Chapter 10 - THE $7.86 PROMISE
Daniel stared at Emily.
“What does that mean?”
Emily looked at Lily.
“Do you remember the night you met Daniel?”
“Yes.”
“You were ten.”
“Yes.”
“You thought he paid for formula.”
Lily nodded.
Emily smiled sadly.
“He did more than that.”
“What?”
“Your mother had been trying to protect evidence against Thomas. She knew she was going to die.”
Lily's eyes filled.
“She knew?”
“She knew someone was following her.”
Emily continued.
“She gave me a message for you.”
“What message?”
Emily reached into her purse.
She pulled out an old folded piece of paper.
Lily opened it.
Her mother's handwriting.
If Lily ever asks about the money, tell her this:
The debt must be paid by the person who remembers.
Lily stared at the sentence.
“What does that mean?”
Emily shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Daniel suddenly understood.
“The checks.”
Lily looked at him.
“What?”
“For nineteen years, you've been sending me money.”
“Yes.”
“You thought you were repaying me.”
“Yes.”
“But your mother told you to pay the debt.”
Lily's eyes widened.
Daniel continued.
“Maybe she didn't mean the money.”
Emily nodded.
“She meant the promise.”
Lily reached into her bag.
She pulled out the first envelope she had ever sent Daniel.
Inside was the original $7.86 check.
Daniel stared at it.
“There's something behind the check.”
Lily turned it over.
Nothing.
Emily shook her head.
“Not the check.”
“The envelope?”
“No.”
Daniel looked at Lily.
“Your first promise.”
Lily closed her eyes.
She remembered.
The night at the supermarket.
She had told Daniel:
I'll pay you back.
Daniel whispered:
“You were never promising to repay seven dollars.”
Lily shook her head.
“No.”
Emily looked at them.
“You promised to repay him for saving your family.”
“And how do I do that?”
Emily answered:
“By finding the truth.”
Silence.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
Evelyn.
“Daniel, I found the second ledger.”
“Where?”
“Inside your father's original supermarket.”
Daniel's face changed.
“That store was demolished years ago.”
“No.”
Evelyn paused.
“Someone rebuilt it.”
“Who?”
May you like
Her answer came quietly.
“Grant Halloway.”
