Chapter 6 - The Person My Father Warned Me About
The name was written on the back of the photograph.
I stared at it.
I read it once.
Then again.
Because my mind refused to accept what my eyes were seeing.
The room disappeared.
The voices disappeared.
All I could see was my father's handwriting.
Five words.
"My son, trust nobody."
And beneath them...
The name.
Daniel Carter.
My own name.
I looked up slowly.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Everyone was watching me.
Waiting for me to understand something I didn't.
My hands tightened around the photograph.
"What is this?"
My voice sounded different.
Even to me.
James Walker looked down.
Victor looked away.
Claire closed her eyes.
Only Emily looked confused.
"Why is your name there?"
She asked quietly.
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't know.
Because my entire life had just split into two different versions.
The one I believed.
And the one my father had hidden from me.
I looked at James.
"You said my father warned me about someone."
He nodded.
"Yes."
I lifted the photograph.
"Then why is my name written here?"
James took a breath.
"Because your father discovered something about you."
The words made my chest tighten.
"About me?"
He nodded.
"Before he died, Michael believed the operation had reached closer to him than anyone realized."
"Meaning?"
James looked at Thomas.
Thomas immediately looked away.
I noticed.
"You think Thomas knows."
James didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
I turned toward Thomas.
"Tell me."
He stayed silent.
"Tell me why my father wrote my name."
Thomas looked older suddenly.
Not physically.
Something else.
Like carrying the secret had finally become heavier than hiding it.
"I don't know everything."
I stepped closer.
"Then tell me what you know."
Thomas looked at Claire.
She nodded once.
A silent permission.
Thomas spoke.
"Your father found evidence that someone was altering records."
"Military records?"
"Yes."
"To cover what?"
Thomas hesitated.
"Operations."
"What kind of operations?"
He looked at Emily.
"Operations involving people who had no way to fight back."
My hands clenched.
"The children."
Nobody answered.
Because nobody needed to.
I looked back at the photograph.
"My father thought I was involved?"
Thomas shook his head.
"No."
"Then why my name?"
"Because he believed someone was using you."
The words landed harder.
"Using me for what?"
Thomas looked at me.
"To continue his work."
I almost laughed.
"My father died eight years ago."
"Exactly."
The room became silent.
Thomas continued.
"He knew if he disappeared, someone would need to finish what he started."
"And he chose me?"
"No."
Thomas looked at the photograph.
"He didn't choose you."
A pause.
"He protected you."
I looked at him.
"Those sound like opposite things."
"They aren't."
Thomas stepped closer.
"Your father knew the truth would destroy anyone who carried it."
I looked at Emily.
"And he still left clues for a child to find?"
Thomas shook his head.
"No."
His voice became serious.
"He left clues for Claire."
Claire looked down.
"But someone found them first."
I turned.
"Who?"
Nobody answered.
Again.
That word was starting to feel like a wall.
A wall built by everyone except me.
I put the photograph on the table.
"I am done being the only person who doesn't know what is happening."
My voice became colder.
"Everyone here has information."
I looked at James.
"You."
Then Victor.
"You."
Then Thomas.
"You."
Finally Claire.
"And you."
I pointed at the photograph.
"My father trusted all of you."
I paused.
"But I don't."
Nobody argued.
Because they knew I was right.
The waitress slowly approached our table.
"Sir..."
She looked nervous.
"There's something you should see."
I turned.
"What?"
She held a small envelope.
"I found this under your chair."
My expression changed.
I hadn't noticed anyone near my chair.
I took the envelope.
No name.
No markings.
Only one thing.
The same symbol from the necklace.
The circle.
The three lines.
My fingers tightened.
Claire immediately stood.
"Don't open it."
I looked at her.
"Why?"
Her face was pale.
"Because if someone left that for you..."
She looked toward the windows.
"...they wanted you to find it."
I opened it anyway.
Inside was a small memory card.
Everyone went silent.
A memory card.
The same kind of object that started everything with Emily.
I looked at Claire.
"What's on this?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know."
James stared at it.
"But your father would never leave something like this unless it mattered."
I looked around the cafe.
Too many eyes.
Too many secrets.
I grabbed my jacket.
"We're leaving."
Victor nodded.
"Where?"
"Somewhere private."
Thomas moved.
"No."
I stopped.
"Excuse me?"
He looked at me.
"You can't take that with you."
My eyes narrowed.
"Why?"
"Because whoever left it knows you have it."
I stared at him.
"Then they know exactly where I am."
Nobody spoke.
That was the truth.
And everyone knew it.
We left the cafe through the back entrance.
The snow hit harder outside.
Emily held Claire's hand.
Rex stayed beside me.
The parking lot was almost empty.
Almost.
My vehicle was parked near the end.
I noticed something immediately.
The driver's door was open.
I stopped.
Everyone behind me stopped too.
"Nobody move."
My voice was quiet.
But everyone listened.
Rex lowered his head.
He smelled the air.
Then he growled.
Someone had been inside.
I approached slowly.
My hand moved toward my sidearm.
The interior looked normal.
No broken glass.
No damage.
Just one thing.
A small envelope sitting on the driver's seat.
My name was written on it.
Again.
My father's handwriting.
I looked at Claire.
She looked terrified.
"Daniel..."
I opened it.
Inside was a single page.
Only one sentence.
"If you found this, it means the person closest to you already knows."
I read it twice.
Then I looked back at everyone.
"Who?"
Nobody answered.
But one person stepped away.
Slowly.
Quietly.
Like they knew I had finally discovered the truth.
I looked at the person standing beside me.
The person who had been there from the beginning.
The person I trusted most.
And then my phone rang.
The screen showed an incoming call.
No number.
May you like
Only one word.
DAD.
