Chapter 8: The Woman Everyone Trusted
We left the diner ten minutes later.
Not because it was safe.
Because staying was worse.
Thomas drove.
I sat in the passenger seat.
Rick sat in the back with Maya.
Nobody spoke for several minutes.
The town passed outside the windows.
The same streets.
The same buildings.
The same places where I had lived my entire life.
But everything looked different.
Because now every memory had a question attached.
How much of it was real?
“How long have you known?”” I asked Thomas.
His hands tightened around the steering wheel.
“About your father?””
“Yes.””
“Ten years.””
I looked at him.
“You knew for ten years?””
“Yes.””
The anger came back.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because Claire was watching you.””
“That’s what everyone says.””
“I’m not everyone.””
“No. You’re worse.””
He looked hurt.
Good.
I wanted him to understand.
“You were part of it.””
“I know.””
“You helped her.””
“I know.””
I turned toward the window.
“I don’t know who to believe anymore.””
Thomas was quiet.
Then he said:
“You shouldn’t believe me.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“You should believe the evidence.””
That was the first thing he said that made sense.
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small key.
“My father gave this to me before he disappeared.””
I frowned.
“Your father?””
Thomas nodded.
“Daniel Carter.””
My breath caught.
“What?””
“He wasn’t just your father.””
The car felt smaller.
“He was my mentor.””
I stared at him.
“That doesn’t make sense.””
Thomas looked at me.
“Claire made sure nobody knew.””
Maya tapped the window.
She signed something.
I watched.
“She says he’s telling the truth.””
Thomas looked surprised.
“You trust me?””
Maya shook her head.
Then she pointed at his hands.
His hands?
I looked closer.
There were scars across his fingers.
Old burns.
Thomas noticed.
“Your father gave me those.””
“What happened?””
“Fire.””
The word hung in the air.
He continued driving.
“Your father saved my life that night.””
I didn’t know what to say.
The fire.
The accident.
The lies.
Everything was connected.
We drove outside town toward an old farmhouse.
Thomas stopped near a dirt road.
“He’s here.””
My heart started pounding.
“You’re sure?””
He nodded.
“He moved every few months. But Claire found him recently.””
“Why?””
Thomas looked at the farmhouse.
“Because he finally found the last piece of evidence.””
We got out.
The air smelled like rain and wet earth.
Maya stayed close to me.
The farmhouse looked abandoned.
Broken windows.
Overgrown grass.
A place nobody would notice.
Thomas unlocked the door.
Inside was a small room.
A bed.
A table.
A lamp.
And photographs.
Hundreds of photographs.
My father’s life.
My childhood.
The diner.
The fire.
I touched one picture.
It was me at sixteen.
Standing outside the diner.
I looked back at Thomas.
“He watched me?””
“No.””
Thomas shook his head.
“He protected you.””
I looked around.
Then I saw it.
A doorway at the back.
Locked.
Thomas handed me the key.
“Your father wanted you to open it.””
My fingers trembled.
“Why me?””
Thomas looked at the door.
“Because he knew Claire would eventually come after you.””
I unlocked it.
Inside was a room filled with documents.
Boxes.
Hard drives.
And one chair.
Someone had been sitting there recently.
A cup of coffee sat on the desk.
Still warm.
My heart jumped.
“He was here.””
Thomas nodded.
Then we heard a noise.
A floorboard creaking.
Someone was inside the house.
Thomas reached for his weapon.
Rick grabbed Maya.
I turned slowly.
A shadow moved across the doorway.
Then a voice spoke.
“Emma.””
I froze.
Because I knew that voice.
“Dad?””
The figure stepped into the light.
Older.
Thinner.
But alive.
My father looked at me.
And tears filled his eyes.
“I’m sorry.””
I couldn’t move.
I couldn’t breathe.
After ten years of believing he was gone…
He was standing three feet away.
Then he looked past me.
At Thomas.
And his expression changed.
“Where is Claire?””
Thomas answered quietly.
“She found us.””
My father closed his eyes.
“No.””
A sound came from outside.
A car door closing.
Then another.
My father looked toward the window.
Fear crossed his face.
“Emma.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
He grabbed my hand.
“If Claire is here…”
The front door slowly opened.
“She’s not coming for the evidence.””
May you like
My father whispered.
“She’s coming for you.””
