maya nodded.
“She helped me.””
I waited.
She continued writing.
*She found me after I ran away. She knew I was watching him.*
I looked at the door.
“Thomas.””
Maya nodded.
“He was following you?””
She nodded again.
Then she wrote:
*He follows everyone who gets close to the truth.*
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Why me?””
Maya looked at me for a long moment.
Then she wrote:
*Because your father trusted you.*
I frowned.
“My father never gave me anything.””
Maya pointed at the notebook.
I opened it again.
Near the back cover was something I hadn’t noticed.
A folded piece of paper.
My hands went numb.
I opened it.
Inside was a letter.
My name was written across the front.
Not printed.
Written by him.
By my father.
Emma,
If you are reading this, then I failed to protect you.
I had to hide the truth because the people responsible would come after anyone who knew.
You need to understand one thing.
The fire was not an accident.
It was planned.
And the person who helped destroy everything was someone we loved.
Someone who had access to our home.
Someone who knew every part of our lives.
I stopped reading.
I couldn’t breathe.
Someone we loved.
Someone who knew every part of our lives.
My father had written those words before he died.
Or disappeared.
The same thought kept returning.
Who could it be?
Who had been close enough?
My mother was gone.
My father had trusted few people.
Then one name appeared in my mind.
A name I didn’t want to consider.
Rick noticed my expression.
“What is it?””
I closed the letter.
“Nothing.””
He studied me.
“You’re lying.””
Before I could answer, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone looked at it.
I picked up.
No one spoke.
Then a familiar voice came through.
My father’s voice.
Older.
Tired.
But unmistakable.
“Emma.””
The phone almost fell from my hand.
I couldn’t move.
“Dad?””
A long silence.
Then:
“I’m sorry I waited this long.””
My knees nearly gave out.
Rick grabbed my shoulder.
Maya covered her mouth.
The voice continued.
“You have to leave the diner.””
I whispered, “Where are you?””
Another silence.
Then my father said:
“I’m somewhere I should have escaped from years ago.””
A loud sound interrupted.
Like a door opening.
Someone else was there.
A woman’s voice spoke in the background.
And when I heard it, my blood froze.
Because I knew that voice too.
“Daniel?””
My father whispered.
“I’m sorry.””
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Rick looked at me.
“Emma…”
I looked toward Maya.
She was already crying.
Because she recognized the voice.
May you like
And she signed one sentence.
“The woman with him is the one who started the fire.””
