Chapter 15 - The Door That Opened Again
They finally reached a safe house Michael had arranged.
Everyone was exhausted.
Nobody trusted anyone.
Daniel sat beside Noah.
His son slept against his shoulder.
Richard stood near the window.
Rebecca sat across the room.
Emily stared at the floor.
Michael checked the locks.
For several minutes, there was silence.
Then Richard spoke.
“I owe you the truth.”
Daniel looked at him.
Richard's voice trembled.
“James didn't die because of an accident.”
Rebecca closed her eyes.
Michael stopped moving.
Daniel stared.
“What happened?”
Richard swallowed.
“He was killed.”
Emily looked up.
“By who?”
Richard shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Rebecca whispered.
“You do.”
Richard looked at her.
“I know who ordered it.”
Daniel felt his chest tighten.
“Who?”
Richard reached into his coat.
He pulled out an old photograph.
He placed it on the table.
Daniel looked at it.
The photograph showed James.
Claire.
Richard.
Rebecca.
Michael.
And one other person.
A person Daniel had seen many times.
Someone he had trusted.
Someone who had attended family dinners.
Someone who had held Noah as a baby.
Daniel's face went pale.
“No.”
Richard nodded.
“Yes.”
Daniel stared at the photograph.
Then the lights went out.
Emily gasped.
Noah woke.
“What happened?”
Daniel pulled him close.
A sound came from outside.
A car door slammed.
Then another.
Richard whispered:
“They're here.”
Michael moved toward the back door.
“Stay together.”
Rebecca grabbed Daniel's arm.
“Don't let them take Noah.”
Daniel nodded.
Then someone knocked on the front door.
Three slow knocks.
Everyone froze.
A voice came from the other side.
Calm.
Familiar.
Almost gentle.
“Daniel.”
Daniel's heart stopped.
He knew that voice.
He had heard it his entire life.
The voice continued.
“Open the door.”
Richard whispered:
“Don't.”
Daniel stared at the door.
The person outside laughed softly.
“You've spent years believing your father was the villain.”
A pause.
“But he wasn't.”
Daniel looked at Richard.
The voice continued.
“You were right about one thing.”
Another pause.
“The money was never the real target.”
Daniel's grip tightened around Noah.
“What do you want?”
Silence.
Then the answer came.
“We want what your father promised us.”
Daniel looked at Richard.
Richard's face had gone completely white.
“What did you promise them?” Daniel asked.
Richard didn't answer.
The door handle slowly moved.
Daniel stepped backward.
Then his father finally spoke.
“I promised them my son.”
Daniel stared at him.
May you like
The lock clicked.
And before anyone could move, the door began to open.
