Chapter 7: The Voice of a Dead Man
The recording continued.
For several seconds, nobody in the house moved.
Then Robert Rock's voice came through the device again.
"Get the girl out of Ashborne. If Elizabeth refuses to cooperate, use the boy. She'll do anything to protect her children.""
I stared at the recording device in Emily Carter's hands.
The voice was unmistakable.
My father's.
A man I had spent thirty-two years believing was dead was giving orders as though he still controlled the town.
Daniel stepped toward Emily.
"Where did you get that?""
Emily pressed STOP.
"From the room where they kept me.""
"Who kept you?""
She looked toward Michael.
"He knows.""
Michael shook his head.
"Emily, not now.""
She laughed bitterly.
"Not now? I've been waiting eleven months to say this. When exactly is the right time?""
I stepped between them.
"Somebody needs to start explaining.""
Emily looked at me.
"Your father is alive.""
"Where?""
"I don't know.""
"Then how do you have a recording of him?""
"Because I worked for the man who delivered his messages.""
My stomach tightened.
"What man?""
Emily glanced at the staircase.
"The man who runs the department now.""
"Chief Brennan?""
She nodded.
"Chief Brennan told everyone Robert Rock died years ago. But every month, Brennan received instructions from someone he called the Director.""
Daniel's expression darkened.
"Did you ever see this Director?""
"No. I only heard his voice.""
I held up the recording device.
"How long have you had this?""
"Three weeks.""
"Why didn't you contact the FBI?""
Emily gave me a look that made me feel ashamed for asking.
"Because the FBI agent assigned to my disappearance was reporting directly to Brennan.""
Daniel immediately stiffened.
"Who?""
Emily hesitated.
"Special Agent Daniel Grant.""
The room went silent.
I slowly turned toward Daniel.
He looked as though someone had punched him.
"That's impossible.""
Emily shook her head.
"Your signature is on the transfer documents. Your credentials were used to move me between locations.""
Daniel took a step back.
"Someone stole my identity.""
"Maybe," Emily said.
"But your authorization number was on every document.""
He looked at me.
"Kendra, I swear I had nothing to do with this.""
I believed him.
At least, I wanted to.
But Emily wasn't finished.
"There was another name on the documents.""
"Whose?"" I asked.
She swallowed.
"Margaret Grant.""
Daniel turned toward the older woman at the staircase.
His mother.
Margaret stood motionless, holding the banister.
"Mom?""
She closed her eyes.
"Daniel, I can explain.""
He shook his head.
"You're dead.""
"I know.""
"You were buried.""
Margaret began crying.
"I had to disappear.""
Daniel looked at her as if he no longer recognized her.
"You let me bury an empty coffin?""
She nodded.
His voice broke.
"Why?""
Margaret came down one step.
"Because your father was involved.""
Daniel froze.
"My father?""
"Your father discovered what Robert Rock was doing. He tried to report it. Two days later, our house burned down.""
Daniel stared at her.
"The fire department found your car.""
"With someone else's body inside.""
He covered his mouth.
Margaret continued.
"I was taken to a safe location. Brennan told me that if I ever contacted you, he would kill you.""
Daniel turned away.
For a moment, he looked like a little boy who had just learned that his entire childhood was built on a lie.
I wanted to comfort him.
But the recording device was still in Emily's hand.
And Robert Rock was still alive.
"Margaret," I said gently, "where is Elizabeth?""
She looked at me.
"Your mother is being held at the old Saint Mary's Hospital.""
I felt my heart pound.
"That's been closed for fifteen years.""
"Not entirely.""
Michael moved toward the window.
"We need to leave.""
Daniel wiped his eyes.
"Why?""
Michael pointed toward the street.
A black SUV had stopped outside the house.
Its headlights were off.
Two figures stepped out.
One carried a long object.
The other was holding a phone.
Emily whispered, "They found us.""
Daniel drew his weapon.
"Everyone away from the windows!""
A gunshot shattered the front window.
Glass exploded across the living room.
Margaret screamed.
I pulled her behind the sofa.
Another shot struck the fireplace.
Daniel returned fire through the broken window.
Michael grabbed Emily's arm.
"Back door! Now!""
We rushed through the kitchen.
I was the last to leave.
Before stepping outside, I looked back at the photograph on the mantelpiece.
My mother holding me as a baby.
For the first time, I understood why she had smiled so sadly.
She had known that one day I would have to choose between finding the truth and surviving it.
We ran through the narrow garden toward the wooded area behind the property.
Branches scratched my face.
Emily stumbled.
Michael caught her.
Then a flashlight swept across the trees.
"Stop! Police!""
Daniel shouted.
"Federal agents! Drop your weapons!""
A voice answered from the darkness.
"Daniel, don't shoot!""
I recognized it.
Trevor.
He stepped between two trees, holding his weapon pointed toward the ground.
Michael raised his gun.
"You followed us?""
Trevor looked at him.
"I followed them.""
He nodded toward the SUV.
One of its passengers was now approaching through the trees.
Trevor's expression changed.
"That's not Brennan's team.""
"Who is it?"" I asked.
Trevor looked at me.
Then he whispered:
"Your father sent them.""
A man stepped into the flashlight beam.
He was older, with gray hair and a long scar across his jaw.
He looked directly at me.
Then he smiled.
"Hello, Kendra.""
He lifted his weapon.
"Your father wants his daughter home.""
May you like
And Trevor stepped in front of me.
"Not this one.""
