{"id":13416,"date":"2026-09-18T19:25:56","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T19:25:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=13416"},"modified":"2026-09-18T19:25:56","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T19:25:56","slug":"part-9-we-escaped-the-darkened-office-with-grandpas-evidence-but-the-flash-drive-contained-a-recording-my-mother-couldnt-explain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=13416","title":{"rendered":"PART 9 \u2013 We Escaped the Darkened Office With Grandpa\u2019s Evidence, but the Flash Drive Contained a Recording My Mother Couldn\u2019t Explain"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The darkness lasted less than three seconds before Julian switched on his phone flashlight.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t move.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His voice was calm enough to make the warning worse.<\/p>\n<p>Maya grabbed my arm. Dad was somewhere behind us, breathing hard, and the narrow beam from Julian\u2019s phone caught the edge of the conference table, the open archive box, and Grandpa\u2019s letter still clutched in my hand.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBuilding outage?\u201d Dad asked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaybe.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Julian crossed to the window.<\/p>\n<p>The neighboring towers were illuminated. Cars moved through the streets below. Even the hallway emergency signs outside the office remained lit.<\/p>\n<p>Only suite 1406 had gone dark.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s not an outage,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Julian took the flash drive from the folder and slipped it into his inside jacket pocket.<\/p>\n<p>Dad reached for the archive box.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLeave it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He looked at Julian. \u201cYou expect me to abandon evidence?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI expect you not to carry a box through a dark building until we know who cut the power.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dad\u2019s jaw tightened, but he obeyed.<\/p>\n<p>Julian photographed the remaining contents rapidly. Then he called the security desk.<\/p>\n<p>No answer.<\/p>\n<p>He tried again.<\/p>\n<p>Still nothing.<\/p>\n<p>Maya whispered, \u201cThe guard was downstairs ten minutes ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Julian moved toward the door.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cStay behind me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dad gave a humorless laugh. \u201cYou\u2019re a corporate attorney, Julian, not the Secret Service.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo, which is why I\u2019m suggesting we leave rather than investigate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That ended the argument.<\/p>\n<p>We stepped into the corridor.<\/p>\n<p>Emergency lighting painted the carpet in weak greenish bands. Every other suite appeared normal. The elevator call buttons were dark.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cStairs,\u201d Julian said.<\/p>\n<p>Fourteen floors in formal shoes would ordinarily have sounded miserable.<\/p>\n<p>Tonight nobody complained.<\/p>\n<p>We had descended two flights when a door slammed somewhere above us.<\/p>\n<p>Maya froze.<\/p>\n<p>Dad turned.<\/p>\n<p>Julian whispered, \u201cKeep moving.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Another sound followed.<\/p>\n<p>Footsteps.<\/p>\n<p>Not running.<\/p>\n<p>Descending.<\/p>\n<p>Someone was coming after us.<\/p>\n<p>My pulse accelerated.<\/p>\n<p>Julian called 911 as we continued downward. He gave the building address, our floor, and explained that someone had deliberately cut power to a commercial suite after an anonymous threat.<\/p>\n<p>Dad whispered, \u201cThreat?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWarning,\u201d I corrected.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot materially different right now,\u201d Julian said.<\/p>\n<p>The footsteps remained above us.<\/p>\n<p>Steady.<\/p>\n<p>One flight.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe two.<\/p>\n<p>We reached the tenth floor.<\/p>\n<p>Maya\u2019s breathing became ragged.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can\u2019t run in these shoes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTake them off.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She kicked off the ivory heels and carried them.<\/p>\n<p>We moved faster.<\/p>\n<p>At the eighth-floor landing, the footsteps stopped.<\/p>\n<p>So did we.<\/p>\n<p>Julian raised one hand.<\/p>\n<p>Silence.<\/p>\n<p>Then the stairwell door above opened.<\/p>\n<p>A man\u2019s voice said something too distant to understand.<\/p>\n<p>Another voice answered.<\/p>\n<p>Two people.<\/p>\n<p>Dad\u2019s expression changed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We went.<\/p>\n<p>By the fourth floor, my legs burned.<\/p>\n<p>The lobby appeared through the stairwell door below.<\/p>\n<p>Julian reached it first.<\/p>\n<p>He opened the door cautiously.<\/p>\n<p>The security desk was empty.<\/p>\n<p>The guard\u2019s chair had been pushed backward.<\/p>\n<p>A paper coffee cup lay on its side.<\/p>\n<p>Maya whispered, \u201cWhere is he?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Julian looked toward the glass entrance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOutside.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We crossed the lobby quickly.<\/p>\n<p>The revolving door had been locked.<\/p>\n<p>Dad swore.<\/p>\n<p>Julian tried the side exit.<\/p>\n<p>Locked too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFire code,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere should be emergency release.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I found the crash bar beneath a plastic cover.<\/p>\n<p>Before I could touch it, the elevator chimed behind us.<\/p>\n<p>We all turned.<\/p>\n<p>The indicator descended.<\/p>\n<p>Eight.<\/p>\n<p>Seven.<\/p>\n<p>Six.<\/p>\n<p>Maya grabbed my hand.<\/p>\n<p>Julian positioned himself between us and the elevator.<\/p>\n<p>Dad picked up a heavy metal stanchion from beside the security desk.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDad.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPut that down.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAbsolutely not.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The elevator reached two.<\/p>\n<p>One.<\/p>\n<p>The doors opened.<\/p>\n<p>The security guard stumbled out.<\/p>\n<p>His tie was crooked.<\/p>\n<p>Blood ran from a cut above his eyebrow.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOh my God,\u201d Maya said.<\/p>\n<p>Julian moved toward him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The guard pointed upward.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTwo guys.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid you see them?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne. Maybe. They said building management sent them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He looked at us.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey wanted fourteen-oh-six.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sirens became audible outside.<\/p>\n<p>The guard leaned against the desk.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey took my master keys.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Police lights washed blue and red across the lobby windows.<\/p>\n<p>Dad lowered the stanchion.<\/p>\n<p>Only then did I realize how tightly I had been holding Grandpa\u2019s letter.<\/p>\n<p>The paper was creased in my fist.<\/p>\n<p>Officers entered through an emergency access door moments later. Everything slowed after that.<\/p>\n<p>Statements.<\/p>\n<p>Names.<\/p>\n<p>Questions.<\/p>\n<p>The security guard described one man as white, middle-aged, medium build, baseball cap. He had not seen the second clearly.<\/p>\n<p>Nobody had attacked him badly enough to cause serious injury. They had shoved him into the elevator, taken his keys, and apparently expected him to remain disoriented long enough for them to reach the office.<\/p>\n<p>The timing suggested they had been watching.<\/p>\n<p>That bothered Julian more than anything.<\/p>\n<p>Police escorted two officers upstairs.<\/p>\n<p>The men were gone.<\/p>\n<p>The archive box remained.<\/p>\n<p>Nothing obvious had been taken.<\/p>\n<p>Someone had entered suite 1406 after we left, but whoever it was had apparently searched the room and departed through another stairwell.<\/p>\n<p>The flash drive was still in Julian\u2019s pocket.<\/p>\n<p>That seemed to be what mattered.<\/p>\n<p>By the time we returned to the hotel, it was after one in the morning.<\/p>\n<p>The ballroom had been locked.<\/p>\n<p>Mom and Grandma were waiting in the bridal suite.<\/p>\n<p>Mom rushed toward Maya.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere have you been? I called twenty times.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Maya allowed the hug for a moment.<\/p>\n<p>Then stepped away.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe found something.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mom looked at me.<\/p>\n<p>Of course.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I placed Grandpa\u2019s letter on the table.<\/p>\n<p>Grandma recognized it immediately.<\/p>\n<p>Her hand rose to her mouth.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou found it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She touched the envelope without opening it.<\/p>\n<p>For several seconds, grief softened her face.<\/p>\n<p>Then she looked at me.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid you read it?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m glad.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I wasn\u2019t ready to discuss forgiveness.<\/p>\n<p>So I nodded.<\/p>\n<p>Dad entered last.<\/p>\n<p>Mom turned toward him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSomeone followed us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Her face drained.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Julian explained briefly.<\/p>\n<p>Then he removed the flash drive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe need to preserve this properly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dad looked impatient.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCan\u2019t we just open it?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe can create a forensic image first.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTonight?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Julian called one of Northstar\u2019s incident-response managers.<\/p>\n<p>Her name was Priya Shah.<\/p>\n<p>She arrived forty minutes later carrying a laptop, evidence bags, and the expression of someone who had been awakened but not surprised by emergencies.<\/p>\n<p>She knew me well enough not to ask personal questions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWedding going well?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>I looked around.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThought so.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Maya laughed despite herself.<\/p>\n<p>Priya photographed the drive, recorded its identifying marks, placed it through a write-blocking device, and created a verified copy.<\/p>\n<p>Dad watched with fascination.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou do this regularly?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Priya glanced at him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cClara pays me to assume computers are lying.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dad looked at me.<\/p>\n<p>I ignored him.<\/p>\n<p>The drive contained seventeen folders.<\/p>\n<p>Financial records.<\/p>\n<p>Scanned letters.<\/p>\n<p>Trust correspondence.<\/p>\n<p>Ridgeway files.<\/p>\n<p>Audio.<\/p>\n<p>Julian stopped Priya before she opened anything.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMalware?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cScanning isolated copy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Several minutes passed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cClean enough for review.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We began with the newest files.<\/p>\n<p>Most were duplicates of documents in the archive box.<\/p>\n<p>Then Priya opened a folder marked MEETINGS.<\/p>\n<p>There were six audio recordings.<\/p>\n<p>Dates spanning five years.<\/p>\n<p>The oldest coincided with the month Dad gave Thomas my Northstar business plan.<\/p>\n<p>My mouth went dry.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPlay it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A hiss of room noise filled the speakers.<\/p>\n<p>Then Thomas Reed\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n<p>I had met him only twice as an adult, but I recognized the measured cadence.<\/p>\n<p>Another man answered.<\/p>\n<p>Uncle Daniel.<\/p>\n<p>They were discussing Ridgeway.<\/p>\n<p>Then my mother spoke.<\/p>\n<p>Maya turned sharply.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMom?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mom\u2019s face emptied.<\/p>\n<p>On the recording, she sounded younger, impatient.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel was explaining that Northstar might become valuable.<\/p>\n<p>Mom laughed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe\u2019s never stayed committed to anything long enough.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I closed my eyes.<\/p>\n<p>The recording continued.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas said the underlying technology had promise.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel suggested investing before outside capital increased the valuation.<\/p>\n<p>Mom asked what that would mean.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas explained that an early position could provide influence.<\/p>\n<p>Then came the sentence that changed the room.<\/p>\n<p>Mom said, \u201cIf Clara succeeds, Maya will spend the rest of her life in her shadow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Maya stared at her.<\/p>\n<p>Mom whispered, \u201cTurn it off.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nobody moved.<\/p>\n<p>The recording continued.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel laughed and asked why that mattered.<\/p>\n<p>Mom answered.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause Maya needs confidence. Clara has always made everything a competition.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I felt strangely detached.<\/p>\n<p>Hearing the old accusation preserved in a five-year-old recording made it sound smaller.<\/p>\n<p>Less like truth.<\/p>\n<p>More like architecture.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas asked whether I would accept family investment.<\/p>\n<p>Mom said no.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe\u2019ll think there are strings attached.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel answered, \u201cThen don\u2019t tell her it\u2019s family.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The recording ended soon afterward.<\/p>\n<p>Nobody spoke.<\/p>\n<p>Maya\u2019s eyes remained fixed on Mom.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou invested in Ridgeway because you were afraid Clara would succeed?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat is literally what you said.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was a private conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat doesn\u2019t make it different.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mom looked at me.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was trying to protect both of you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I almost laughed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrom what?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrom resentment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhose?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She stopped.<\/p>\n<p>Maya answered for her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYours.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mom flinched.<\/p>\n<p>Dad sat heavily in a chair.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou never told me about this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mom turned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou gave Thomas the business plan.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor investment review, not so Daniel could secretly buy into her company.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou told me Clara needed to learn humility.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean I wanted this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Julian interrupted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are five more recordings.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mom stared at the laptop.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat else is on there?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Priya opened the next.<\/p>\n<p>Two years later.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas and Daniel.<\/p>\n<p>No Mom.<\/p>\n<p>They discussed the trust.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas said Grandpa\u2019s control provision had become \u201cinconvenient.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel asked whether Clara knew.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas replied, \u201cMargaret has kept her uninformed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Grandma closed her eyes.<\/p>\n<p>The conversation shifted to my updated contact information.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas said he had redirected communications.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel asked, \u201cWith authorization?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Thomas laughed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPaper can be made to agree with reality.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Julian stopped the recording.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s enough.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dad stood.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat bastard.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Julian looked at him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou need your own attorney before you say anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dad ignored him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe used me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Grandma answered quietly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou made yourself easy to use.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dad turned.<\/p>\n<p>She did not look away.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou wanted money more than you wanted questions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That landed.<\/p>\n<p>The third recording concerned the refinancing.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas said Richard needed four million quickly.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel asked whether my consent would be required.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A pause.<\/p>\n<p>Then Thomas said, \u201cWe already solved Clara.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n<p>Maya whispered, \u201cOh God.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The recording continued.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel asked whether the signature would survive scrutiny.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas answered, \u201cIt only needs to survive until the debt is refinanced.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Julian stopped playback again.<\/p>\n<p>No one objected.<\/p>\n<p>The fourth recording was newer.<\/p>\n<p>Six months ago.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas sounded nervous.<\/p>\n<p>He said Northstar had become too large and my legal team was reviewing entities connected to disputed trust assets.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel told him to clean the files.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas mentioned ratification.<\/p>\n<p>Then Daniel said something that made Julian rewind.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf Evelyn panics, remind her she already signed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mom stood.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Julian replayed it.<\/p>\n<p>Mom shook her head.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSigned what?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nobody knew.<\/p>\n<p>Priya searched the drive.<\/p>\n<p>A folder appeared under EV HOLDINGS.<\/p>\n<p>Inside was a guarantee.<\/p>\n<p>A personal guarantee.<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn Vance.<\/p>\n<p>My mother\u2019s signature.<\/p>\n<p>The amount secured was $1.8 million.<\/p>\n<p>Mom stared at the screen.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI never signed that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dad looked at her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvelyn.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Julian enlarged the signature.<\/p>\n<p>It looked convincing.<\/p>\n<p>Then Grandma leaned forward.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCheck the E.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We did.<\/p>\n<p>Closed loop.<\/p>\n<p>Same style.<\/p>\n<p>Same flaw.<\/p>\n<p>My mother slowly sat down.<\/p>\n<p>Someone had forged her signature too.<\/p>\n<p>Her face changed as the realization settled.<\/p>\n<p>For the first time that night, the woman who had dismissed my forged signature as something I might have forgotten understood exactly what it felt like to see your name attached to a decision you never made.<\/p>\n<p>She looked at me.<\/p>\n<p>I expected denial.<\/p>\n<p>Instead she whispered, \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It was not enough.<\/p>\n<p>But it was the first apology I could remember receiving from her without the word if.<\/p>\n<p>Priya opened the fifth recording.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel.<\/p>\n<p>And an unidentified man.<\/p>\n<p>They discussed the wedding.<\/p>\n<p>Not generally.<\/p>\n<p>Specifically.<\/p>\n<p>The venue shortfall.<\/p>\n<p>The debt pressure.<\/p>\n<p>The possibility that my parents would approach the trust again.<\/p>\n<p>Then the unknown man asked whether I would intervene.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas said, \u201cShe always does eventually.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>My skin prickled.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel replied, \u201cNot if Evelyn pushes too hard.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The unknown man laughed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvelyn always pushes too hard.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mom looked horrified.<\/p>\n<p>These people had known her well enough to predict her cruelty.<\/p>\n<p>Worse, they had counted on it.<\/p>\n<p>The final recording was only three days old.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas sounded frightened.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel sounded furious.<\/p>\n<p>They knew Julian\u2019s firm had discovered irregularities.<\/p>\n<p>They knew the lender might investigate signatures.<\/p>\n<p>They discussed destroying files.<\/p>\n<p>Then Daniel said:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat about the original letter?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Thomas answered:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A third voice interrupted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo, it isn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We all froze.<\/p>\n<p>The voice belonged to the anonymous caller.<\/p>\n<p>Older.<\/p>\n<p>Male.<\/p>\n<p>Familiar to someone.<\/p>\n<p>Dad stood slowly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know that voice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWho?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n<p>He stared at the speaker.<\/p>\n<p>Before he could answer, Mom whispered the name.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMartin Cole.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The third Ridgeway principal.<\/p>\n<p>The man whose role we had barely discussed.<\/p>\n<p>Julian looked at the drive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf Martin stole these records from Thomas and Daniel, he may be the person who left the box.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>My phone rang.<\/p>\n<p>Unknown number.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone stared.<\/p>\n<p>I answered on speaker.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMartin?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Silence.<\/p>\n<p>Then the same older voice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy are you helping me?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He breathed out slowly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause Thomas is preparing to leave the country.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Julian leaned closer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Martin heard him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSoon.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere is he?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A pause.<\/p>\n<p>Then Martin said something none of us expected.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith Daniel.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mom stood.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere is my brother?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Martin answered.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt your house.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=13417\">Click here to continue reading: PART 10: We Reached My Parents\u2019 House Before Thomas Could Leave, and Found My Uncle Burning Records Dad Never Knew Existed<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The darkness lasted less than three seconds before Julian switched on his phone flashlight. \u201cDon\u2019t move.\u201d His voice was calm enough to make the warning worse. Maya grabbed my arm. &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13407,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13416","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insightdrama"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13416","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13416"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13416\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13444,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13416\/revisions\/13444"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13416"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13416"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13416"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}