Chapter 6: The Man Behind My Father’s Death
I ran toward the shadow behind the building.
“Hey!””
The figure moved quickly.
I chased him between the old storage units, my shoes hitting the cracked pavement.
“Stop!””
For a second, I thought I had him.
Then he disappeared around the corner.
When I reached the other side, there was nobody there.
Only an abandoned backpack sitting beside a dumpster.
I looked back toward my mother.
She was standing with Daniel.
And that bothered me more than it should have.
Because even after everything, even after seeing the fear in her eyes, seeing her standing near him still felt wrong.
I walked back slowly.
My mother rushed toward me.
“Are you okay?””
“Who was that?””
She froze.
“What?””
“Someone was watching us.””
Daniel’s expression changed.
“Did you see their face?””
“No.””
He looked away.
Too quickly.
I noticed.
“Daniel.””
He looked back.
“What?””
“You know something.””
He laughed.
“You think everything is about me.””
“Because every time I ask a question, you already know the answer.””
My mother stepped between us.
“Enough.””
I looked at her.
“No.””
My voice shook.
“I’m done being the person everyone protects with lies.””
That hurt her.
I saw it.
But I needed the truth.
“I want everything.””
My mother took a deep breath.
Then she nodded.
“Okay.””
We went back to Rachel’s house.
She was the only person my mother trusted enough to let us inside.
The moment Rachel saw Daniel, her face hardened.
“You have some nerve showing up here.””
Daniel looked annoyed.
“This concerns Evan.””
Rachel looked at me.
“What did he tell you?””
“Enough to know everyone has been lying.””
Rachel closed her eyes.
Then she whispered:
“I was afraid this day would come.””
I sat down.
“Please.””
My mother sat across from me.
For a moment, she looked exactly like the woman from my childhood.
The woman who packed my lunches.
The woman who sat beside my bed when I was sick.
Then she spoke.
“Your father was investigating Daniel.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
My mother continued.
“Before your father worked construction, he did private investigations.””
I frowned.
“You never told me that.””
“I wanted you to remember him as your dad.””
She looked down.
“Not as someone who spent his life chasing dangerous people.””
I looked at Daniel.
“What did Dad find?””
My mother’s hands tightened.
“He found out Daniel was involved in illegal activities.””
Daniel immediately shook his head.
“That’s not true.””
Rachel stepped forward.
“Then why did you disappear after the accident?””
Daniel looked at her.
“Because I was blamed.””
My mother laughed bitterly.
“Because you were guilty.””
The room went silent.
I had never heard my mother speak about him like that.
Not with fear.
With anger.
Daniel looked at me.
“She’s twisting it.””
“Then explain.””
He stared at me.
“Your father was going to expose me.””
“And?””
“And he threatened me.””
My stomach tightened.
“Did you threaten him?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
That was enough.
My mother covered her face.
“I saw them arguing that night.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
She cried silently.
“I followed your father because I knew something was wrong.””
“Where?””
“The construction site.””
My heart pounded.
“And?””
She looked at Daniel.
“He was there.””
The room became silent.
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“I didn’t kill him.””
Nobody moved.
I noticed something.
Not denial.
A defense.
My mother noticed too.
“You never said you didn’t cause it.””
Daniel looked at her.
“You know I didn’t.””
“Do I?””
The question hung in the air.
Then Daniel walked toward the door.
“I’m done.””
I stood.
“Wait.””
He turned.
I looked at him.
“What happened that night?””
His face was unreadable.
Then he said:
“Ask your mother why she was the last person your father called.””
My body froze.
I turned toward my mother.
She looked terrified.
“Mom?””
She whispered:
“I didn’t want you to know.””
“Know what?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“That your father called me because he knew he was in danger.””
The room spun.
“And you didn’t go?””
She closed her eyes.
“I tried.””
“But?””
Her voice broke.
“But I was too late.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Daniel opened the door.
Before leaving, he looked at me.
“You want the truth, Evan?””
I stared at him.
“Find out what happened to the missing hour.””
“What missing hour?””
He smiled slightly.
“The hour between your father’s call and the crash.””
Then he left.
I looked at my mother.
“What missing hour?””
She didn’t answer.
And that was when I realized something.
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My mother wasn’t hiding a secret from Daniel.
She was hiding one from me.
