Chapter 2 - THE MAN WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD
Dad didn't open the door.
He picked up the envelope instead.
The handwriting was neat.
Almost elegant.
He turned it over.
No return address.
No stamp.
Nothing.
“Everyone stay back,” he said.
Ryan stared at him.
“You believe me now?”
“I believe somebody wants us to be afraid.”
Dad placed the envelope on the kitchen counter and carefully opened it with a letter opener.
Inside was a photograph.
My breath caught.
It showed our house.
But the photograph had been taken from across the street on the night of the fire.
Flames poured from the downstairs windows.
Smoke covered the roof.
Firefighters crowded the lawn.
And in the lower-right corner stood a man wearing a dark coat.
His face was turned toward the camera.
Dad held the photograph closer.
Then he whispered a name.
“Ethan Pierce.”
I looked at Ryan.
“Natalie's brother?”
He nodded.
“But he died twelve years ago.”
Dad turned the photograph over.
There was another message.
HE DIDN'T DIE. HE DISAPPEARED.
I felt cold despite the warm room.
“Why would he be watching our house?”
Dad didn't answer.
Ryan did.
“Because he was involved in the original investigation.”
“What original investigation?”
Ryan looked at my father.
“The one about the Bennett Foundation.”
Dad's expression hardened.
“Tell her everything.”
Ryan hesitated.
“You deserve the truth.”
I folded my arms.
“I think I've deserved it for years.”
He sat down.
“When your father was younger, he investigated a financial network involving several wealthy families. The Bennett Foundation was supposed to be a charitable organization. But money was being moved through it.”
“To where?”
“Private accounts. Shell companies. Political donations.”
I looked at Dad.
“Is this true?”
He nodded once.
“I was investigating them.”
“Then why didn't you ever tell me?”
“Because the investigation ended before you were old enough to understand it.”
Ryan continued.
“One of the people connected to the case was Ethan Pierce's father.”
“Natalie's father?”
“Yes.”
Dad's eyes narrowed.
“Where did you learn this?”
“From Natalie.”
I stared at him.
“So Natalie knew about my family before she met you?”
Ryan looked ashamed.
“Yes.”
My chest tightened.
“Then the affair wasn't random.”
“No.”
The word hung between us.
Ryan had not simply cheated.
He had been drawn into something far older than our marriage.
But there was still one question.
“What did Natalie want from me?”
Ryan looked at the photograph.
“She believed you inherited something from your grandmother.”
“My grandmother died before I got married.”
“She left you more than money.”
Dad suddenly stood.
“Where is your grandmother's jewelry?”
I frowned.
“In the safe.”
“What safe?”
Dad looked at me.
“The one she told you never to open until you turned thirty.”
I remembered.
A small brass key.
A locked box.
My grandmother had given it to me shortly before she died.
I had forgotten about it.
It was still in my closet.
I rushed upstairs.
The box was exactly where I had left it.
Dusty.
Untouched.
I carried it downstairs.
Dad inserted the key.
The lock clicked.
Inside were three things.
A silver locket.
A handwritten letter.
And a small black flash drive.
My hands began to shake.
I opened the letter.
The first line was addressed to me.
Claire, if you're reading this, someone has finally come looking for what your family tried to protect.
I looked at Dad.
He closed his eyes.
“You knew.”
“I suspected.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I promised your grandmother.”
I unfolded the rest.
The final paragraph was short.
Never trust anyone who tells you the fire was an accident.
Behind us, Ryan whispered:
“Claire…”
I turned.
He was staring at the black flash drive.
“What?”
“That drive may contain the reason they wanted your house burned.”
Before we could examine it, every light in the house went out.
Then came the sound of glass breaking downstairs.
Dad reached for his phone.
A shadow moved across the hallway.
May you like
Someone had entered the house.
And this time, they weren't leaving an envelope.
