Chapter 4 - CHICAGO’S MOST DANGEROUS SECRET
By morning, the entire Blackwell residence was under lockdown.
Emily sat in the kitchen while men moved through the building.
She had never seen so many people remain so quiet.
No one asked questions.
No one joked.
Everyone watched Adrian.
And Adrian watched everything.
He stood at the far end of the kitchen, staring at the old phone.
Emily had explained that Daniel had taken it three years ago.
She had assumed he destroyed it.
Apparently, she had been wrong.
“Can you access it?” Adrian asked.
Emily shook her head.
“It’s dead.”
“Charge it.”
“It’s an old phone.”
“Charge it.”
She did.
An hour later, the phone came alive.
Emily stared at the screen.
The wallpaper was a photograph of her and Daniel.
She remembered taking it.
They had been at a lake.
He had smiled.
She had believed she was happy.
The memory made her feel sick.
Adrian stood behind her.
“Open the messages.”
Emily did.
There were hundreds.
Most were from Daniel.
Some were from numbers she did not recognize.
She scrolled.
Then stopped.
A message appeared.
Three years old.
THE BLACKWELL PROBLEM WILL BE SOLVED FRIDAY.
Emily felt cold.
Adrian read it over her shoulder.
“What date?”
She checked.
“September 18.”
Adrian went completely still.
“What?”
“That date.”
He took the phone.
“Why?”
“Because that was the night someone tried to kill me.”
Emily looked at him.
The room seemed to disappear.
“You said Daniel tried to kill you.”
“I said he was involved.”
“Who else?”
Adrian scrolled through the messages.
“Someone named Victor.”
Emily frowned.
“Victor who?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“I had a lot of enemies.”
“That’s comforting.”
Adrian ignored her.
He continued reading.
Another message appeared.
SHE HAS THE COPY. FIND HER BEFORE BLACKWELL DOES.
Emily's stomach dropped.
“I never sent anyone a copy.”
Adrian looked at her.
“What did you copy?”
Emily said nothing.
“Emily.”
She turned away.
Adrian stepped closer.
“Three years ago, you saw a file. What did you do?”
“I took pictures.”
“How many?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Where are they?”
Emily's breathing became shallow.
“I thought I deleted them.”
“Thought?”
“I changed phones.”
“Where is the old backup?”
“I don’t know.”
Adrian stared at her.
“You need to remember.”
“I’m trying!”
Her voice broke.
The kitchen went silent.
Emily pressed her hands against her temples.
She had spent three years trying not to remember.
Now everyone wanted her to remember everything.
The file.
The names.
The photographs.
The night Daniel attacked her.
“I put the files somewhere,” she whispered.
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Think.”
“Stop telling me to think!”
Adrian went silent.
Emily's chest rose and fell.
She hated the fear.
Hated the weakness.
Hated that Daniel had returned and somehow taken control of her life without even being there.
Adrian's voice softened.
“I’m sorry.”
Emily looked at him.
He rarely said those words.
It showed.
She looked away.
“I kept a backup.”
“Where?”
“Maybe.”
“Emily.”
She closed her eyes.
Then remembered.
A cloud account.
An old email.
She had uploaded the files because she was afraid Daniel would find them.
“I know where they might be.”
Adrian's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression darkened.
“What?”
He listened.
Then looked at Emily.
“Daniel is in Chicago.”
Her heart stopped.
“How do you know?”
“We found his car.”
“Where?”
“Outside your workplace.”
Emily stood.
“I need to go there.”
“No.”
“My belongings are there.”
“Send someone.”
“No.”
“Emily.”
“I need my things.”
Adrian's gaze hardened.
“Your life is more important than your belongings.”
“You don’t get it.”
“Then explain.”
“If I disappear, people will notice.”
“Good.”
“No.”
Emily stepped closer.
“If I suddenly vanish and move into your house, everyone will know something is wrong.”
Adrian said nothing.
“Daniel knows how to make me look unstable. If he tells people I’m hiding because I’m guilty, they’ll believe him.”
“Who?”
“Everyone.”
Adrian studied her.
Then said, “You’re going back to work.”
“Yes.”
“With security.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I can’t have six men following me around.”
“You’ll have two.”
“That’s not better.”
“It’s safer.”
Emily crossed her arms.
“You really enjoy giving orders.”
“Yes.”
She stared.
He did not even pretend otherwise.
Despite herself, she laughed.
It was small.
But real.
Adrian's eyes softened for half a second.
Then the phone rang again.
This time, Adrian answered.
His face changed.
“Repeat that.”
He listened.
Then said:
“Get everyone out.”
Emily felt the atmosphere change.
“What happened?”
May you like
Adrian looked at her.
“Your workplace is on fire.”
