Chapter 3 - THE MESSAGE I WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO SEE
By morning, the evacuation order had expanded.
I finally reached Ryan's mother, Evelyn.
She sent a car for me.
When I arrived at her house, Caleb ran into my arms.
I held him so tightly he complained he couldn't breathe.
I apologized.
Then held him again.
Ryan wasn't there.
Neither was Brooke.
“Where is he?” I asked Evelyn.
“He said he had another emergency.”
“What emergency?”
“I don't know.”
I stared at her.
“Did he tell you why Brooke is here?”
Evelyn looked uncomfortable.
“She's frightened.”
“So am I.”
“I know.”
“Then why is she sleeping in your guest room while my son is sitting downstairs crying?”
Evelyn didn't answer.
Caleb walked into the room.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Can I show you something?”
He held out Ryan's tablet.
“I found it in Dad's bag.”
I took it.
The screen was unlocked.
A message was open.
From Brooke.
I can't believe you actually left her behind.
Ryan had replied:
She'll be angry. But she'll understand eventually.
My hands began shaking.
Then another message appeared.
You promised me you'd never let her come between us again.
Ryan:
I know.
I couldn't breathe.
There was more.
When this is over, I want you to keep your promise.
And Ryan's response:
I will.
I stared at the screen.
Caleb looked up at me.
“What does that mean?”
I closed the tablet.
“It means your dad made a bad decision.”
“Because of Brooke?”
I swallowed.
“Yes.”
He nodded slowly.
Then he said:
“I don't want him to choose her again.”
Neither did I.
But I had a much bigger problem.
Because at the bottom of the conversation was an attachment.
A photograph.
I opened it.
It was a photograph of Ryan and Brooke standing together months earlier.
They weren't alone.
There was another man in the background.
I zoomed in.
My blood ran cold.
I knew him.
He was one of the executives from Ryan's helicopter company.
And beneath the photograph was a message from Brooke.
If Natalie ever finds out what happened that night, we're all finished.
I stared at the words.
“What night?”
Caleb asked.
I locked the tablet.
“Nothing.”
But I knew it wasn't nothing.
My husband had been hiding something.
May you like
And Brooke wasn't just his ex-girlfriend.
She was holding a secret powerful enough to frighten him.
