Chapter 13: The Last Lie
Nia read the sentence again.
Then again.
*The person you should never trust is the one who tells you they are protecting you.*
Her fingers tightened around the letter.
The paper shook.
Not because she was afraid.
Because she was angry.
She had spent her entire life believing the people around her were protecting her.
Her mother.
Bear.
Everyone.
But protection had become another word for hiding.
Another word for silence.
She slowly lowered the letter.
“Who wrote this?””
Nobody answered.
Nia looked at Bear.
“My father wrote this?””
“Yes.””
“And he trusted you with it?””
Bear nodded.
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t you give it to me?””
Pain crossed his face.
“Because I never had it.””
Nia turned.
“What?””
Bear looked at Victoria.
Then Daniel.
Then her mother.
“Someone else took it.””
The room became still.
Victoria’s expression changed.
Not much.
Just enough.
Nia noticed.
“You know something.””
Victoria said nothing.
“Victoria.””
The woman looked at her.
“I know more than I wanted to.””
Nia stepped closer.
“Then tell me.””
Victoria looked at the letter.
“Your father wrote that letter the night he disappeared.””
Nia’s heartbeat increased.
“Where was he?””
Nobody spoke.
Bear finally answered.
“At my house.””
She looked at him.
“What?””
“He came to me because he knew Daniel was closing in.””
Daniel laughed.
“You still blame me.””
Bear ignored him.
“Your father gave me the evidence and asked me to protect you.””
Nia looked at the letter.
“And then?””
Bear’s eyes filled.
“And then he left.””
“Why?””
“Because he thought someone was following him.””
“Was he right?””
Bear didn’t answer.
That was enough.
Nia looked at her mother.
“Mom.””
Her mother looked terrified.
“I’m sorry.””
“No.””
Nia shook her head.
“Not that.””
She stepped closer.
“Did you know?””
Her mother looked down.
“Yes.””
The answer felt like a physical blow.
Nia closed her eyes.
“You knew my father might be alive.””
Her mother whispered:
“Yes.””
“And you never told me?””
“I thought I was protecting you.””
Nia laughed.
A painful, broken sound.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
Her mother cried silently.
“I thought if you believed he was gone, you would stop searching.””
“Searching?””
Nia stared.
“I didn’t even know there was something to search for.””
Silence.
Then Victoria spoke.
“Your mother made a choice.””
Nia looked at her.
“Which was?””
“To keep you away from the war.””
“What war?””
Victoria looked at Daniel.
“The one between people who wanted the truth and people who wanted it buried.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Enough.””
Nia turned.
“No.””
Her voice was stronger now.
“You have controlled this entire conversation.””
She held up the letter.
“You made everyone afraid of you.””
Daniel smiled coldly.
“You have no idea what you’re involved in.””
Nia looked around the room.
At the people who had carried secrets.
At the people who had lied.
Then she looked back at him.
“I know exactly what I’m involved in.””
She lifted the flash drive.
“I’m involved in finding out why everyone was willing to destroy my family.””
Daniel’s face hardened.
For the first time, he looked worried.
Bear saw it.
“So you’re afraid.””
Daniel laughed.
“No.””
“You should be.””
The store doors opened again.
Everyone turned.
A police officer walked inside.
This time, an actual one.
The room froze.
The officer looked around.
“Everyone stay where you are.””
Daniel immediately stepped back.
Victoria looked surprised.
Nia stared.
“How did they know?””
The officer looked at her.
“We received an anonymous tip.””
Bear looked at the letter.
Nia understood.
Someone had finally decided to stop hiding.
The officer approached.
“Are you Nia Carter?””
“Yes.””
He handed her an envelope.
“Someone requested this be delivered to you if this situation happened.””
Nia stared.
“Who?””
The officer looked at the paper.
“A man named Michael Carter.””
Her breath stopped.
Her father.
The officer continued.
“He said you would know what it means.””
Nia opened the envelope.
Inside was a single photograph.
A recent photograph.
Not old.
Not faded.
A picture taken weeks ago.
Of a man.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Standing outside a small house.
Alive.
Nia’s hand flew to her mouth.
Bear stepped closer.
“What is it?””
She couldn’t speak.
She turned the photograph around.
Bear froze.
Because he recognized him.
Daniel whispered:
“No.””
Nia looked at everyone.
“My father is alive.””
And then the photograph slipped from her hand.
May you like
Because written on the back were six words.
*He has been watching you too.*
