Chapter 8 - THE FILE THAT VANISHED
Ethan survived.
Barely.
He had been attacked in the church parking lot.
The police found him unconscious behind the wheel.
His phone was missing.
The second file was gone.
But Ethan remembered one thing.
The attacker had said:
“Your sister should have kept her mouth shut.”
I looked at Abigail.
She was standing beside the hospital bed.
Her face had gone pale.
“Who would say that?”
Ethan opened his eyes.
“Someone who knew your family.”
“Who?”
He looked at me.
“Your mother.”
I froze.
Mom?
Ethan continued.
“She told me not to trust Abigail.”
I stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because she said Abigail knew more than she admitted.”
I turned toward my wife.
She shook her head.
“I don't.”
Mom entered the room.
She looked at Ethan.
Then at me.
“I never said she was part of the original crime.”
“Then what did you say?”
“That she had access to information.”
Abigail stepped forward.
“What information?”
Mom looked at her.
“Your father kept records.”
Abigail froze.
“Where?”
“Your house.”
“My house?”
“Your father's old house.”
Abigail had inherited it after his death.
She had sold it two years later.
But Mom said there was a hidden room.
A room no one knew about.
Except her.
And Abigail.
I stared at my wife.
“You knew?”
She shook her head.
“I knew there was a basement.”
“Not a basement.”
Mom explained.
“Your father built a room behind the wine cellar.”
We drove there that afternoon.
The house had been sold.
The new owners were away.
Detective Hayes obtained a warrant.
Behind the old wine cellar was a false wall.
Inside was a small room.
There were no boxes.
No money.
Only one metal cabinet.
Inside the cabinet was a file.
The second file.
Someone had stolen the copy from Ethan.
But my father had made another.
The file contained names.
Dates.
Bank transfers.
Photographs.
And a list of people involved in the financial network.
Daniel Voss.
Abigail's father.
Captain Lane.
And one more name.
Teresa Carter.
My mother.
I stared at the page.
“Mom?”
She lowered her head.
Abigail looked at me.
“Samuel…”
I turned toward Mom.
“What did you do?”
Mom's face broke.
“I helped your father.”
“With what?”
“I gave him information.”
“About the fraud?”
“Yes.”
“Then why is your name here?”
She closed her eyes.
“Because I was investigating the people involved.”
I didn't understand.
She pointed to the documents.
“Your father needed someone they wouldn't suspect.”
Mom had infiltrated the network.
She had pretended to cooperate.
She had moved money.
She had gathered evidence.
But then my father died.
And she became afraid.
She hid the evidence.
She raised me.
And when Abigail discovered the account, Mom knew the past had returned.
“But why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I wanted you safe.”
I stared at her.
“You let me believe Dad died in an accident.”
“I was afraid they would come after you.”
“They came anyway.”
Mom began crying.
“I know.”
I walked away.
For years, I had believed my mother had been fragile.
Then I had discovered she was being abused.
Now I learned she had once been part of an undercover financial investigation.
My entire family had been built on secrets.
Then Abigail spoke.
“There is something else.”
I turned.
She looked terrified.
“I know who attacked Ethan.”
“Who?”
She swallowed.
“Someone I hired.”
Silence filled the room.
I stared at her.
“What?”
“I hired a private investigator.”
“For what?”
“To find Daniel.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to stop him.”
I couldn't believe her.
“Did he attack Ethan?”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“Because the investigator called me.”
“What did he say?”
Abigail looked at me.
“He said Daniel is planning to leave the country.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
Detective Hayes immediately called his team.
But before they could move, Abigail received a message.
She read it.
Then looked up.
“He knows we found the file.”
I asked:
“What did he say?”
She turned the phone toward me.
May you like
The message contained only one sentence.
IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE TRUTH ABOUT YOUR FATHER, COME TO THE AIRPORT.
