Chapter 12 - The Man Who Came Home
The following night, Emily heard a knock.
She opened the door.
No one stood outside.
Only a small package.
Inside was a wedding ring.
Daniel's wedding ring.
Emily dropped it.
A note was attached.
I'M SORRY.
Then a second knock came.
This time, she opened the door slowly.
A man stood on the porch.
Older than she remembered.
Thinner.
A faint scar crossed his eyebrow.
But there was no mistaking his eyes.
Emily could not breathe.
Daniel whispered,
“Hi, Em.”
She stared at him.
Then she stepped backward.
“No.”
“I know.”
“No.”
“I wanted to come home.”
“You're dead.”
“I know what they told you.”
“You let me bury you.”
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
“I had no choice.”
“You always had a choice.”
“I chose you.”
“That wasn't your choice to make.”
Daniel lowered his head.
Emily cried silently.
Noah appeared at the top of the stairs.
“Mommy?”
Daniel looked up.
The boy stared at him.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Noah whispered,
“Daddy?”
Daniel's face broke.
Emily turned toward Noah.
“Go back upstairs.”
“But…”
“Please.”
Noah obeyed.
Daniel looked at Emily.
“I've watched him from a distance.”
Emily's anger returned.
“You watched your son grow up without you?”
“I was trying to keep him alive.”
“You should have trusted me.”
“I wanted to.”
“Then why didn't you?”
Daniel reached into his coat.
He pulled out a small device.
“The evidence is not in the trust.”
Emily stared.
“What?”
“The trust is a decoy.”
“Then where is it?”
Daniel looked toward the street.
“They know I'm here.”
Emily's blood ran cold.
“Who?”
Daniel stepped inside.
“Everyone.”
The lights outside suddenly went out.
A car stopped at the end of the street.
Daniel looked through the window.
“We have minutes.”
Emily whispered,
“Where are we going?”
May you like
Daniel looked at her.
“To finish what I started.”
