Chapter 9 - THE MAN AT THE BACK DOOR
Emily’s body moved before her mind.
She grabbed her crutch.
Robert rushed toward the kitchen.
“Stay upstairs!” Emily shouted.
Noah disappeared.
A shadow moved past the patio door.
Robert reached for a baseball bat stored beside the coat closet.
Emily grabbed her phone.
“Call 911.”
Robert looked at her.
“Wait.”
“Why?”
“What if it’s just—”
The back door handle moved.
Emily stared.
Someone was trying to open it.
Robert stopped arguing.
He locked the deadbolt.
The handle moved again.
Then came a knock.
Three slow taps.
Robert’s face drained.
“Steven.”
Emily whispered, “How do you know?”
“That’s how he knocks.”
She dialed emergency services.
Before the operator answered, Steven’s voice came through the door.
“Robert.”
Robert closed his eyes.
“Open up.”
Emily put the call on speaker and whispered the address.
The operator instructed them to remain inside.
Steven knocked again.
“I just want to talk.”
Emily shouted, “Leave.”
Silence.
Then Steven laughed.
“Emily?”
Her skin crawled.
“You shouldn’t be involved in this.”
“Neither should Noah.”
The laughter stopped.
Robert whispered, “Don’t provoke him.”
Emily ignored him.
“You grabbed a child hard enough to bruise him.”
Steven replied, “The kid went into something that wasn’t his.”
“So you admit it.”
“No.”
“You just did.”
Steven cursed.
Then his voice softened.
“Robert, open the door.”
Robert stepped closer.
Emily grabbed his shirt.
“No.”
“He’s my brother.”
“He threatened us.”
“He’s not going to hurt me.”
Emily stared at him.
“You don’t know that.”
Robert’s face twisted.
“Steven.”
He spoke through the door.
“What do you want?”
“The drive.”
Emily felt cold.
“What drive?” Robert asked.
Steven laughed.
“Don’t insult me.”
Emily realized what he meant.
The external backup.
He knew.
How?
Only three people knew Emily had copied the files.
Emily.
Robert.
Noah.
Unless someone was still watching the cameras remotely.
Rachel.
Or Steven.
Emily looked at the laptop.
The account remained logged in.
Steven said, “Give me the drive and this ends.”
Emily shouted, “No.”
“You don’t know what you have.”
“Then tell me.”
“Family footage.”
“Two hundred thousand dollars is family footage?”
Silence.
Robert looked at Emily in horror.
Steven’s voice returned.
“You need to stop.”
“Why?”
“Because Daniel is involved.”
Emily froze.
Robert mouthed, No.
Steven continued.
“You think your perfect brother doesn’t know where that money came from?”
Emily’s heart began pounding.
“You’re lying.”
“Ask him.”
“Daniel hasn’t spoken to you in years.”
Steven laughed.
“That’s what he told you?”
Emily looked at Robert.
His expression was unreadable.
“What does that mean?”
Steven didn’t answer.
Instead, the sound of sirens appeared in the distance.
Steven cursed.
“You called cops?”
Emily shouted, “Yes.”
“You stupid bitch.”
Footsteps moved away from the door.
Robert rushed to the window.
The gray SUV sped down the alley.
Police arrived four minutes later.
Steven was gone.
Two officers took statements.
They photographed the back door.
They collected the burner phone.
They asked about threats.
Emily showed them enough footage to explain why Steven might want evidence destroyed.
The officers became serious when they saw the cash.
One asked Robert whether Steven had a criminal history.
Robert reluctantly admitted Steven had been investigated for fraud years earlier.
No conviction.
Daniel called while police were still there.
His flight had been delayed.
He would arrive after midnight.
Emily told him police were at the house.
Daniel exploded.
“What happened?”
“Steven came here.”
Silence.
Daniel’s voice changed.
“Steven?”
Emily heard something.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
“You knew he was back.”
Daniel didn’t answer.
“Daniel.”
“I can explain.”
Emily looked at Robert.
A new fear appeared.
“Did you give Steven money?”
“No.”
“Did you know he was meeting Rachel?”
Silence.
“Daniel.”
“I knew he contacted her.”
Emily closed her eyes.
“How?”
“He contacted me first.”
Robert sat down.
Emily whispered, “When?”
“Six months ago.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because it had nothing to do with you.”
“It has something to do with Noah.”
Daniel breathed hard.
“Emily, listen carefully. Do not leave the house.”
“Why?”
“Because Steven isn’t the person I’m worried about.”
Emily froze.
“Who is?”
Daniel said nothing for several seconds.
Then:
“Ask Dad what happened in 1998.”
Robert looked up sharply.
Emily stared at him.
“What happened in 1998?”
Robert whispered, “Daniel, don’t.”
Emily felt the room tilt.
Daniel heard him.
His voice became furious.
“You’re there?”
Robert closed his eyes.
Daniel shouted through the phone.
“Tell her!”
Emily looked at her father.
“Tell me what?”
Robert’s hands began trembling.
May you like
And for the first time in Emily’s entire life, she saw fear in her father that had nothing to do with losing control.
It looked like guilt.
