Chapter 7: The Biker Who Knew Too Much
For three seconds, nobody moved.
My hand was still holding the second key.
My mother’s fingers were still wrapped around my arm.
And outside the door, Bear waited.
“Jordan,” he called again.
His voice wasn’t angry.
It wasn’t demanding.
It was desperate.
I looked at my mother.
She shook her head.
Not because she didn’t trust Bear.
Because she was afraid.
“Mom,” I whispered.
Her eyes moved toward the door.
“If he knows about the keys…”
“He already knows something.””
She looked at me.
“That’s what scares me.””
Another knock.
Harder this time.
“Jordan, please.””
I had heard Bear sound many ways that day.
Confident.
Serious.
Grateful.
But never like this.
Like a man running out of time.
I stepped toward the door.
My mother grabbed my hand.
“Don’t.””
I looked at her.
“Then what?””
She didn’t answer.
Because there wasn’t a good option.
I opened the door.
Bear stood on the porch.
But he wasn’t alone.
Two bikers stood behind him.
Lisa was one of them.
The other was a man I hadn’t seen before.
Older.
Short gray hair.
A scar running across his cheek.
His eyes immediately moved past me.
Toward the house.
Toward my mother.
The moment he saw her, his expression changed.
“Sarah.””
My mother went completely still.
She knew him.
I stepped between them.
“Who is he?””
Nobody answered.
That was becoming a pattern I hated.
Bear looked at the man.
Then at me.
“Jordan, we need to leave.””
I frowned.
“Why?””
“Because they know where you are.””
My mother’s face tightened.
“Who?””
Bear looked at her.
“The same people who sent the message.””
The scarred man spoke.
“They’re already moving.””
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
I didn’t like him.
“What’s your name?””
The man looked at me.
“David.””
“David what?””
A pause.
Then:
“David Cole.””
My mother stepped back.
Like the name itself had hit her.
I noticed.
“Mom?””
She looked away.
Bear noticed too.
And suddenly, everyone was watching everyone.
“What aren’t you telling me?”” I asked.
Nobody answered.
My patience disappeared.
“No more.””
My voice cut through the room.
“No more secrets. No more half-truths. I spent my entire life believing my father died because everyone around me decided I was too young to handle the truth.””
I looked at Bear.
“I need answers.””
Then David.
“You know something.””
Then my mother.
“You know everything.””
The silence was painful.
Finally, Bear nodded.
“You’re right.””
He stepped inside.
“Your father’s disappearance wasn’t random.””
I crossed my arms.
“I know.””
“He left clues.””
“The keys.””
Bear looked at them.
“Yes.””
“And one of you betrayed him.””
Nobody moved.
Then David spoke.
“Yes.””
The answer surprised me.
“You admit it?””
David looked at me.
“I know who did.””
My heart started beating faster.
“Who?””
Before he could answer, my mother interrupted.
“No.””
Everyone looked at her.
She looked terrified.
Not confused.
Not uncertain.
Terrified.
“Sarah,” Bear said quietly.
She shook her head.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I thought we were done with this.””
David looked at her.
“We were never done.””
The words carried history.
A history I didn’t know.
“Someone tell me what’s happening.””
Bear sighed.
“Your father discovered someone inside our group was working with the people hunting him.””
“Who?””
David looked at the floor.
“It was me.””
The room went silent.
I stared at him.
“What?””
My mother closed her eyes.
Bear looked shocked.
“David—”
“I said it.””
David looked at me.
“I was the reason Michael knew someone was close.””
I didn’t understand.
“You betrayed him?””
“No.””
“Then why say that?””
“Because I gave them information.””
The words landed.
My body went tense.
“Information about my father?””
David nodded.
“Yes.””
I took a step forward.
“Why?””
His face changed.
For the first time, I saw regret.
“Because they threatened my family.””
Nobody spoke.
He continued.
“They told me they would hurt my wife and daughter if I didn’t cooperate.””
“And you did.””
“Yes.””
My fists tightened.
“You got my father killed.””
David looked like he wanted to deny it.
But he didn’t.
“I thought I did.””
The sentence confused me.
“What does that mean?””
David looked at Bear.
Then at my mother.
“He knew.””
My eyes moved between them.
“Who knew?””
“Michael.””
I stared.
“My father knew you betrayed him?””
David nodded.
“And he still protected me.””
That stopped me.
“Why?””
“Because that was who your father was.””
David looked down.
“He found out I was being forced. He helped me get my family away.””
“Then why did he disappear?””
Nobody answered.
I felt the anger building again.
“This is insane.””
Bear stepped closer.
“Jordan.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“My father disappears. Everyone lies. Someone betrays him.
Someone else threatens me. And now you’re telling me he was still protecting everyone?””
My voice broke slightly.
“That doesn’t make sense.””
My mother looked at me.
“It does if you knew him.””
I looked at her.
She continued.
“Your father always believed people could be saved.””
A sad smile crossed her face.
“Even when they didn’t believe it themselves.””
Before I could respond, David reached into his jacket.
My instincts immediately reacted.
My hand moved toward my belt.
But he pulled out a small envelope.
Old.
Worn.
He handed it to Bear.
“Michael gave me this.””
Bear looked surprised.
“When?””
“The night he disappeared.””
My eyes narrowed.
“You had another message?””
David nodded.
“Not a message.””
“What then?””
He looked at me.
“A confession.””
Bear opened the envelope.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
He read it silently.
Then his face changed.
“What?””
Bear handed it to Lisa.
She read it.
Then looked at me.
“What does it say?””
Lisa swallowed.
“Michael wrote that if anything happened to him…”
She stopped.
“Read it.””
She looked down.
“Find Jordan before they do.””
My stomach dropped.
Again.
My father had known.
He knew they would come for me.
The same thought kept repeating.
Why?
Why me?
“What else?””
Lisa continued reading.
“He says the person who betrayed him was not the biggest danger.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Bear took the paper back.
His eyes moved across the final lines.
Then he froze.
“Bear?””
He didn’t respond.
I stepped closer.
“What does it say?””
Slowly, he lifted his eyes.
And I knew before he spoke.
Whatever was written there was worse than anything before.
“Your father says the person who betrayed him…”
A pause.
“Was only following orders.””
The room went cold.
“Orders from who?””
Bear looked at me.
Then at my mother.
Then at David.
Nobody wanted to say it.
But eventually, David did.
“The person who gave the order…”
He took a breath.
“Was someone inside your family.””
My chest tightened.
I looked at my mother.
She looked away.
And for the first time since this nightmare began…
I wondered if my father’s warning wasn’t about the person who betrayed him.
Maybe it was about the person who survived him.
A sound came from outside.
A car door closing.
Everyone turned.
Bear moved toward the window.
His face changed.
“What?””
He didn’t answer.
He slowly pulled the curtain aside.
Then stepped back.
Because parked across the street was a black SUV.
The same one from the gas station.
But this time, there was someone standing beside it.
Watching the house.
A woman.
An older woman.
My mother saw her through the window.
And all the strength left her face.
“Impossible.””
I looked at her.
“Who is that?””
My mother whispered the name like she was afraid the person could hear her from across the street.
“Your grandmother.””
I froze.
“My grandmother died when I was a baby.””
My mother looked at me.
“No.””
A tear rolled down her cheek.
“She wanted everyone to believe that.””
The woman outside slowly lifted her head.
And looked directly at the window.
Like she knew I was watching.
Then my phone buzzed.
A new message.
May you like
One sentence.
*Ask your mother why she let me bury Michael alive.*
