The photograph remained on the screen between us.<\/p>\n
I zoomed in again.<\/p>\n
There was no mistaking her.<\/p>\n
Claire.<\/p>\n
Daniel's younger sister.<\/p>\n
She had been twenty-four when my father died. She had stood beside me at the funeral, held my hand when I could barely remain upright, and cried so hard that I had comforted her instead of the other way around.<\/p>\n
For eleven years, I had believed she had barely known my father.<\/p>\n
Now I was looking at a photograph of her sitting beside him minutes before his death.<\/p>\n
Daniel stared at the screen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat's my sister.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe told me she wasn't in Kentucky.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe lied to you too.\u201d<\/p>\n
He shook his head slowly.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDaniel.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cClaire couldn't have done this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel stepped closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't decide that yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel turned toward him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI suspected.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn't you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause suspicion isn't proof.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked again at the photograph.<\/p>\n
Claire was turned slightly toward my father. Her expression was serious. My father was holding something in his lap.<\/p>\n
The envelope.<\/p>\n
The same envelope Margaret had kept hidden.<\/p>\n
My pulse quickened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy was Claire with him?\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel pointed toward the image.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook at your father's hand.\u201d<\/p>\n
I enlarged it.<\/p>\n
He was holding a small piece of paper.<\/p>\n
Not the envelope.<\/p>\n
A key.<\/p>\n
The brass key I had found at the property.<\/p>\n
I stared at it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy would he give that to her?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe he didn't,\u201d Samuel said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen what was she doing there?\u201d<\/p>\n
Nobody answered.<\/p>\n
Daniel picked up his phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m calling her.\u201d<\/p>\n
He dialed.<\/p>\n
No answer.<\/p>\n
He tried again.<\/p>\n
Still nothing.<\/p>\n
Then his expression changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
He turned the screen toward me.<\/p>\n
Claire had sent a message.<\/p>\n
*Don't come looking for me.**<\/p>\n
A second message arrived.<\/p>\n
*You don't know what Dad did.**<\/p>\n
Daniel stared at the words.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhich dad?\u201d<\/p>\n
My voice was quiet.<\/p>\n
He looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel reached for the phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cAsk her about Mercer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel typed.<\/p>\n
*Were you working with Mercer?**<\/p>\n
The reply came almost immediately.<\/p>\n
*No. I was trying to stop him.**<\/p>\n
Another message followed.<\/p>\n
*But Dad was already dead by the time I understood what he had done.**<\/p>\n
Daniel sat down.<\/p>\n
I could see the confusion on his face.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does she mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at Samuel.<\/p>\n
\u201cCall her again.\u201d<\/p>\n
This time, she answered.<\/p>\n
For several seconds, no one spoke.<\/p>\n
Then Claire whispered, \u201cI knew you would find the photograph eventually.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy were you with my father?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause he asked me to meet him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wanted me to help him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe account.\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe secret account?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why was your face hidden from everyone?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf Mercer?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you know my father was going to die?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her voice broke.<\/p>\n
\u201cI swear I didn't.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cClaire, tell us everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
She was silent.<\/p>\n
Then she said, \u201cI met Uncle\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
She stopped herself.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour father?\u201d Daniel asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cVictor.\u201d<\/p>\n
She inhaled shakily.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe knew Mercer was planning something. He told me to follow your father.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at Daniel.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy would he trust Claire?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Mercer didn't know she was involved.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad thought your father had the evidence. He wanted me to find out where it was.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you tell him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause your father convinced me Dad was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
I closed my eyes.<\/p>\n
My father had always been good at making people listen.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened that night?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI met him near the property.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe gave me the key.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe brass key?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told me there was a room beneath the property.\u201d<\/p>\n
I glanced at Samuel.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I watched you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel stiffened.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were there?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAcross the road.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn't you come to us?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Mercer was watching too.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart began pounding.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened after you left my father?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn't leave him.\u201d<\/p>\n
The words came softly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was still there when Mercer arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n
I could barely breathe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw Dad's car.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVictor?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Daniel?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe arrived a few minutes later.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel closed his eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told him to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire's voice shook.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad argued with your father.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith mine?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. With Daniel.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at my husband.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did he say?\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told Daniel that if he took the evidence, Mercer would kill him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel opened his eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't remember that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were in shock.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen Dad left.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVictor left?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour father was still alive.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen who hit the car?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
The line went silent.<\/p>\n
Then Claire said, \u201cBut I saw Mercer.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt every muscle in my body tighten.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was driving the second vehicle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat matches what I was told.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened after the crash?\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire's breathing became uneven.<\/p>\n
\u201cI ran toward your father.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was alive.\u201d<\/p>\n
The same words Daniel had used.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe looked at me and said one thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTake the key to her.\u201d<\/p>\n
My throat tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe knew he wasn't going to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n
I could barely speak.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened to the key?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI gave it to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at the brass key lying on the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI found it at the property.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claire began crying.<\/p>\n
\u201cI left it there because I was too afraid to come near you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why did my father say to take it to me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause he knew the property would eventually lead you to the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n
The call ended.<\/p>\n
Daniel remained motionless.<\/p>\n
Then his phone rang.<\/p>\n
This time, the caller was Claire.<\/p>\n
But when he answered, it wasn't her voice.<\/p>\n
A man's voice said, \u201cYou should have left the past buried.\u201d<\/p>\n
The call ended.<\/p>\n
Samuel immediately moved toward the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to go.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo the property.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause if Mercer knows you found the key, he'll go there too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel stood.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe're going.\u201d<\/p>\n
I picked up the photograph.<\/p>\n
For the first time, I understood what my father had been trying to leave me.<\/p>\n
Not money.<\/p>\n
Not revenge.<\/p>\n
A path.<\/p>\n
And someone had just realized I had finally reached the end of it.<\/p>\n
The photograph remained on the screen between us. I zoomed in again. There was no mistaking her. Claire. Daniel's younger sister. She had been twenty-four when my father died. She … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5996,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sharestory"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6005"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6005\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6017,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6005\/revisions\/6017"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}