Chapter 5: The Man Behind the Fire
The drive back to my old apartment felt like driving into the past.
Every mile brought back memories.
The grocery store where Daniel and I used to shop.
The park where Ethan learned to ride his bike.
The street corner where Grace dropped her ice cream and cried for twenty minutes because she thought it was the end of the world.
Normal memories.
Happy memories.
The kind people never appreciate until they are gone.
When we arrived, everything looked different.
The building was still standing.
But the inside was destroyed.
The windows were black.
The walls were damaged.
The place where my family lived looked like a grave.
I stepped out of the truck.
I couldn’t move.
Breaker stood beside me.
“You don’t have to go in.””
“Yes, I do.””
Because somewhere inside that burned building was the answer.
And I needed to know.
We entered through the broken front door.
The smell hit me immediately.
Smoke.
Ash.
Old memories.
My children stayed outside with Mason and the others.
Breaker walked beside me.
He moved carefully.
Not like someone exploring a ruined home.
Like someone walking through a battlefield.
“You’ve been here before.””
He nodded.
“Two days after the fire.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because Daniel contacted me before he died.””
I stopped.
“What?””
Breaker’s face changed.
“He knew something was coming.””
My heart pounded.
“What did he say?””
Breaker looked around.
“He told me if anything happened to him, I needed to find you.””
I felt tears burning my eyes.
“He knew?””
“He suspected.””
“And you never came?””
The question came out angry.
Breaker accepted it.
“I was too late.””
Silence.
Then he continued.
“By the time I found out, Daniel was gone.””
I looked away.
Six years.
Six years believing my husband’s death was just an accident.
Six years believing I had buried every secret with him.
Now everything was opening again.
We reached our old bedroom.
The walls were damaged.
The closet was destroyed.
Breaker touched the floor.
“Here.””
I looked down.
“What?””
He pointed.
“There was something hidden here.””
He removed a loose piece of wood.
Underneath was a small metal box.
My breath stopped.
“That was here the whole time?””
Breaker nodded.
Inside the box was a notebook.
A flash drive.
And a photograph.
I picked up the photograph.
It was Daniel.
Standing beside Breaker.
But there was another person with them.
A man wearing a suit.
I recognized him.
My blood froze.
“That’s impossible.””
Breaker looked at me.
“You know him?””
I nodded slowly.
“That’s Richard Vale.””
“Who is he?””
I stared at the picture.
“Daniel’s boss.””
Breaker’s expression hardened.
The name meant something to him.
“Vale Security?””
I nodded.
“Yes.””
Breaker took the photograph.
“Then we know who wanted you dead.””
My hands shook.
“His own boss?””
Breaker looked at the notebook.
“Not just his boss.””
He opened it.
The first page contained one sentence written in Daniel’s handwriting.
IF THEY COME FOR MAYA, IT MEANS THEY FOUND THE KEY.
I covered my mouth.
Because underneath that sentence was another line.
A warning.
One that made Breaker go completely silent.
THE MAN WHO SAVES HER WILL BE THE NEXT TARGET.
I looked at him.
“What does that mean?””
Breaker stared at the words.
Then slowly looked toward the window.
“Maya…”
“What?””
His voice became serious.
“Daniel knew I would come.””
The room felt cold.
“He wrote about you.””
Breaker nodded.
“And now whoever killed Daniel knows I’m involved.””
Before I could respond, a sound came from outside.
A vehicle.
Slow.
Quiet.
Stopping.
Breaker immediately turned off the flashlight.
“Everyone down.””
My heart raced.
“What is happening?””
May you like
Breaker whispered:
“They found us.””
