Chapter 5: The Man Everyone Blamed
Victor Hale entered the school like he belonged there.
That was the first thing Maya noticed.
He wasn’t rushing.
He wasn’t hiding.
He walked through the hallway with the calm confidence of someone who had never been afraid of consequences.
Rainwater dripped from his coat onto the floor.
The same floor Raymond had cleaned countless times.
The same hallway where students had laughed at him hours earlier.
Now everyone was silent.
Victor stopped when he saw Maya.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then he looked at Raymond.
“Hello, Raymond.””
The old janitor didn’t answer.
Maya noticed the change immediately.
Raymond was usually calm.
Even when Tyler humiliated him.
Even when the entire school watched him struggle.
But now his hands were shaking.
“Why are you here?”” Raymond asked.
Victor looked around.
“I think you know why.””
Maya stepped forward.
“You know my brother.””
Victor’s eyes moved to her.
A strange sadness appeared on his face.
“Yes.””
The answer was so simple that it almost frightened her.
“You knew Daniel?””
“I did.””
“You were with him the night he disappeared.””
Victor didn’t deny it.
“Yes.””
Raymond’s voice hardened.
“You expect her to believe you?””
Victor looked at him.
“No.””
A pause.
“I expect her to ask questions.””
Maya looked between them.
For fifteen years, everyone had given her answers she never requested.
Now she finally had someone who wanted her to ask.
“What happened at Willow Creek Road?””
Victor didn’t respond immediately.
Instead, he walked closer.
Raymond stepped in front of Maya.
“Don’t.””
Victor stopped.
“Still protecting her?””
Raymond’s expression darkened.
“I promised her mother.””
Victor nodded slowly.
“And that promise is exactly why you never told Maya the entire truth.””
Maya turned toward Raymond.
The words hit harder than she expected.
“What does he mean?””
Raymond looked away.
“Maya…”
“No.””
She shook her head.
“Not again.””
Victor watched quietly.
“She deserves to know.””
Raymond closed his eyes.
“I was going to tell her.””
“When?””
Raymond had no answer.
Maya felt the anger rising.
She wasn’t angry at Victor.
Not yet.
She was angry because every person around her seemed to have a hidden chapter of her life.
Everyone except her.
“What didn’t you tell me?””
Raymond looked at the floor.
“That Daniel came back.””
Maya froze.
The hallway disappeared.
“What?””
Victor looked at Raymond.
“You never told her?””
Raymond’s face was filled with regret.
“I didn’t know how.””
Maya stared at him.
“You knew Daniel came back?””
Raymond nodded.
“Three days after he disappeared.””
Her heart pounded.
“Where?””
“Willow Creek.””
“Then why didn’t you bring him home?””
Raymond’s eyes filled with pain.
“Because he didn’t want to come home.””
The words hurt more than she expected.
“No.””
“He was scared.””
“My brother wasn’t scared of anything.””
Raymond looked at her.
“He was scared of losing you.””
Maya went silent.
Victor stepped forward.
“Daniel found out someone inside your family was involved.””
Maya looked at him.
“My family?””
Victor nodded.
“He believed your father was being manipulated.””
Raymond looked at Victor.
“You said you didn’t know who was responsible.””
“I didn’t.””
Victor’s eyes hardened.
“But Daniel found out.””
Maya felt overwhelmed.
“Then why didn’t Daniel tell me?””
Victor looked at her.
“Because you were six years old.””
The answer stopped her.
“He thought if he came home, whoever was involved would come after you.””
Maya’s eyes burned.
“So he just left?””
“No.””
Victor’s voice softened.
“He stayed away.””
“That’s the same thing.””
“No.””
Victor shook his head.
“It isn’t.””
He reached into his coat pocket.
He pulled out an old bracelet.
Maya immediately recognized it.
Her bracelet.
The one from her childhood.
“I found Daniel wearing this.””
Her breath caught.
“He kept it.””
Victor handed it to her.
“He told me it reminded him why he couldn’t give up.””
Maya took it slowly.
The small blue beads were worn.
But they were real.
Daniel had kept it.
All these years.
“Where is he now?””
Victor looked at Raymond.
Then back at Maya.
“That’s complicated.””
“Why?””
“Because Daniel doesn’t trust anyone anymore.””
Maya looked confused.
“He sent me the video.””
“Yes.””
“He wanted me to know.””
“Yes.””
“Then why won’t he come to me?””
Victor’s expression changed.
“Because someone has been trying to find him.””
“Who?””
Victor didn’t answer.
Maya stepped closer.
“Who?””
The hallway lights flickered again.
Victor glanced toward the entrance.
His face changed.
Not fear.
Concern.
“We need to leave.””
Raymond immediately shook his head.
“No.””
Victor looked at him.
“You know I’m right.””
“I don’t trust you.””
“You never did.””
“Because you disappeared.””
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“And because you assumed I was guilty.””
The two men stared at each other.
Maya realized something.
They weren’t enemies.
Not exactly.
They were two people who had spent years blaming each other.
“Wait.””
Both men looked at her.
“What happened between you two?””
Neither answered.
Maya pointed at them.
“You both think you’re protecting Daniel.””
Silence.
“But you hate each other.””
Raymond looked away.
Victor said nothing.
“Why?””
Victor finally spoke.
“Because Raymond believed I took Daniel.””
“And did you?””
Victor looked at her.
“No.””
“Then why were you with him?””
Victor’s expression became serious.
“Because Daniel asked me for help.””
Maya froze.
“Help with what?””
Victor looked toward the rain-covered windows.
“Getting away from someone.””
“Who?””
Before Victor could answer, a sound echoed through the hallway.
A phone ringing.
Everyone looked at Raymond.
His phone.
The screen showed one word.
*Linda.*
Maya immediately recognized the name.
Linda Parker.
The woman in Daniel’s photo.
The woman who might know everything.
Raymond hesitated.
“Answer it.””
He looked at Maya.
“She could be involved.””
“She could also be the only person who knows the truth.””
Raymond answered.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Raymond’s expression changed.
“What?””
Maya moved closer.
“What happened?””
Raymond slowly lowered the phone.
His face was pale.
“Linda knows where Daniel is.””
Maya’s heart stopped.
“Where?””
Raymond looked at Victor.
Then at Maya.
“She said Daniel is in danger.””
A pause.
“And he only has a few hours left.””
Maya grabbed the phone.
“What did she say?””
Raymond shook his head.
“She left one message.””
“What message?””
The old man swallowed.
Then repeated Linda’s words.
“She said…”
His voice became quieter.
“‘If Maya found the photograph, then it’s already too late.’”
Maya felt a chill.
Victor stepped closer.
“What else?””
Raymond looked at him.
“She said the person hunting Daniel knows about Maya now.””
Nobody moved.
Then Victor’s phone buzzed.
He checked the screen.
His face changed.
Maya watched him carefully.
“What is it?””
Victor turned the phone around.
A photograph had been sent.
A picture taken moments ago.
Inside the school hallway.
Of Maya.
Raymond.
Victor.
And the message underneath was only four words.
*I found all three.*
Victor looked toward the dark end of the hallway.
For the first time since he arrived…
he looked afraid.
May you like
“Run.””
The lights went out.
