CHAPTER 3 – THE MAN WHO WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO CALL
CHAPTER 3 – THE MAN WHO WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO CALL
The twins fell asleep before Ryker's SUV even left O'Hare.
Lily's head rested against Owen's shoulder.
Owen still clutched the worn teddy bear as if it were the only thing left from the life he remembered.
Ryker watched them through the rearview mirror.
"They've been surviving," he murmured.
Marco nodded.
"Not living."
An hour later, the children were tucked into warm beds inside Ryker Steel's lakefront estate.
The house had thirty-two rooms.
Yet it had never felt so quiet.
Ryker stood outside their bedroom until he heard both children breathing peacefully.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He almost ignored it.
"Mr. Steel?"
The voice belonged to an elderly man.
"My name is Harold Bennett."
"I was attorney Daniel Carter's legal assistant."
Ryker's eyes narrowed.
Daniel Carter.
The twins' late father.
"I've been trying to find someone I could trust."
"What is this about?"
A long silence.
Then the old man whispered,
"Daniel knew he was going to die."
Ryker froze.
"What did you say?"
"He came to my office three days before the accident."
"He was terrified."
"He said if anything happened to him... his children would be in danger."
Ryker's grip tightened around the phone.
"What danger?"
"He didn't tell me."
"He only left one instruction."
"Never give this envelope to Vanessa."
"Only to the man willing to protect Lily and Owen with his life."
Ryker looked toward the bedroom where the twins slept.
"When can I see you?"
"You can't."
Another pause.
"I'm already outside your gate."
Minutes later...
Security escorted an elderly man carrying a weathered leather briefcase into Ryker's study.
His hands trembled.
He slid a sealed envelope across the desk.
"I've hidden this for almost three years."
Ryker examined the wax seal.
It bore Daniel Carter's initials.
"Why me?"
Harold smiled sadly.
"Because Daniel once saved my granddaughter."
"And because after today..."
"The whole city knows what you did for his children."
Ryker carefully opened the envelope.
Inside were photographs...
Bank records...
And a handwritten letter.
If you're reading this...
I'm already dead.
My death will be called an accident.
It wasn't.
Someone close to me wants control of Carter Technologies.
If they fail to destroy me...
They will destroy my children.
Trust no one connected to my company.
Especially Vanessa.
Ryker looked up slowly.
"What exactly was Daniel involved in?"
Harold's face turned pale.
"I prayed you'd never have to find out."
At that very moment...
Inside a downtown police station...
Vanessa made a single phone call.
"They know too much," she whispered.
A cold male voice answered.
"Then the children must disappear permanently."
Vanessa's blood ran cold.
"I thought we were only leaving them."
"You've become a liability."
The call ended.
She stared at the phone.
For the first time...
May you like
She realized she wasn't part of the plan anymore.
She was the next loose end.
