Chapter 14 - THE CALL THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
Daniel rushed toward the door.
Locked.
Emily stepped back.
A phone began ringing.
Not hers.
Not Daniel's.
An old telephone sitting on the desk.
Emily stared at it.
The ringing continued.
She picked it up.
“Hello?”
A man's voice answered.
“Emily.”
She knew immediately.
Charles.
“You've been looking for me.”
Emily's heart pounded.
“Where are you?”
“Closer than you think.”
“What did you do to my father?”
Silence.
Then Charles laughed softly.
“You still believe your father was the victim.”
Emily tightened her grip on the phone.
“Tell me the truth.”
“The truth is complicated.”
“I don't care.”
“You will.”
“Why did you use my trust?”
“I didn't.”
“Then who did?”
Charles paused.
“You should ask your mother.”
“My mother said she was protecting me.”
“She was.”
Emily frowned.
“From you?”
“From your father.”
Emily froze.
“What?”
Charles continued.
“Your father wasn't protecting you.”
“Then what was he doing?”
“He was hiding something.”
“What?”
Charles didn't answer.
Instead, he said,
“Did you ever wonder why he chose you?”
Emily's voice became quiet.
“Chose me for what?”
“The trust.”
“He was my father.”
“That isn't the reason.”
Emily looked at Daniel.
Charles continued.
“Your father knew something about you.”
Emily's stomach tightened.
“What?”
A long silence.
Then Charles said,
“Something your mother has never told you.”
The phone went dead.
Emily stood motionless.
Daniel looked at her.
“What did he mean?”
Emily shook her head.
“I don't know.”
The warehouse door suddenly opened.
Jonathan stood there.
His expression was serious.
“We have to leave.”
“Why?”
“Because Charles just made his move.”
“What move?”
Jonathan held up his phone.
A photograph appeared.
Diane was sitting inside a car.
Someone was standing beside her.
Ryan.
Emily stared.
“Where are they?”
Jonathan answered,
“They've gone to the bank.”
“Why?”
Jonathan looked at her.
“To transfer the last thing your father left behind.”
Emily's face went pale.
“What last thing?”
Jonathan didn't answer.
May you like
He simply said,
“Your name.”
