Chapter 7: The Safe
The message on my phone disappeared.
Then every screen in the ballroom went dark.
Three hundred guests stared at their reflections in black glass.
Nobody moved.
Detective Morgan immediately shouted, “Everyone stay where you are!””
The command cut through the room.
Two officers moved toward the doors.
James grabbed my arm.
“Linda, we need to leave.””
“No.””
“Now.””
I pulled my arm free.
“Not until I know what he means.””
James looked toward the ring lying on the floor.
“I don't think Daniel is bluffing.””
Michael stood beside me, breathing hard.
“What does he want from Mom?””
Daniel answered through my phone.
“Not what you think.””
I put him back on speaker.
“Then stop speaking in riddles.””
A pause.
Then Daniel said, “You remember the warehouse?””
My blood went cold.
I did remember.
Twenty-two years ago, before my company became what it was, I had rented a small warehouse on the east side of the city.
Michael had been eight.
His father had disappeared.
Money was tight.
I had been terrified.
One night, someone broke into the warehouse.
They stole nothing.
Instead, they left a message on my desk.
*WE KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE.*
I had never told Michael.
Never told anyone.
Except one person.
Daniel.
I looked at Sabrina.
“You knew about the warehouse?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
Daniel said, “I told her.””
“Why?””
“Because she needed to understand who you really are.””
I stared at him.
“You're lying.””
“Am I?””
James suddenly went pale.
“Linda.””
“What?””
He pulled me aside.
“There was an old holding company.””
I frowned.
“What holding company?””
“Your first investment entity.””
I searched his face.
“That's been dormant for decades.””
“It was supposed to be.””
“What happened?””
James lowered his voice.
“Someone accessed it last month.””
My heart pounded.
“Who?””
“We don't know.””
Daniel laughed through the phone.
“I do.””
James looked at the device.
“Who?””
Daniel answered.
“Linda.””
I stopped breathing.
“You accessed it?””
“No.””
“Then who?””
“Your husband.””
The ballroom seemed to tilt.
“My husband is dead.””
“I know.””
Michael looked at me.
“Mom?””
I ignored him.
Daniel continued.
“The company wasn't dormant.””
“It was.””
“No. You simply stopped looking.””
James shook his head.
“That's impossible. I audited every surviving entity.””
Daniel said, “You audited what Linda showed you.””
James went silent.
I looked at him.
“Is that true?””
“No.””
Daniel laughed.
“You're both looking in the wrong place.””
He gave me an address.
An old industrial property.
The warehouse.
The one I had forgotten.
“Go there,” he said.
“Why?””
“Because everything you think you lost is waiting inside.””
“What everything?””
Daniel's voice softened.
“The truth about Michael's father.””
The call ended.
Michael stared at me.
“You knew Dad might still be involved?””
“No.””
“You didn't tell me about any of this.””
“Because I didn't know.””
He looked hurt.
“I've spent my entire life thinking you told me everything.””
“I tried to protect you.””
“And now?””
I looked at the black screen in my hand.
“Now I'm done protecting people from the truth.””
Detective Morgan approached.
“You're not going anywhere without us.””
“I agree.””
Sabrina suddenly stepped forward.
“I’m coming too.””
Michael looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because my father is involved.””
She wiped her eyes.
“And because I know where the warehouse is.””
I stared at her.
“How?””
She hesitated.
“Because he took me there.””
“When?””
“Last year.””
Michael's expression hardened.
“You lied to me.””
“Yes.””
“Again.””
Sabrina nodded.
“I know.””
We left the reception through a side entrance.
Outside, rain had started falling.
As we reached the cars, James stopped.
“Wait.””
He pointed toward the parking lot.
A black SUV sat beneath a dead streetlamp.
Engine running.
Windows tinted.
Detective Morgan drew his weapon.
“Stay behind me.””
The SUV suddenly accelerated.
It sped toward the exit.
An officer shouted.
The vehicle disappeared into traffic.
James stared after it.
“They knew we were leaving.””
I looked at Sabrina.
She was staring at the road.
“You said your father was trying to protect Michael.””
“He was.””
“Then why did someone just follow us?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
My phone vibrated.
A new message.
*DON'T GO TO THE WAREHOUSE.*
I showed it to Detective Morgan.
He frowned.
“Who sent that?””
I looked at Sabrina.
She looked back at me.
Then another message appeared.
*IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY YOUR HUSBAND DISAPPEARED, COME ALONE.*
And beneath it was an old photograph of the warehouse door.
The door was open.
May you like
And someone was standing inside.
Wearing my husband's coat.
