Chapter 6 - The Man Who Came Back
Evan arrived after midnight.
Adrian stood inside the blue house with Marissa and Walter hidden in the adjoining room.
A car stopped outside.
The door opened.
A tall man stepped into the moonlight.
He looked almost exactly like Daniel.
Same dark hair.
Same eyes.
Same stubborn expression.
Adrian couldn't move.
Evan looked at him.
"So you're Adrian."
"Yes."
"You look like him."
"Who?"
"Our mother."
Adrian's chest tightened.
"You knew her?"
Evan laughed bitterly.
"I met her twice."
"She was alive?"
"Yes."
Adrian stared.
"When?"
"Before she died."
"She told me she had cancer."
"She didn't."
Evan walked deeper into the room.
"She was trying to get me out of Boston."
"Why?"
"Because Richard found out where I was."
Adrian swallowed.
"Why did he want you?"
"Because I was the only person who could expose him."
Evan pulled a folder from his coat.
Inside were bank records.
"Daniel found out Richard had been stealing from the company. But Richard discovered Daniel was investigating."
"What happened?"
"He threatened Daniel."
Evan's voice shook.
"He said he'd hurt everyone Daniel loved."
Adrian looked at Marissa.
Evan continued.
"Daniel refused to stop."
"What happened to him?"
"I don't know."
"You don't?"
"He disappeared after meeting Richard."
Marissa stepped into the room.
Evan looked at her.
His expression softened.
"You're Marissa."
She nodded.
"Daniel talked about you every day."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"He loved you."
"I loved him too."
Evan looked away.
Then Adrian noticed a scar on Evan's wrist.
"What happened?"
Evan pulled down his sleeve.
"Someone tried to kidnap me when I was seventeen."
"Who?"
"Men working for Richard."
Adrian's blood ran cold.
"My father."
"Yes."
The three of them stood in silence.
Then Walter entered.
Evan immediately stepped back.
"You."
Walter looked ashamed.
"I know."
"You knew where I was."
"Yes."
"You could have found me."
"I was trying to keep you alive."
Evan's voice rose.
"You let me believe everyone abandoned me."
Walter lowered his head.
"I made mistakes."
"Your mistakes destroyed lives."
Adrian stepped between them.
"We don't have time to fight."
Evan looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
Adrian held up the blue envelope.
"Daniel left this for us."
Evan stared at it.
"My father trusted you."
"He trusted both of us."
Adrian opened the final letter.
Daniel had written:
If Adrian and Evan ever stand together, the Whitmore family will finally know the truth.
Then came the revelation.
Daniel had discovered that Richard wasn't the mastermind.
Someone else had orchestrated the fraud.
Someone with access to the family trust.
Someone who had manipulated Richard for years.
The name was hidden behind a torn section of paper.
Only the first letter remained.
C.
Adrian immediately thought of Caroline.
His sister.
Evan noticed his expression.
"Who?"
"My sister."
Walter shook his head.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because Caroline was trying to protect you."
"Then why does her signature appear?"
Walter looked at him.
"Because she was forced."
"By whom?"
Before Walter could answer, the house windows shattered.
Gunshots exploded through the room.
Everyone dropped.
Marissa screamed.
Adrian pulled her behind a wall.
Evan crawled toward the back door.
Walter was hit in the shoulder.
"Go!" he shouted.
Another bullet struck the floor.
Adrian grabbed Marissa.
They ran.
Evan followed.
Outside, headlights disappeared into the darkness.
Adrian looked at the road.
Then his phone rang.
It was Caroline.
Her voice was trembling.
"Adrian, listen to me."
"What happened?"
"Don't trust Walter."
Adrian looked back at the injured attorney.
Caroline whispered:
"He's the one who betrayed us."
The call ended.
May you like
Adrian stared at Walter.
For the first time, he wondered whether the man who had guided them toward the truth had been leading them into a trap.
