Chapter 5: The Man in the Third Car
The man in the third SUV stepped into the light.
I couldn't see his face clearly.
Just the outline of a tall figure in a dark coat, standing behind the windshield glare.
But the message on my phone had already done the damage.
*THE PERSON DRIVING THE THIRD SUV IS YOUR FATHER.*
My father had been dead for twelve years.
I looked at Daniel.
He wasn't looking at the third SUV.
He was staring at the side mirror.
"Daniel.""
He didn't answer.
"Daniel, look at me.""
His hands tightened around the steering wheel.
"Don't move.""
"I wasn't planning to.""
"Whatever happens, keep your head down.""
The first SUV rolled forward.
A man stepped into the road.
He raised one hand.
Daniel locked the doors again.
"They know we're in here.""
"Who are they?""
"I don't know.""
"You said that before.""
"I know.""
"Stop saying you don't know.""
The man outside approached my window.
He bent slightly.
I could finally see his face.
Not my father.
A stranger.
Mid-fifties.
Gray hair.
Dark suit.
He tapped the glass with one finger.
Daniel lowered his window two inches.
"What do you want?"" he asked.
The man smiled.
"Mr. Reed.""
His voice was calm.
"You've had a very difficult evening.""
Daniel didn't smile back.
"Go away.""
The man's eyes shifted toward me.
"Claire.""
My stomach tightened.
"How do you know my name?""
"We've known your name for a long time.""
Daniel rolled the window back up.
The man stepped away.
"Your mother sends her regards," he said.
Daniel's face hardened.
"You don't know my mother.""
The man smiled again.
"You'd be surprised.""
He turned.
Three other men emerged from the vehicles.
Daniel started the engine.
The stranger stopped.
"Don't.""
Daniel pressed the accelerator.
The SUV surged forward.
A gunshot cracked through the night.
The rear windshield exploded.
I screamed and ducked.
Daniel swerved.
Another shot.
Something struck the driver's side mirror.
"Hold on!""
He accelerated toward the intersection.
A black SUV moved into our path.
Daniel jerked the wheel.
We slammed into the curb.
The airbags deployed.
For several seconds, all I could hear was the ringing in my ears.
Then Daniel shouted.
"Claire!""
"I'm okay.""
"Are you hurt?""
"I don't think so.""
He ripped off his seat belt.
"Get out.""
"What?""
"Now.""
He pushed open his door.
I grabbed the microSD card.
Then followed.
We ran between two buildings.
Footsteps thundered behind us.
"Left!"" Daniel shouted.
We turned into a narrow alley.
A bullet struck the brick wall beside my head.
I screamed.
Daniel grabbed my hand.
"Keep running!""
We reached a locked metal gate.
Daniel pulled a key from his pocket.
"What?""
He shoved it into the lock.
The gate opened.
We slipped through.
He slammed it behind us.
A heavy impact shook the metal seconds later.
"They're coming," I whispered.
"I know.""
We ran through a deserted parking lot.
At the far end stood a small brick building with boarded windows.
Daniel unlocked a side door.
We rushed inside.
He locked it behind us.
The room smelled like dust and oil.
A single emergency light flickered overhead.
I leaned against the wall, trying to breathe.
Daniel looked through the blinds.
"They're not here yet.""
I stared at him.
"Who was that man?""
"I don't know.""
"You knew his name?""
"No.""
"He knew mine.""
"That isn't the same thing.""
I pulled the microSD card from my pocket.
"What is this?""
Daniel looked at it.
"I don't know.""
"You said your sister found a photograph.""
"Yes.""
"You said there was a man beside my mother.""
"Yes.""
"And now someone claims my mother sent him.""
"I don't know what's true anymore.""
I stared at him.
"You expect me to trust you?""
"No.""
The answer caught me off guard.
Daniel turned away from the window.
"You shouldn't.""
He sat down on an old wooden crate.
For the first time, he looked exhausted.
Not afraid.
Not calculating.
Just tired.
I remained standing.
"Tell me about my father.""
His eyes lifted.
"What about him?""
"Was he really dead?""
"Yes.""
"Then why did that message say the man in the third SUV was my father?""
"I don't know.""
"You keep saying that.""
"Because I don't have an answer.""
I walked closer.
"My mother is alive.""
He nodded.
"Apparently.""
"My father might not be dead.""
"I don't know.""
"Someone put a tracker in your car.""
"Yes.""
"Someone has been watching me.""
"Yes.""
"And you married me because my mother was investigating them.""
Daniel looked down.
"Yes.""
"Then there has to be something in that file that explains this.""
He didn't respond.
I opened the blue file.
The documents were still there.
I spread them across a workbench.
Daniel stood beside me.
The first page showed the financial transfers.
I pointed.
"These payments.""
"Yes.""
"Who was sending them?""
"Your mother's holding company.""
"And who received them?""
"Shell corporations.""
"Owned by?""
Daniel hesitated.
"I never managed to identify the final owner.""
"Then what did you discover?""
He took one document.
"These accounts weren't designed to make money.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"They were designed to move ownership.""
"Ownership of what?""
"Property.""
He laid several pages beside each other.
"Your mother's company owned commercial buildings, land, and several investment properties.""
"I knew that.""
"But these transfers gradually moved beneficial ownership into trusts.""
"Why?""
"So nobody could see who really controlled them.""
I scanned the documents.
One trust appeared repeatedly.
The name was unfamiliar.
*Northbridge Foundation.*
"What's that?""
Daniel shook his head.
"That's what I was trying to find out.""
I flipped another page.
There it was again.
Northbridge Foundation.
Then a handwritten note in my mother's script.
*NORTHBRIDGE IS NOT A CHARITY.*
I looked at Daniel.
"Did you know this?""
"No.""
"You're lying.""
He shook his head.
"I'm not.""
"Then why marry me?""
He didn't answer.
I grabbed another document.
"Look.""
A signature appeared at the bottom.
My mother's.
Beside it was a second signature.
My father's.
I froze.
"What?""
Daniel leaned over.
"This contract is dated thirteen years ago.""
My hands began to shake.
My father had supposedly died twelve years ago.
I looked at the date.
One year before his death.
"So?""
Daniel pointed lower.
"This amendment is dated three years after his death.""
My stomach dropped.
"That's impossible.""
"Exactly.""
I looked at the signature again.
My father's name.
Authentic handwriting.
Same slant.
Same sharp final letter.
But the date was impossible.
Daniel whispered, "Someone was signing his name after he died.""
I stared at the document.
"Who?""
"We need to find out.""
A noise came from the other side of the room.
Both of us froze.
Three slow knocks sounded against the metal door.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Daniel reached for the gun he had tucked into his waistband.
I stepped back.
"Who's there?""
No answer.
Another three knocks.
Daniel raised one finger.
Silence.
Then a woman's voice came through the door.
"Daniel.""
He froze.
It was Emma.
He rushed toward the door.
I grabbed his arm.
"What if it's not her?""
He stopped.
The voice came again.
"Daniel, it's me.""
He looked through the small glass panel.
A woman stood outside.
Blood covered one side of her face.
It was Emma.
Daniel unlocked the door.
She stumbled inside.
He caught her before she fell.
"Emma!""
She clutched his shirt.
"They found the house.""
"What happened?""
"They came looking for the photograph.""
"Where is it?""
She looked at me.
Her eyes widened.
"Claire.""
I stepped closer.
"What happened?""
Emma's breathing shook.
"I went to Dad's study.""
"Why?""
"I needed the original photograph.""
"Did you find it?""
She nodded.
Then reached inside her coat.
Before she could pull anything out, every light in the building went dark.
A second later, the emergency light flickered on.
Emma was no longer holding the photograph.
She was holding something else.
A small revolver.
She pointed it directly at Daniel.
"Emma," he whispered.
She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry.""
Daniel raised his hands.
"What are you doing?""
Emma's voice broke.
"I tried to stop them.""
She took one step backward.
"They told me you'd eventually bring Claire to the truth.""
Daniel's face went pale.
"Who told you that?""
Emma looked at me.
Then at the blue file.
"They said once she found the file, she'd be ready.""
My pulse raced.
"Ready for what?""
Emma didn't answer.
She walked toward me instead.
Then she reached into her coat again.
This time, she pulled out a photograph.
She handed it to me.
I looked down.
The photograph showed my mother standing beside a black car.
A younger version of Daniel stood beside her.
But that wasn't the part that made my blood turn cold.
Behind them stood my father.
Alive.
And holding the hand of a little girl.
A little girl who looked exactly like me.
I stared at the photograph.
"I don't understand.""
Emma whispered, "Because that's not you.""
I looked up.
"What?""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"The girl in that photograph is your sister.""
My breath stopped.
"I don't have a sister.""
Emma shook her head.
"That's what your mother wanted you to believe.""
Daniel looked at the photograph.
Then at me.
And for the first time all night, he looked completely terrified.
May you like
Because written on the back, in my mother's handwriting, were seven words:
*THE GIRL THEY LOST IS STILL ALIVE.*
