Chapter 8: The House Where the Dead Man Waited
I drove away from the hotel with one thought beating inside my head.
Find my father.
Everything else came after that.
Ryan was alive.
That was the only thing keeping me moving.
I had seen the photograph.
His face was bruised, but his eyes were open.
He had looked directly at whoever took the picture.
And beneath it, there had been only one demand.
Bring the ledger.
The problem was, I didn't know where the ledger was.
My father did.
And apparently, so did Linda.
Daniel drove while I sat beside him, staring at the photograph on my phone.
“Show me the message again,” he said.
I handed him the phone.
He studied the picture of my father and Linda.
“This location looks familiar.””
“You know it?””
“Not exactly.””
“Then why do you look like that?””
He zoomed in on the photograph.
The farmhouse stood behind them, surrounded by trees.
A red barn sat in the distance.
There was an old windmill near the fence.
Then Daniel stopped.
“That road sign.””
I leaned closer.
“What about it?””
“I've seen it before.””
“Where?””
“Outside a town called Cedar Creek.””
I frowned.
“That's an hour from here.””
“Closer to ninety minutes.””
“Then that's where we're going.””
Daniel looked at me.
“No.””
I stared back.
“What?””
“You're not going.””
“My husband is being held somewhere.””
“And walking into a trap alone won't save him.””
“I don't plan to go alone.””
“You just said you did.””
“I changed my mind.””
He shook his head.
“You're angry.””
“I'm terrified.””
“That's worse.””
I looked at him.
“You think I'm not thinking clearly.””
“I think you are thinking emotionally.””
“Maybe.””
I held up Ryan's photograph.
“But at least I'm thinking about Ryan.””
Daniel was silent.
I looked out the window.
“I'm not leaving him.””
“I know.””
“And I'm not letting my father disappear again.””
He sighed.
“Then we do this carefully.””
“Good.””
“But you do exactly what I say.””
I gave him a tired smile.
“You're starting to sound like a husband.””
“I'll take that as an insult.””
For the first time all night, I almost smiled.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
“Hello?””
His expression changed almost immediately.
“Where?””
I watched him listen.
“Are you certain?””
Another pause.
“Send me everything.””
He ended the call.
“What?””
“Police found Ryan's phone.””
I sat straight.
“Where?””
“Not far from the quarry.””
“Was there anything on it?””
“A message.””
“What message?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Your name.””
My stomach tightened.
“What did it say?””
“He wrote: Sarah will come.””
I stared at him.
“He knew.””
“Yes.””
“He knew I'd come after him.””
Daniel nodded.
“And that's why I'm afraid.””
We drove toward Cedar Creek.
The farther we went, the darker the roads became.
The city disappeared behind us.
Streetlights became scarce.
The houses spread farther apart.
My phone had no new messages.
That frightened me.
Whoever had Ryan wasn't rushing me.
They were confident.
They knew I would come.
At nearly midnight, Daniel turned onto a narrow country road.
We slowed.
“There.””
I pointed.
The road sign matched the photograph.
Cedar Creek Road.
Daniel stopped the car.
The farmhouse was somewhere ahead.
“How far?””
“Maybe two miles.””
“Why are we stopping?””
“Because if someone expects a car, I want them to see only one.””
He pulled off the road and killed the lights.
I looked at him.
“What now?””
“We walk.””
The night air was cooler here.
The wind carried the smell of wet earth.
We moved along the shoulder.
Every sound seemed louder than it should.
A branch breaking.
Leaves moving.
A distant dog barking.
My heart pounded.
After twenty minutes, we saw the farmhouse.
The same house from the photograph.
My breathing stopped.
“There.””
Daniel raised a hand.
We crouched behind a line of trees.
The house was dark except for one upstairs window.
The barn was empty.
The windmill turned slowly.
I looked at the porch.
Someone was sitting there.
A man.
Older.
Thin.
His hair was almost completely gray.
But even from a distance, I knew him.
My legs nearly gave out.
“Dad.””
Daniel grabbed my arm.
“Wait.””
I pulled away.
“That's him.””
“Sarah.””
“That's my father.””
I stepped out from behind the trees.
The man on the porch stood.
He looked toward me.
For several seconds, neither of us moved.
Then he whispered,
“Sarah?””
The sound of his voice shattered something inside me.
I started crying.
“Dad.””
He came down the steps.
I ran.
He caught me halfway across the yard.
His arms wrapped around me.
They were thinner than I remembered.
Weaker.
But warm.
Real.
Alive.
I held him like I was twelve again.
“You're alive.””
“I know.””
“You're alive.””
He started crying.
“I've wanted to find you.””
“Why didn't you?””
“I tried.””
“You let me think you were dead.””
“I didn't have a choice.””
“You always had a choice.””
He closed his eyes.
“I know.””
I pulled away.
I stared at his face.
There were lines around his eyes.
A scar near his eyebrow.
A sadness that hadn't been there in my childhood memories.
“You knew about Ryan.””
“Yes.””
“You knew he was trying to protect me.””
“Yes.””
“You knew Linda was behind everything.””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn't you stop her?””
He looked down.
“Because I was afraid.””
I couldn't believe it.
“My father was afraid?””
“Yes.””
“Of Linda?””
He shook his head.
“Of what she had.””
“What did she have?””
“Proof.””
“Of what?””
“The kind of proof that could destroy several lives.””
I looked at Daniel.
He stayed several feet away, giving us privacy.
I turned back to my father.
“The ledger.””
He nodded.
“You found it.””
“Where is it?””
He looked toward the farmhouse.
“Inside.””
I took a step forward.
“Then give it to me.””
He stopped me.
“No.””
“Why?””
“Because it's not safe.””
“Ryan isn't safe.””
His expression changed.
“He was taken?””
“Yes.””
“By them?””
“I don't know.””
My father looked toward the road.
“Then they have moved faster than I expected.””
“Who?””
“The people behind Linda.””
“Who are they?””
He was quiet.
Then he said,
“Investors.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“Men who gave Richard money decades ago.””
“Why would they care about Ryan?””
“Because the ledger doesn't just show stolen money.””
“What else?””
“It shows who was paid.””
I felt cold.
“Bribes?””
“Yes.””
“To whom?””
“Judges.””
“Politicians.””
“Police officers.””
“Bankers.””
My chest tightened.
“And Linda?””
“She was the one who kept the records.””
I remembered the way Linda had always controlled everything.
Every detail.
Every secret.
Every person.
My father continued.
“But she wasn't the mastermind.””
“Who was?””
He looked toward Daniel.
My father knew him.
“You trust him?””
I looked at Daniel.
“Yes.””
My father shook his head.
“You shouldn't.””
I froze.
“What?””
“Your attorney.””
I looked at Daniel again.
He was standing by the trees.
He couldn't hear us.
My father lowered his voice.
“He works for them.””
I felt like the ground disappeared.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“You're lying.””
“I wish I were.””
I shook my head.
“Daniel saved me.””
“That's what he wanted you to believe.””
I couldn't breathe.
“Then why bring me here?””
“To make me trust him.””
My father looked terrified.
“Sarah, listen to me.””
“What?””
“The ledger isn't in this house.””
I stared at him.
“Where is it?””
“You've already seen it.””
“What?””
He touched my shoulder.
“The photograph.””
I didn't understand.
“The photograph you were holding at the quarry.””
I thought about it.
The note.
The image of Ryan.
The message.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
“Look at the background.””
My heart started racing.
I pulled out my phone.
Opened the photograph.
Zoomed in.
Ryan was sitting in a chair.
Behind him was a wooden cabinet.
On the cabinet sat a small object.
A brass horse.
I stared.
“That?””
My father nodded.
“That horse has a hidden compartment.””
My breath caught.
“What is inside?””
“The ledger.””
I looked at him.
“Then why would they let us see the photograph?””
“Because they don't know what you have noticed.””
I zoomed further.
Ryan's wrists were tied.
Behind him was a window.
The curtains were dark blue.
A painting hung above the chair.
I looked at it.
“That painting.””
My father nodded.
“Recognize it?””
I did.
I had seen it before.
At Linda's house.
In the upstairs hallway.
I felt sick.
“They're at Linda's.””
My father nodded.
“Most likely.””
Then Daniel's voice came from behind us.
“Sarah.””
I turned.
He was walking toward us.
“What?””
“We need to leave.””
My father stepped between us.
Daniel stopped.
For a second, nobody spoke.
Then Daniel looked at my father.
“It's been a long time.””
My father's face hardened.
“You shouldn't have come.””
Daniel smiled faintly.
“I had to.””
My heart started pounding.
“You know each other.””
“Yes,” my father said.
Daniel didn't deny it.
“How?””
My father answered.
“Daniel worked for Richard.””
Daniel shook his head.
“I consulted for him.””
“Same thing.””
I looked between them.
“What aren't you telling me?””
Daniel sighed.
“I worked for Richard's company.””
“You knew my father.””
“Yes.””
“You knew he was alive.””
“Not until recently.””
My father laughed bitterly.
“That's a lie.””
Daniel's expression changed.
“Be careful.””
My father stepped closer.
“You knew where I was for three years.””
I looked at Daniel.
“Is that true?””
He didn't answer.
“Daniel.””
He finally looked at me.
“Yes.””
My heart shattered.
“You knew.””
“Yes.””
“How long?””
“Three years.””
I stepped backward.
My father moved toward me.
“Sarah.””
I held up my hand.
“No.””
I turned to Daniel.
“You knew my father was alive for three years.””
“Yes.””
“And you watched me believe he was dead.””
“I couldn't tell you.””
“Why?””
“Because Linda was monitoring you.””
“That's not an answer.””
“It kept you alive.””
I laughed.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“Yes.””
I stared at him.
“I don't know who to trust anymore.””
My father whispered,
“Now you understand.””
Suddenly, a vehicle appeared at the end of the road.
Headlights.
Daniel looked toward it.
His face changed.
“They found us.””
My father grabbed my arm.
“Inside.””
We ran toward the farmhouse.
The headlights came closer.
A second vehicle appeared behind the first.
Two cars.
My heart pounded.
“Where's the ledger?”” I asked.
My father pulled open a hidden panel beneath the fireplace.
Inside was the brass horse.
He removed it.
The head twisted.
A compartment opened.
Inside was a thin black book.
The ledger.
He handed it to me.
“Whatever happens, don't lose this.””
I held it against my chest.
The front door shook.
Someone was trying to break it down.
Daniel looked at the windows.
“We need another exit.””
My father nodded.
“Basement.””
We ran.
The door crashed open behind us.
Voices filled the farmhouse.
“Find them!””
“Check the rooms!””
We descended the stairs.
The basement was dark.
My father pulled open a wooden door.
A tunnel.
My mouth fell open.
“This goes where?””
“An old drainage road.””
We crawled inside.
Behind us, footsteps thundered down the basement stairs.
I held the ledger tightly.
Daniel came behind me.
Then a gunshot exploded through the basement.
My father stumbled.
“Dad!””
He fell against the wall.
Blood spread across his shirt.
I screamed.
“Dad!””
Daniel grabbed me.
“Keep moving!””
“No!””
“He's alive!””
My father pushed himself upright.
“Go!””
“I won't leave you!””
“You have to!””
Another gunshot.
Daniel pulled me into the tunnel.
My father disappeared behind us.
“Dad!””
“Keep going!””
I crawled faster.
Tears streamed down my face.
Then Daniel stopped.
“What?””
He pointed ahead.
A light.
An exit.
We climbed out into the woods.
I turned back.
My father wasn't there.
“Daniel!””
“We have to go.””
“No!””
“We can't stay.””
I looked toward the farmhouse.
Smoke was rising through the trees.
I clutched the ledger.
Then my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
I opened the message.
It was a photograph.
My father.
Alive.
But this time he wasn't alone.
Linda stood beside him.
A gun pressed against his head.
The message beneath it said:
BRING THE LEDGER TO THE OLD CHURCH.
COME ALONE.
Then another message appeared.
WE HAVE RYAN TOO.
And a final line.
ONE HUSBAND.
ONE FATHER.
ONE CHANCE.
I looked at Daniel.
He was staring at the screen.
“Don't go,” he said.
I shook my head.
“I have to.””
“They'll kill you.””
“Maybe.””
I tightened my grip on the ledger.
“But tonight, they're finally going to learn something about me.””
“What?””
May you like
I looked toward the distant lights.
“I’m done being the woman everyone thinks they can control.””
