Chapter 8 - THE MISSING MOTHER
Ryan's mother was found twelve hours later.
She was alive.
But terrified.
She refused to tell police where she'd been.
Until she saw me.
Then she started crying.
“I was wrong.”
I sat beside her.
“About what?”
“Melissa.”
She looked at Ryan.
“Your sister told me you were going to leave Emma.”
Ryan stared at her.
“What?”
“She said you were unhappy.”
“That isn't true.”
“She told me Emma was trying to steal your father's money.”
I felt sick.
She had been feeding his mother lies for months.
Then she revealed something worse.
Melissa had been meeting Daniel.
Not secretly.
Regularly.
And Ryan's mother had known.
“Why didn't you tell anyone?”
She looked ashamed.
“Because I thought they were planning to scare you.”
“Scare me?”
“Yes.”
She started crying.
“I never thought they'd hurt you.”
I couldn't answer.
Then she gave Detective Hayes a flash drive.
“Melissa gave me this.”
“What is it?”
“I don't know.”
Detective Hayes opened it.
There were dozens of audio recordings.
Conversations.
Emails.
Bank transfers.
And one recording that changed everything.
Melissa's voice.
“Once the baby is gone, Emma will leave Ryan.”
Daniel answered:
“And the trust?”
“Ryan gets control.”
Daniel laughed.
“That's not what your brother wants.”
Melissa went silent.
Then Daniel said:
“Your brother wants the company.”
I stared at Ryan.
He shook his head.
“No.”
The recording continued.
Melissa asked:
“What happens to Emma?”
Daniel replied:
“She'll be blamed.”
My blood ran cold.
“Blamed for what?”
The recording ended.
Detective Hayes looked at us.
“There's more.”
She played another file.
This time, Ryan's voice could be heard.
“I can't do this.”
Melissa answered:
“You already agreed.”
Ryan said:
“I never agreed to hurt her.”
Melissa replied:
“You agreed to leave her.”
The recording stopped.
I couldn't look at Ryan.
He reached for my hand.
I pulled away.
Then the door burst open.
A police officer rushed inside.
“Detective!”
“What?”
“We found Daniel.”
“Where?”
“Dead.”
Everyone froze.
Then the officer added:
“And there's a message written beside his body.”
Detective Hayes stared at him.
“What message?”
May you like
The officer swallowed.
“One traitor down. Two left.”
