Chapter 7: The Warehouse
The address led to an abandoned printing factory on the south side of Chicago.
I knew immediately it was a trap.
That didn't matter.
Ryan was inside.
Thomas blocked the warehouse entrance.
“You're not going in.””
I stared at him.
“You don't get to tell me that.””
“Maya, Daniel wants you.””
“I know.””
“He wants whatever your mother left behind.””
“I know.””
“And if you walk through that door, you're giving him exactly what he wants.””
I looked at Diane.
“Then I'll make sure he doesn't get it.””
Diane stepped forward.
“I'll go with you.””
Thomas shook his head.
“No.””
She looked at him.
“Ryan is my son.””
“And Maya is your friend’s daughter.””
Diane's expression hardened.
“Exactly.””
I looked between them.
“What did you two promise my mother?””
Neither answered.
I understood.
“You promised you'd protect me.””
Thomas nodded.
“Yes.””
“Then protect me by helping me get Ryan out.””
Thomas looked toward the warehouse.
After several seconds, he sighed.
“Stay behind me.””
We entered.
The building was almost completely dark.
Our footsteps echoed across concrete.
Then a light came on.
Daniel Mercer stood on a platform above us.
He looked older than the man in the photographs.
But his eyes were the same.
Cold.
Focused.
Calculated.
Beside him sat Ryan.
His wrists were tied.
His face was bruised.
I stepped forward.
“Ryan.””
He looked at me.
“Don't.””
Daniel smiled.
“Still romantic.””
I glared at him.
“You killed my mother.””
“No.””
“You followed her.””
“Yes.””
“You threatened her.””
“Yes.””
“Then what happened?””
Daniel's smile disappeared.
“She trusted the wrong man.””
I looked at my father's former CFO.
“My father?””
“Your father.””
Ryan shook his head.
“Maya, don't listen to him.””
Daniel walked toward the stairs.
“Your mother discovered that Alexander Bennett had been stealing from investors.””
“I know.””
“No.””
He stopped halfway down.
“You know the version your father wants you to know.””
I said nothing.
Daniel continued.
“Your mother discovered that Alexander had created a second financial network.””
“How much money?””
“Enough to destroy him.””
“Why didn't she expose him?””
“Because she was afraid.””
“Of him?””
“No.””
Daniel looked at Ryan.
“Of what would happen to you.””
I felt my throat tighten.
“What does Ryan have to do with this?””
Daniel laughed.
“Everything.””
Ryan struggled against the ropes.
“Don't listen to him.””
Daniel reached him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Your boyfriend has been investigating this for years.””
“Because he wanted the truth.””
“Because he was ordered to.””
I looked at Ryan.
“By whom?””
He stared at the floor.
I felt something inside me break.
“Ryan.””
He whispered:
“Your mother.””
Silence.
I couldn't move.
“What?””
“She contacted me before she died.””
“But you were a child.””
“No.””
Ryan shook his head.
“She contacted me later.””
“After her death?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“She left something with my mother.””
Diane stepped forward.
“Ryan…”
He looked at her.
“Mom, it's time.””
Diane's face crumpled.
Daniel laughed.
“This is beautiful.””
I turned toward him.
“What did my mother leave?””
“A letter.””
“Where is it?””
Daniel smiled.
“That's the problem.””
“What problem?””
“Ryan doesn't have it anymore.””
Ryan looked at me.
“I gave it to someone.””
“Who?””
He swallowed.
“Your father.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“Seven years ago.””
I looked at Diane.
She nodded.
“I was there.””
“Why?””
“Because your mother asked us to make sure Alexander never found out Ryan had the letter.””
“But he did.””
“No,” Ryan said.
“He found out later.””
I looked at him.
“Then why did you stay with me?””
He closed his eyes.
“Because I needed to find out what your father did with it.””
The words were devastating.
“Were you ever going to tell me?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“When I had proof.””
“You had eleven months.””
“I know.””
“You watched me fall in love with you.””
“I fell in love with you too.””
Daniel laughed.
“You both really believe love changes anything.””
Thomas raised his weapon.
“Let him go.””
Daniel looked at him.
“You should have stayed retired.””
Thomas fired.
Daniel ducked.
The room exploded into chaos.
Ryan threw himself sideways.
Diane ran toward him.
I dropped behind a concrete barrier.
Three shots.
Then silence.
“Ryan!””
“I’m here!””
I heard footsteps.
Then Daniel's voice.
“Maya!””
I looked up.
He was standing at the opposite end of the room.
His gun pointed at me.
“You want Ryan alive?””
“Yes.””
“Then come here.””
Thomas shouted:
“Don't!””
Daniel smiled.
“Your choice.””
I stepped out.
“Maya!”” Ryan yelled.
I kept walking.
Daniel lowered the gun slightly.
“You have your mother's stubbornness.””
“What do you want?””
“The tape.””
“I don't have it.””
“You have the letter.””
“No.””
“Then your father does.””
I stopped.
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“Your father hid the evidence in the one place you would never search.””
“Where?””
Daniel smiled.
“Inside your mother's grave.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“The original records are buried beneath her memorial.””
Thomas looked horrified.
“No.””
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.””
Then the warehouse doors burst open.
Police flooded inside.
Daniel turned.
Thomas grabbed Ryan.
Diane pulled me toward the exit.
But Daniel escaped through a side door.
We ran outside.
Sirens filled the street.
Ryan collapsed against a vehicle.
I caught him.
“Are you okay?””
He looked at me.
“No.””
I brushed blood from his cheek.
“Tell me the truth.””
He took a shaky breath.
“There is one thing I never told you.””
“What?””
He looked toward the warehouse.
“Daniel isn't the person who sent the message about your mother.””
“Then who did?””
Ryan reached into his jacket.
He pulled out a folded piece of paper.
My mother's handwriting covered it.
He handed it to me.
I unfolded it.
At the bottom was a name.
*Alexander Bennett.*
I looked at Ryan.
“He wrote this?””
Ryan shook his head.
“No.””
“Then why is his name here?””
Ryan's eyes filled with fear.
“Because your mother wrote that name beside the words…”
He stopped.
I looked down.
May you like
The words were clear.
*The man who knows where Maya's real father is.*
