Chapter 7 – Rachel’s Secret
I turned toward Rachel.
She looked as shocked as I felt.
“He’s lying.”
Adrian held my stare.
“I wish I was.”
Rachel shook her head.
“I wasn’t with Dad.”
“Rachel.”
“No!”
She backed away.
“He’s doing what he always does.”
Adrian pulled out his phone.
“I have proof.”
Hale took it.
A photograph appeared on the screen.
My father’s driveway.
Timestamped 11:43 p.m.
Rachel’s car was parked outside.
Dad died at 12:26 a.m.
I looked at my sister.
“Tell me.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“I went there.”
“Why?”
“He called me.”
“You told me you were home.”
“I was scared.”
“Of what?”
She covered her face.
“Of you finding out.”
“Finding out what?”
Rachel lowered her hands.
“Dad knew about the trafficking before he told Thomas.”
Thomas stiffened.
“How?”
“Because I found it first.”
Silence.
Rachel had worked in compliance at Whitmore Logistics.
She had discovered falsified manifests.
Dad investigated.
Then Margaret found out.
“She offered me money.”
My chest tightened.
“You took it?”
“No.”
Rachel started crying.
“She threatened my son.”
Her son, Noah.
My twelve-year-old nephew.
“She sent photographs of him leaving school.”
I understood the terror instantly.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you were married to Adrian.”
Adrian looked down.
“I didn’t know if I could trust you.”
That hurt.
But I understood.
“What happened the night Dad died?”
Rachel wiped her face.
“He called me.”
“He said he finally had enough evidence.”
“He wanted me to take a copy.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“Where is it?”
“I gave it to someone.”
“Who?”
She looked at Thomas.
Thomas stared back.
Then his face hardened.
“You gave it to Malcolm Reed.”
Rachel nodded.
“He said Dad trusted him.”
My stomach dropped.
“He betrayed you.”
“Yes.”
“What happened after you left?”
“I don’t know.”
Adrian spoke.
“I do.”
Everyone looked at him.
“I arrived twelve minutes later.”
“Why?”
“Your father called me.”
“What did he want?”
“To give me a choice.”
Adrian looked at me.
“He knew I was involved.”
“He told me I could help him expose Margaret or lose you forever.”
“What did you choose?”
Adrian’s silence answered.
I felt something inside me finally die.
“You chose your mother.”
“I was a coward.”
“Yes.”
“I left.”
“And then Dad died.”
“Yes.”
“Did you kill him?”
Adrian looked directly into my eyes.
“No.”
“Did your mother?”
“I don’t know.”
“Who was the last person you saw at his house?”
Adrian hesitated.
Then he looked at Thomas.
Thomas frowned.
“What?”
Adrian’s voice became quiet.
“When I drove away, another car was pulling into Daniel’s driveway.”
Thomas went completely still.
I followed Adrian’s gaze.
“Whose car?”
May you like
Adrian answered.
“His.”
