Chapter 2: The Secret Tyler Tried To Bury
Sarah's words hung in the air like smoke.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
The only sound inside the garage was the slow ticking of my Harley's cooling engine.
"I found out what he was planning.""
Those words had changed everything.
A few minutes earlier, Tyler had walked into our garage thinking he was hunting someone helpless.
Now he was lying on the concrete floor, staring at Sarah like she had just revealed a weapon more dangerous than anything he was carrying.
Old Man Jack watched him carefully.
"Planning what?""
Sarah looked down.
Her hands were shaking again.
Not the kind of shaking from being scared of Tyler standing in front of her.
Something deeper.
Like she had been carrying this secret alone for too long.
Tyler suddenly pushed himself up.
"Don't listen to her.""
Big Tony stepped forward.
Tyler stopped immediately.
Tony didn't say anything.
He didn't have to.
"Sarah," I said gently.
"Start from the beginning.""
She looked at me.
Then at the other men around the garage.
Six strangers.
Men most people would have avoided walking past at night.
But right now, she seemed to understand something.
We weren't looking at her like she was trouble.
We were looking at her like she was someone who needed help.
She took a shaky breath.
"My name is Sarah Whitmore.""
She wiped her face.
"I met Tyler three years ago.""
Tyler scoffed.
"Here we go.""
Jack raised one hand.
The room went quiet.
Sarah continued.
"At first, he was different.""
Her voice became softer.
"He was charming. He brought me flowers. He remembered little things about me. He made me think I had finally found someone who cared.""
She paused.
"Then slowly, everything changed.""
I leaned against my workbench.
"What changed?""
Sarah looked at Tyler.
"He started controlling everything.""
Tyler shook his head.
"That's a lie.""
Sarah ignored him.
"He wanted to know where I was every second. Who I talked to. Where I went.
He checked my phone. He got angry if I spent time with my friends.""
Her voice dropped.
"And every time I tried to leave, he convinced me I was the problem.""
Nobody interrupted.
Because everyone in that room understood the pattern.
Not the details.
But the feeling.
The way people like Tyler slowly built a cage around someone before anyone else noticed.
"When did you realize you needed to escape?"" I asked.
Sarah looked toward the floor.
"Two weeks ago.""
Tyler's expression changed.
"Sarah.""
She flinched.
Jack noticed.
"Don't say her name like that.""
Tyler stared at him.
"You don't know what's happening.""
Jack walked closer.
"Then explain.""
Tyler opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Sarah continued.
"Two weeks ago, I saw him meeting with someone.""
"Who?""
She hesitated.
"My boss.""
That surprised me.
"Your boss?""
Sarah nodded.
"I worked as an assistant at a construction company. Tyler knew where I worked. He knew everyone there.""
She looked at her hands.
"At first, I thought it was just a coincidence.""
"But?""
"But I overheard them talking.""
The garage became silent again.
"What were they talking about?"" I asked.
Sarah swallowed.
"They were talking about money.""
Tyler laughed.
A nervous laugh.
"You're making this sound like some crime movie.""
Sarah looked at him.
"Because it was.""
That shut him up.
She reached into her jacket pocket.
Everyone watched as she pulled out a small flash drive.
Tyler's face immediately changed.
My eyes narrowed.
"What is that?""
Sarah held it tightly.
"Proof.""
Tyler stood.
Fast.
Too fast.
Tony immediately moved.
"Sit down.""
Tyler froze.
Sarah looked at the flash drive.
"I found files on Tyler's laptop.""
Tyler stared at her.
"You went through my computer?""
"I was trying to find proof that you were lying to me.""
Her voice cracked.
"I thought maybe I was crazy. I thought maybe everyone was right and I was just being dramatic.""
She looked around the room.
"But I wasn't.""
She looked back at Tyler.
"You were hiding things.""
"What things?"" I asked.
Sarah's eyes filled with anger now.
Not fear.
Anger.
"Fraud.""
The word landed hard.
Tyler's face went pale.
"I don't know what you think you saw.""
"I saw fake invoices.""
Sarah's voice grew stronger.
"I saw payments to fake companies. I saw names of people who don't exist.""
Tyler shook his head.
"You're misunderstanding.""
"Am I?""
Sarah stepped forward.
"You were stealing from your own company.""
Nobody spoke.
Even Tyler looked uncomfortable.
Then he smiled.
A small, ugly smile.
"You really think these guys are going to believe you?""
He looked around the garage.
"You walked in here crying with a story and a flash drive.""
His eyes moved to me.
"You don't know her.""
I didn't answer immediately.
Because he was right about one thing.
I didn't know Sarah.
But I knew fear.
And I knew the difference between someone acting and someone trying to survive.
"You know what I don't understand?"" I said.
Tyler stared at me.
"If you knew she had this information, why chase her here?""
His smile disappeared.
For the first time, he looked worried.
Sarah answered quietly.
"Because he knew I copied the files.""
Tyler looked at her.
"What?""
She held up the flash drive.
"This isn't the only copy.""
The room went still.
"You made copies?"" Tyler asked.
Sarah nodded.
"I sent one to someone.""
Tyler's face changed.
"Who?""
She didn't answer.
And that was the first time I saw Tyler truly scared.
Not angry.
Not frustrated.
Scared.
Jack noticed too.
"Who has the other copy?""
Sarah looked away.
"I don't know if I can trust anyone.""
Jack stepped closer.
"Girl, you ran into a room full of strangers because you believed we would protect you.""
She looked at him.
"You were right.""
For the first time since she arrived, Sarah looked like she might actually believe she was safe.
Then Tyler started laughing.
Quietly.
Everyone looked at him.
"You have no idea what you've started.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
Tyler looked at Sarah.
"You think this ends with me?""
Sarah went pale.
"What did you do?""
Tyler didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at the garage door.
Then at the cameras mounted in the corners.
"You really should ask your new friends how many people are watching this place right now.""
A cold feeling moved through my chest.
Jack turned toward the security monitors.
The screens showed the outside parking lot.
Empty.
Then one screen flickered.
Static.
Then another.
I walked closer.
"What's wrong?""
The image returned.
But the parking lot wasn't empty anymore.
A black SUV was parked across the street.
The headlights were off.
The engine was running.
And someone was sitting inside.
Watching us.
Sarah saw the screen.
All the color drained from her face.
"No.""
I looked at her.
"Who is that?""
Her voice came out barely above a whisper.
"Tyler wasn't working alone.""
The garage suddenly felt much smaller.
Jack stared at the SUV.
Then at Sarah.
"Who is coming for you?""
Sarah's eyes locked onto the screen.
May you like
And she said a name that made Tyler stop smiling.
"My father.""
