Chapter 5 - THE PERSON AARON TRUSTED MOST
The photograph stayed on Peter’s desk all night.
He tried to put it away.
He tried to convince himself there was an explanation.
A mistake.
A coincidence.
Anything.
But the image refused to disappear.
Aaron.
Standing outside a coffee shop.
One day before his death.
And beside him…
was a woman Peter knew.
A woman who should not have been there.
A woman who had been declared dead six years earlier.
Peter grabbed his phone.
His fingers hovered over the screen.
Then he called the only person who might have answers.
“Detective Harper.”
She answered immediately.
“You found something.”
Peter looked at the photograph.
“Yes.”
His voice was low.
“And I think Aaron knew more than we thought.”
Thirty minutes later, Harper sat across from him.
She studied the picture.
Her expression changed.
“Where did you get this?”
“Someone left it at my house.”
“Someone?”
Peter nodded.
“Anonymous.”
Harper zoomed in.
The woman beside Aaron was clear.
Her name was Megan Collins.
Aaron’s former coworker.
And according to official records…
she died six years ago.
Harper looked at Peter.
“This isn’t possible.”
Peter shook his head.
“Apparently a lot of impossible things happened in that house.”
He pointed at the photo.
“Aaron met her the day before he died.”
Harper flipped through her notes.
“What do you know about her?”
Peter frowned.
“Nothing.”
“That’s the problem.”
Harper looked serious.
“Because according to Aaron’s phone records, he called her seventeen times in the month before his death.”
Peter froze.
“Seventeen?”
“Yes.”
“And nobody knew?”
Harper shook her head.
“Not even Reena?”
A silence followed.
Peter looked toward the window.
Because suddenly he understood.
Aaron had been investigating something.
Alone.
That evening, Peter visited the old Calder house.
The police had not finished searching.
But something bothered him.
Something felt unfinished.
He walked through the living room.
The same place where Aaron used to sit.
The same couch where they watched football.
The same walls where family photos smiled back.
Peter stopped in front of a picture.
Aaron.
Reena.
Drew.
Lily.
A perfect family.
But now Peter saw something different.
A performance.
A noise came from upstairs.
Peter turned.
“Hello?”
No answer.
He slowly walked up.
The house was supposed to be empty.
But the door at the end of the hallway was slightly open.
The bedroom.
Aaron and Reena’s room.
Peter pushed it open.
Inside, everything was untouched.
Too untouched.
Like someone wanted it to appear frozen in time.
Then he noticed something.
A loose floorboard.
Peter knelt down.
He lifted it.
Underneath was a small notebook.
Aaron’s handwriting.
Again.
Peter opened it.
The first page contained one sentence:
“If Peter finds this, it means I failed.”
Peter’s chest tightened.
He kept reading.
“I know something is wrong with Reena.”
Peter looked up.
Even after death…
Aaron was still trying to protect his children.
The notebook continued.
“The basement isn’t the only place she hides things.”
Peter turned the page.
“She has someone helping her.”
His heart started beating faster.
Someone helping her.
Peter kept reading.
“I don't know who yet.”
Another page.
“But whoever it is knows my schedule.”
Peter froze.
Because that meant…
someone close.
Someone trusted.
The final page was different.
The handwriting was rushed.
Almost panicked.
“If anything happens to me, don't trust anyone who says they were trying to help.”
Peter stopped.
Below that sentence…
was a name.
A name written three times.
Peter Calder.
Peter dropped the notebook.
“No.”
His hands shook.
Why would Aaron write his name?
Why?
Then he noticed something.
A second sentence beneath his name.
Almost hidden.
“Peter is the only one I trust.”
Peter closed his eyes.
Aaron had not suspected him.
Aaron had been trying to warn him.
The next morning, Peter went to the hospital.
Drew was awake.
Drawing again.
Peter sat beside him.
“Buddy.”
Drew looked up.
“Did you find something?”
Peter nodded.
“Your dad was trying to protect you.”
Drew’s eyes filled.
“He was?”
“Yes.”
A pause.
“He loved you very much.”
Drew looked down.
“Then why did he leave?”
Peter felt his heart break.
Because that was the question every child deserved answered.
“He didn’t.”
Peter held his hand.
“Someone took him away.”
That afternoon, Detective Harper called.
“Peter.”
Her voice sounded urgent.
“We found something in Reena’s records.”
Peter stood immediately.
“What?”
“She had another child.”
Peter froze.
“What?”
“Before Aaron.”
Harper continued.
“A son.”
Peter frowned.
“Where is he?”
A pause.
“That’s the problem.”
The name was Noah Collins.
Six years old when he disappeared.
The same year Reena moved to another state.
The same year she met Aaron.
Peter felt sick.
“Are you saying…”
Harper finished:
“We think Reena may have been doing this for years.”
Peter stared at the hospital hallway.
Children.
Families.
Parents walking by.
Normal life.
And somewhere…
a woman had been hiding children’s pain behind a perfect home.
That night, Peter received another message.
Unknown number.
One sentence.
“Stop looking for answers you’re not ready to hear.”
Then a photo appeared.
Peter opened it.
And his blood ran cold.
It was Drew.
Taken inside the hospital.
Sleeping.
Someone had been there.
Watching him.
Peter immediately called Detective Harper.
“She’s still watching them.”
Harper answered:
“Who?”
Peter stared at the photo.
“I don't know.”
A pause.
“But whoever it is…”
May you like
He tightened his grip on the phone.
“They’re not afraid of the police.”
