Chapter 10: What Daniel Did in the Dark
The gunshot echoed through the basement.
I screamed.
Victor grabbed me and pulled me behind the concrete stairwell.
"Nobody move!""
Another shot tore through the wooden floor above us.
Mason shouted, "They've got the diner covered!""
Daniel dropped behind a support column.
"How many?""
"At least four!""
Victor looked at Isabel.
"Can you get us out?""
She nodded.
"There’s an old drainage tunnel behind the boiler.""
Daniel shook his head.
"Too dangerous.""
Victor glared at him.
"Then give me another way.""
Daniel pointed toward the far wall.
"Hidden door.""
Mason found it behind a shelving unit.
They pushed together.
The wall clicked.
A narrow passage opened.
Victor helped me inside.
Daniel came last.
The tunnel smelled of wet earth and rust.
My walker scraped against the stone.
"Daniel.""
He was behind me.
I stopped.
"Tell me one thing.""
He waited.
"Did you love me?""
The tunnel became silent.
He looked at me.
"For every day we were together.""
"Then why?""
His face collapsed.
"Because loving you was the reason I lied.""
I shook my head.
"That's not an answer.""
"No.""
He looked away.
"It's an apology.""
We moved again.
The tunnel opened into an abandoned maintenance room beneath an old warehouse.
Victor locked the metal door behind us.
Only then did he turn toward Daniel.
"Start talking.""
Daniel leaned against the wall.
"My real name isn't Daniel Carter.""
I stared.
"Then what is it?""
He paused.
"Daniel Mercer.""
Victor frowned.
"Mercer?""
Daniel nodded.
"Your father was Elijah's grandfather's partner.""
He looked at me.
"I met Elijah when he was seventeen.""
I listened.
"He discovered the operation before I did.""
"What operation?""
"The money laundering.""
Victor folded his arms.
"Who was behind it?""
Daniel looked at him.
"Your grandmother's sister wasn't the leader.""
"Marlene.""
"She was a courier.""
"And Mr. Bell?""
"A lawyer.""
"And you?""
Daniel's eyes filled with shame.
"His protector.""
Victor's expression hardened.
"Protector?""
"I was ordered to watch the family.""
I felt sick.
"So you married me?""
"At first.""
The answer destroyed something inside me.
"At first?""
Daniel closed his eyes.
"I was supposed to learn where Elijah kept the records.""
I stared at him.
"You used me.""
"Yes.""
Victor took one step toward him.
"Why should I let you live?""
Daniel met his gaze.
"Because I turned on them.""
Victor's jaw clenched.
"Too late.""
"Maybe.""
Daniel looked at me.
"But I saved Elijah.""
"What happened the night he disappeared?""
Daniel sat on an old wooden crate.
"Elijah confronted me.""
"About what?""
"He found my files.""
I remembered Elijah's face.
His anger.
His trembling hands.
Daniel continued.
"He knew I was working for them.""
I whispered, "You betrayed him.""
"I tried to convince him to disappear.""
"Why?""
"Because they were going to kill him.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
"Because they were watching you.""
I shook my head.
"You could have trusted me.""
"They had men in the diner.""
He pointed at me.
"They had people inside your family.""
"Who?""
Daniel's voice dropped.
"Calvin.""
I closed my eyes.
"And Marlene.""
"Yes.""
I swallowed.
"So Elijah ran.""
"No.""
Daniel looked at Victor.
"Elijah didn't run.""
Victor went still.
"What?""
"He was taken.""
My heart stopped.
"By whom?""
Daniel answered quietly.
"Me.""
Victor lunged.
Mason caught his arm.
"Boss!""
Victor struggled.
"You kidnapped him?""
Daniel didn't fight.
"Yes.""
"You took my father.""
"I saved him.""
Victor's voice shook with rage.
"For thirty-nine years?""
"I had no choice.""
"You always have a choice.""
Daniel looked at him.
"Not when the people holding the gun are pointing it at your wife.""
I froze.
"My wife?""
Daniel looked at me.
"Rebecca was alive.""
Victor stopped fighting.
"What?""
"Rebecca survived.""
I covered my mouth.
"She was pregnant.""
Daniel nodded.
"With Isabel.""
Isabel's eyes filled with tears.
"Where is my mother?""
Daniel looked at her.
"Alive.""
She gasped.
"Where?""
"Safe.""
"Why haven't I seen her?""
"Because she believes you died.""
Isabel stared.
"You told her that?""
"No.""
Daniel looked down.
"Marlene did.""
Victor stepped toward him.
"Where is Rebecca now?""
Daniel hesitated.
Then he pulled a folded piece of paper from his coat.
"She's in England.""
Isabel's face changed.
"What?""
"She has another name.""
"What name?""
Daniel handed her the paper.
She unfolded it.
Her lips parted.
"Anna Bell.""
Victor looked at the name.
"Bell?""
Daniel nodded.
"She took the last name of the man who hid her.""
I looked at him.
"Mr. Bell.""
Daniel nodded.
"He protected her.""
Victor stared.
"The same Mr. Bell who's helping Calvin?""
"Not the same.""
Daniel's expression changed.
"That man is his son.""
Silence.
Then the warehouse door shook.
Someone outside shouted:
"Mercer!""
Daniel went pale.
Victor drew his gun.
"You brought them here.""
"No.""
Daniel's eyes widened.
"They followed the tunnel.""
The door shook again.
A voice called out.
"Give us the old woman and the notebook!""
I gripped the notebook.
Victor stood between me and the door.
"Nobody touches her.""
Daniel looked toward the ceiling.
"There is one exit.""
"Where?""
He pointed to a ladder.
"Roof.""
The men outside started pounding harder.
Victor nodded.
"Go.""
We climbed.
Cold rain hit my face.
Victor pulled me onto the roof.
Mason and the others followed.
Daniel came last.
We reached the far edge.
A helicopter appeared beyond the buildings.
Victor looked at it.
"That yours?""
Daniel shook his head.
The helicopter lowered.
A spotlight swept across the roof.
Then a loudspeaker crackled.
A woman's voice filled the night.
"Daniel.""
He froze.
Marlene.
Her voice was almost gentle.
"You really should have stayed dead.""
Victor grabbed my hand.
Marlene continued.
"Because now Evelyn gets to learn what you did to her son.""
Daniel closed his eyes.
Then whispered:
"They found the second ledger.""
I looked at him.
"What second ledger?""
May you like
Daniel turned toward me.
"The one that proves you ordered Elijah's disappearance.""
