\u201cDaniel.\u201d<\/p>\n
He didn't answer.<\/p>\n
I stepped closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho was that?\u201d<\/p>\n
He remained at the window.<\/p>\n
His face had gone pale.<\/p>\n
\u201cDaniel.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou recognized him.\u201d<\/p>\n
He turned toward me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI recognized the car.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat's not what I asked.\u201d<\/p>\n
His silence told me enough.<\/p>\n
Robert moved between us.<\/p>\n
\u201cSit down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel obeyed.<\/p>\n
Derek remained near the window.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho was he?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
Daniel rubbed his hands together.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew him years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom where?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe company.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat company?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy grandfather's.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou worked for him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter college.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou never told me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere wasn't much to tell.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cApparently there was.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at the ledger.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was one of the men who handled property records.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat was his name?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSamuel Price.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert wrote it down.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs he still alive?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere does he live?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou recognized him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen you know more than you are saying.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel's eyes filled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven't seen him in years.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he knows you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDoes he know me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt the room become colder.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe knew about Evelyn.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe knew there was a child.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he know I was that child?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou're lying.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know if he knew your name.\u201d<\/p>\n
That distinction was too narrow to comfort me.<\/p>\n
Robert asked, \u201cWhy would Samuel be watching now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause we found the ledger?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Mara is asking questions?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause someone wants the records?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at the ledger.<\/p>\n
\u201cPossibly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Derek said quietly, \u201cWhat if he wants the key?\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe second key,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
Daniel's expression changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the first key opened the barn, maybe the other opens something else.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don't understand.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen explain.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe second key was never meant to be found.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father gave it to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
My chest tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have it?\u201d<\/p>\n
He nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel reached inside his coat.<\/p>\n
He pulled out a small metal key.<\/p>\n
It was older than the one we had found.<\/p>\n
Stamped into it were two characters.<\/p>\n
P.O. 17.<\/p>\n
I stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe post-office box.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy did you keep it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I thought Evelyn might come back.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd she didn't.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
I took the key.<\/p>\n
It felt cold.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is in the box?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou never checked?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTwenty years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe box had been reassigned.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at Robert.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo the key is useless.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe not,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPost-office boxes get reassigned. But old records may still exist.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert called the lawyer.<\/p>\n
While he spoke, I looked at Derek.<\/p>\n
He was staring at the key.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI've seen that number before.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the warehouse.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt my pulse quicken.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA metal door.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel closed his eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat can't be.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat can't?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe warehouse wasn't supposed to exist anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert ended his call.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe lawyer can request historical records.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSeveral days.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don't have several days.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don't know that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The truth was, we didn't.<\/p>\n
The threats had stopped for the moment.<\/p>\n
The sedan had appeared again.<\/p>\n
But nobody had directly harmed us.<\/p>\n
Yet.<\/p>\n
That evening, we locked every door.<\/p>\n
I moved the curtains.<\/p>\n
Robert stayed overnight.<\/p>\n
Derek slept in the guest room.<\/p>\n
Daniel remained in the living room.<\/p>\n
It felt strange having all of them under my roof.<\/p>\n
The same house that had once held only me and my fear now held four adults trying to understand a history that had been hidden for decades.<\/p>\n
Around midnight, I heard footsteps.<\/p>\n
I opened my bedroom door.<\/p>\n
Derek stood in the hallway.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan't sleep?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMe neither.\u201d<\/p>\n
He leaned against the wall.<\/p>\n
\u201cI keep thinking about that night.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo do I.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought everything started with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt didn't.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI still did something terrible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
He nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't want this family secret to become an excuse.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt won't.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI need you to say that.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn't about excusing you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou hurt me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd someone else may have been creating pressure around you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth are true.\u201d<\/p>\n
He nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can live with that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked toward the living room.<\/p>\n
\u201cDaniel told me something earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said Dad once told him that if the truth came out, three people would come looking.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt cold.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe didn't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked toward the living room.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid Daniel tell you anything else?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
We stood quietly.<\/p>\n
Then my phone vibrated.<\/p>\n
Unknown number.<\/p>\n
I opened the message.<\/p>\n
Stop looking for Evelyn.<\/p>\n
A second message followed.<\/p>\n
She chose to disappear.<\/p>\n
I stared at the screen.<\/p>\n
Then another arrived.<\/p>\n
Ask Daniel what happened at the river.<\/p>\n
I walked into the living room.<\/p>\n
Daniel was awake.<\/p>\n
I held up the phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened at the river?\u201d<\/p>\n
His face changed.<\/p>\n
Robert stood.<\/p>\n
Derek looked from him to me.<\/p>\n
Daniel closed his eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was afraid this would happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know what you want me to say.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe truth.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvelyn didn't disappear by herself.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart stopped.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was taken to the river.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBy whom?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you see it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw her there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlive?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe night she disappeared.\u201d<\/p>\n
My voice shook.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel stared at the floor.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe gave me something.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA photograph.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHer child.\u201d<\/p>\n
I swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe told me to take you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo Margaret.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened to Evelyn?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe walked toward the river.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI never saw her again.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room went silent.<\/p>\n
I looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou let her go?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was twenty-four.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could have followed her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was told not to.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBy whom?\u201d<\/p>\n
He didn't answer.<\/p>\n
\u201cDaniel.\u201d<\/p>\n
He whispered one word.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDaniel.\u201d He didn't answer. I stepped closer. \u201cWho was that?\u201d He remained at the window. His face had gone pale. \u201cDaniel.\u201d \u201cI don't know.\u201d \u201cYou do.\u201d \u201cNo.\u201d \u201cYou recognized him.\u201d … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14699,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14714","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\/14714","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=14714"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14714\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14739,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14714\/revisions\/14739"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14714"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}