Chapter 9: The Woman Across the Street
I ran to the window.
Rachel was gone.
One second she was standing beneath the maple tree across the street, staring directly at my house.
The next, there was nothing but an empty sidewalk and a gust of wind pushing a paper cup along the curb.
“Where did she go?”” I whispered.
Derek came up behind me.
“Who?””
I turned.
“Don't lie to me.””
His eyes moved toward the window.
He saw the empty street.
Then he looked at Victor.
Victor's expression had changed.
“She was here,” I said.
He nodded.
“Yes.””
Derek stared at him.
“You knew?””
“I suspected.””
My hand tightened around my father's letter.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because Rachel didn't want to be found.””
“She wants me to find her.””
Victor's eyes narrowed.
“That may not be what she wants.””
I looked again through the glass.
“She sent me the messages.””
“You don't know that.””
“I know.””
Victor took a step toward me.
“You have no idea who is behind those messages.””
“Then tell me.””
He hesitated.
“Your father.””
I stared at him.
“My father is dead.””
“I know.””
“Then stop saying his name like he's sitting in the next room.””
Victor reached into his briefcase.
“He left instructions.””
He removed another envelope.
“This was delivered to me seven years ago.””
I didn't touch it.
“Why?””
“Your father hired me.””
My heart slammed against my ribs.
“For what?””
“To protect you.””
Derek laughed bitterly.
“This is ridiculous.””
Victor turned toward him.
“Is it?””
Derek's face hardened.
“You've been manipulating everyone.””
“No.””
Victor's voice remained calm.
“Your father paid me to make sure you never discovered what happened until you were safe enough to handle it.””
I looked at the envelope.
“What happened?””
Victor said nothing.
Linda did.
“The night before your father died.””
I turned to her.
“You were there?””
She shook her head.
“No. But I spoke to him.””
“What did he tell you?””
“He said he had proof.””
“Proof of what?””
“That Derek had been stealing from your company.””
I stared.
“Before we were married.””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because your father begged me not to.””
My throat tightened.
“He knew I wouldn't listen.””
“No,” Linda said.
“He knew Derek would hurt you if he discovered what your father had done.””
I looked toward Derek.
He was motionless.
“You knew my father suspected you.””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Before we married.””
“And you married me anyway.””
“Yes.””
I felt my eyes burn.
“Did you ever love me?””
Derek looked at me.
“Yes.””
“That's not enough.””
“I know.””
“No, you don't.””
I lifted the photographs.
“You didn't just betray me.””
I pointed toward the kitchen.
“You built a plan around me.””
Then the black folder.
“You forged my name.””
Then my father's letter.
“You ignored every warning.””
Derek lowered his head.
“I thought I could control it.””
“You couldn't.””
“No.””
Victor stepped forward.
“Enough.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because you are wasting time.””
He checked his watch.
“Four o'clock.””
I frowned.
“What happens at four-thirty?””
“The enforcement filing.””
“And my company?””
“Could be frozen by tomorrow morning.””
I held the envelope tighter.
“Unless?””
Victor looked at me.
“Unless you prove the agreement is fraudulent.””
“I have proof.””
“Not yet.””
“What do you mean?””
“You need the original device used to create the forged signature.””
I stared.
“My computer?””
“Maybe.””
“Where is it?””
Victor looked at Derek.
Derek went pale.
“Derek?””
He shook his head.
“I don't know.””
Victor said, “He knows.””
I stepped toward my husband.
“Where is it?””
“I destroyed it.””
My stomach dropped.
“When?””
“Yesterday.””
“Why?””
“Because I knew the files were there.””
“Where?””
“In the basement.””
I turned.
“There is no computer in the basement.””
“There was.””
“Where is it now?””
Derek said nothing.
I grabbed his wrist.
“Where?””
He looked down at my hand.
Then back at me.
“I gave it to Rachel.””
Silence.
Victor's eyes narrowed.
“Why?””
“She said she could erase everything.””
I released him.
“So Rachel has the computer.””
“Yes.””
“And she has the evidence.””
“Yes.””
“Then we need to find her.””
Victor shook his head.
“She'll find you.””
I stared.
“What does that mean?””
“She has been trying to warn you.””
“Why?””
“Because she knows who is behind Victor.””
I frowned.
“Who?””
Victor didn't answer.
The front door suddenly rattled.
All four of us turned.
Then there was a knock.
Not three slow knocks.
Three quick ones.
I walked toward the door.
Victor raised one hand.
“Wait.””
He moved beside me.
“Who is it?””
A woman's voice came from outside.
“Megan.””
My heart stopped.
Rachel.
I unlocked the door.
Before opening it, I glanced at Victor.
He nodded.
I pulled the door wide.
Rachel stood on the porch.
She looked exhausted.
Her hair was shorter than I remembered.
There was a bruise near her jaw.
And she was holding a laptop bag.
The second she stepped inside, she locked the door behind her.
“You shouldn't have opened it,” she said.
I stared at her.
“Then why did you come?””
She looked at Derek.
“He doesn't know how much trouble you're in.””
Derek stepped forward.
“What happened to you?””
Rachel laughed without humor.
“You.””
He froze.
Rachel looked at me.
“I've been trying to get you out for almost a year.””
“Why didn't you come directly?””
“Because they were watching me.””
“Who?””
She looked at Victor.
Then at Linda.
Then at Derek.
“The people your husband borrowed from.””
Derek shook his head.
“You're lying.””
Rachel opened the laptop bag.
She pulled out a silver laptop.
“Then explain this.””
She opened it.
A spreadsheet filled the screen.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
Transfers.
Companies.
I leaned closer.
My company appeared near the top.
Then Derek's.
Then Linda's.
Then several names I didn't recognize.
At the bottom was a column titled *Beneficial Owner*.
I saw something that made my heart stop.
Every shell company traced back to one person.
*Henry Mercer.*
I looked at Linda.
“That's your husband's father.””
She nodded slowly.
“Dead for twenty years.””
Rachel shook her head.
“No.””
Everyone stared at her.
“He isn't dead.””
Linda nearly fell backward.
“What?””
Rachel looked at me.
“Your father discovered that Henry Mercer was laundering money through businesses connected to the Mercer family.””
I shook my head.
“My father hated him.””
“Exactly.””
Rachel clicked another file.
A scanned passport appeared on the screen.
Older man.
Silver hair.
Same eyes as Derek.
My stomach dropped.
“That's impossible.””
Rachel said quietly, “Your father didn't die believing Henry was dead.””
She clicked again.
A surveillance photograph appeared.
Henry Mercer.
Alive.
Standing beside Victor.
I looked at him.
Victor did not react.
I felt dizzy.
“You know him.””
Victor nodded.
“Yes.””
“Where is he?””
“Dead.””
Rachel shook her head.
“No.””
Victor looked at her.
“You should not have come here.””
Rachel laughed.
“That's the first honest thing you've said.””
I stared at the photograph.
“When was this taken?””
“Three weeks ago,” Rachel said.
I turned toward Victor.
“You lied.””
“No.””
“You said he was dead.””
“I said he is dead.””
Rachel pointed at the photograph.
“Then who is that?””
Victor didn't answer.
Derek stared at his mother.
“Mom?””
Linda began crying.
Derek moved toward her.
“You knew?””
“No.””
“You knew Dad was alive?””
“No.””
Rachel looked at Derek.
“Your mother didn't.””
Then she looked at me.
“But your husband did.””
Derek's face went blank.
I whispered, “Is it true?””
He said nothing.
I stepped toward him.
“Is Henry Mercer alive?””
Derek's lips trembled.
“Yes.””
The word barely came out.
Linda covered her mouth.
“How?””
Derek looked at the floor.
“He contacted me six years ago.””
I stared.
“Before we got married.””
“Yes.””
“What did he want?””
Derek looked at Rachel.
Rachel answered.
“He wanted Megan's company.””
My chest tightened.
“Why?””
“Because your company had access to a government procurement database.””
“That doesn't make sense.””
“It does if you understand what your father's company was building.””
I stared at her.
“My father's company?””
Rachel nodded.
“Your father didn't leave you just money.””
She turned the laptop toward me.
A folder appeared.
*PROJECT ORION.*
“What is that?””
“Your father's final project.””
Victor stepped forward.
“Rachel.””
She ignored him.
“It was a data security system.””
“For the government?””
“Yes.””
“And my company?””
“Your father transferred the intellectual property before he died.””
I stared at the screen.
“My father left it to me.””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't I know?””
“Because the ownership was hidden.””
I looked at Victor.
“You knew.””
“Yes.””
“And Derek?””
“Yes.””
“He knew what the company was really worth.””
“Yes.””
The room went silent.
Then Rachel said something that made everything click.
“That's why he married you.””
I turned toward Derek.
He shook his head immediately.
“No.””
“That's why he married you,” Rachel repeated.
“No.””
“Your father knew Derek wanted access.””
“I loved her.””
Rachel looked at him.
“You loved what she inherited.””
Derek's face crumpled.
I stepped back.
There were no tears now.
Nothing left but clarity.
I opened my father's letter again.
The last line I had missed was written beneath the signature.
A single sentence.
*Trust Rachel when she returns.*
I looked at her.
“You came back because my father told you to.””
Rachel nodded.
“He made me promise.””
“Promise what?””
“That if the Mercer family ever tried to take your company…”
She closed the laptop.
“…I would make sure you had everything you needed to destroy them.””
My phone vibrated.
A message from Martin.
*MARTIN: Megan, I found the trustee.*
I opened it.
One name appeared.
*Rachel Bennett.*
I looked up.
Rachel smiled sadly.
Then she said:
“And now you know why they were so afraid of me.””
Before anyone could respond, the front windows exploded inward.
Glass shattered across the floor.
Linda screamed.
Victor grabbed my arm and pulled me down.
Rachel shoved the laptop beneath the table.
Derek hit the floor.
Another crack split the air.
Then silence.
I looked up.
Across the street, the black sedan was gone.
Rachel crawled toward me.
Her face was pale.
“They found us.””
I whispered, “Who?””
She looked toward the broken window.
“Henry.””
Then she reached inside her jacket and pulled out a small flash drive.
She pressed it into my palm.
“Everything you need is on this.””
I stared at the drive.
“What is it?””
“Proof.””
“Proof of what?””
Her eyes filled with fear.
“Your father's murder.””
And before I could ask another question, Victor looked toward the driveway and whispered:
“Don't move.””
May you like
A second black SUV had just pulled up outside.
And this time, three men were getting out.
