Chapter 6: The Recording
Nobody moved.
Daniel stood in the doorway with one hand inside his jacket.
Marcus positioned himself between him and Maya.
“Take your hand out,” Marcus said.
Daniel smiled.
“You really think you're the hero here?””
“Hand out. Now.””
Daniel slowly removed his hand.
There was no weapon.
Only a small black remote.
He pressed a button.
The mansion doors behind him locked with a heavy click.
Several guests gasped.
Maya looked around.
“What did you do?””
Daniel held up the remote.
“Nothing permanent.””
Marcus glanced toward the exits.
“Everyone stay together.””
Daniel laughed.
“You're missing the point.””
He looked at Maya.
“You were never supposed to survive the pool.””
Maya's face went cold.
Vanessa covered her mouth.
“Stop.””
Daniel turned toward her.
“You had one job.””
“I couldn't.””
“You pushed her.””
“I stopped.””
“You stopped because people saw you.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No. I stopped because I realized what you were doing.””
Daniel's expression hardened.
“And what was that?””
“You weren't going to let me leave.””
Daniel said nothing.
Maya looked at Vanessa.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa wiped her eyes.
“He told me if I failed, he'd blame everything on me.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“And then?””
“He said he'd make sure I disappeared too.””
Daniel laughed softly.
“You're making this dramatic.””
Vanessa pointed at him.
“You threatened me.””
“You agreed.””
“You threatened my mother.””
Maya froze.
Daniel's face changed.
Just slightly.
But Marcus saw it.
“You threatened her family,” Marcus said.
Daniel shrugged.
“I needed leverage.””
Maya looked at Vanessa.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I thought I could fix it.””
“You almost died.””
“I know.””
Vanessa's voice broke.
“I know.””
Marcus suddenly looked at the phone.
“There's another file.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Don't open that.””
Marcus smiled.
“That sounded important.””
He tapped the screen.
A recording began playing.
Daniel's own voice came through the phone.
*“She'll be at the pool by seven.””*
Maya's eyes widened.
Another voice followed.
Vanessa.
*“She can't swim.””*
Daniel's recorded voice answered.
*“That's exactly why it works.””*
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“I told you I couldn't do it.””
The recording continued.
*“You don't have to drown her yourself. Just push her in and leave the rest to me.””*
Marcus looked at Daniel.
Daniel's face had gone blank.
The guests were staring at him now.
One woman whispered, “Oh my God.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Give me the phone.””
Marcus backed away.
“No.””
“That recording is fabricated.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“You sent it to me.””
Daniel turned toward her.
“You stupid—”
He stopped himself.
Maya heard something outside.
A distant siren.
Marcus looked toward the driveway.
“Someone called the police.””
Daniel's face tightened.
“No.””
Maya looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa shook her head.
“It wasn't me.””
Marcus looked around the patio.
“Who called?””
Nobody answered.
Then Maya noticed one of the guests standing near the flowers.
A woman in a silver dress.
She was holding her phone.
Maya recognized her.
It was the same woman who had been sitting beside Daniel earlier.
The woman slowly lowered her phone.
“I did.””
Daniel stared at her.
“You?””
She nodded.
“I heard everything.””
Daniel took a step toward her.
Marcus blocked him.
“Don't.””
The woman looked at Maya.
“I need to tell you something.””
Maya's pulse quickened.
“What?””
The woman glanced at Vanessa.
Then at Daniel.
“I wasn't here for the celebration.””
Vanessa whispered, “Then why were you here?””
The woman reached into her purse.
She pulled out a sealed envelope.
“I was here because your father asked me to watch over Maya.””
Maya stared at the envelope.
“My father?””
The woman nodded.
“He knew this was coming.””
Daniel's face drained of color.
Marcus slowly reached for the envelope.
“What is inside?””
The woman looked directly at Maya.
“Proof.””
She handed it over.
Maya took it with trembling fingers.
On the front, written in her father's handwriting, were six words:
*Do not trust your sister. Trust no one.*
Maya looked up.
Vanessa was crying.
Daniel was silent.
And then Maya turned the envelope over.
There was one final name written beneath the seal.
Not Daniel.
Not Vanessa.
May you like
A name Maya had never expected to see.
*Marcus.*
