Chapter 9: The Person I Trusted
We drove directly to Daniel's house.
I didn't call first.
I didn't trust phones anymore.
The city lights blurred across the windshield as I drove.
Nia held the photograph in her lap.
“He had access to your house,” she said.
“Everyone had access.””
“Not like this.””
“No.””
“Do you think he was watching you?””
“For years.””
She was quiet.
Then she asked, “Do you think your father knew?””
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't know anymore.
When we reached Daniel's neighborhood, his house was dark.
Too dark.
Every window was black.
No porch light.
No security light.
I parked across the street.
Nia looked at me.
“You want to knock?””
“No.””
“Then what?””
“We wait.””
Twenty minutes passed.
Nothing.
Then a light came on upstairs.
One window.
Second floor.
I started the car.
A figure appeared behind the curtain.
Daniel.
He looked directly toward us.
Then the light went out.
“That's our invitation,” Nia said.
We crossed the street.
The front door was unlocked.
I pushed it open.
“Daniel?””
No answer.
The house smelled like dust and old paper.
We moved through the hallway.
“Daniel?””
A chair scraped upstairs.
I looked at Nia.
We climbed.
The bedroom door was open.
Daniel stood beside a desk.
His hands were raised.
“I knew you'd come.””
I stared at him.
“You were following me.””
“I was protecting you.””
“You took pictures of me sleeping.””
His face collapsed.
“That wasn't me.””
I held up the photograph.
“You're in the background.””
“I know.””
“Then explain.””
He looked at Nia.
“Please leave.””
“No,” she said.
Daniel sighed.
“I don't have time.””
“Neither do I.””
He walked toward the desk.
“There are people listening.””
I looked around.
“Who?””
“Everyone.””
He opened a drawer.
Inside were dozens of files.
Names.
Dates.
Bank accounts.
Photographs.
I recognized my own name.
I grabbed the folder.
“What is this?””
“Your protection file.””
“My protection?””
“Your father hired me to watch over you.””
“For seven years?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did you tell me Marcus was dead?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Because Marcus asked me to.””
I froze.
“What?””
“He wanted you to believe he was dead.””
“Why?””
“Because he believed you were being watched.””
I opened the file.
Inside were reports.
My school.
My apartment.
My workplace.
Every major relationship I'd had.
Every trip.
Every person I'd trusted.
It was horrifying.
Then I saw Nia's name.
She noticed it too.
“Why am I in there?””
Daniel didn't answer.
Nia stepped closer.
“When did you start watching me?””
“I didn't.””
“Then why is my name here?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Because someone else added it.””
I opened the page.
There was a photograph of Nia entering a café.
Taken six months earlier.
She looked younger.
She was with someone.
I stared at the photograph.
The man beside her was Marcus.
Nia went completely still.
I turned toward her.
“You knew him.””
Her face changed.
“Adrian…”
“You knew Marcus.””
“I didn't know it was him.””
“That's him.””
She nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
My heart sank.
“How long?””
“Six months.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because he made me promise.””
“Why?””
“Because he said you'd be in danger.””
I stepped back.
“You've been lying to me too.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
My voice rose.
“Everyone lies and calls it protection.””
Nia's eyes filled with tears.
“I didn't know what to do.””
“You could've told me.””
“He said if I told you, they would kill you.””
“Who?””
She looked at Daniel.
Daniel answered.
“The board.””
I frowned.
“What board?””
“The people behind the shell companies.””
Daniel pulled out another file.
“This isn't just corporate theft.””
He spread documents across the desk.
“The money was being used to buy politicians, judges, police officials, private investigators.””
I stared.
“Why?””
“To control the investigation into the accident.””
“And Marcus found them.””
“Yes.””
“Who was the person inside my family?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Your father thought it was your mother.””
I froze.
“My mother?””
“He was wrong.””
“Then who?””
Daniel didn't answer.
A sound came from downstairs.
The front door opened.
We all turned.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Coming up the stairs.
Daniel whispered, “They're here.””
Nia grabbed my arm.
“Who?””
Daniel's face went pale.
“The person who's been looking for you.””
The footsteps stopped outside the room.
A shadow crossed the doorway.
Then a woman's voice spoke.
“Adrian?””
My blood ran cold.
I knew that voice.
I'd heard it in childhood.
At family dinners.
At Christmas.
In old home videos.
A voice I had not heard in twelve years.
Nia whispered, “Who is that?””
I couldn't answer.
The woman stepped into the doorway.
She was older.
Her hair was shorter.
There was a thin scar beneath her left eye.
But it was her.
My mother.
Alive.
She looked directly at me.
“Adrian.””
My chair rolled backward.
I couldn't move.
“Mom?””
She smiled through tears.
“Yes.””
I stared at her.
“You're alive.””
“I am.””
“You let me bury you.””
Her face crumpled.
“I had no choice.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
She stepped forward.
“I came back for you.””
“Then why didn't you come to me?””
“Because I was trying to keep you alive.””
I laughed bitterly.
“That's what everyone says.””
She looked at Daniel.
Then Nia.
Then back at me.
“You don't understand.””
“Then explain.””
She took a breath.
“The person who ordered the accident wasn't trying to kill Marcus.””
I felt my stomach drop.
“Who were they trying to kill?””
My mother looked at me.
“You.””
Silence.
“Why?””
“Because you inherited something Marcus discovered.””
“What?””
She reached into her coat and pulled out a small flash drive.
“Everything.””
I stared at it.
“What is that?””
“The proof.””
“Proof of what?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Proof that your father wasn't protecting you.””
She stepped closer.
“He was protecting the person who tried to kill you.””
I looked at Daniel.
Then Nia.
Then my mother.
“No.””
My mother nodded.
“Yes.””
She held out the flash drive.
“And Adrian…”
I took it.
She whispered:
“Your father has never been your enemy.””
I stared at her.
“Then who is?””
My mother looked toward the dark hallway.
May you like
And said one name.
“Marcus.””