Chapter 5 - The Trap
David’s gun had been missing for two years.
That was the first thing he told Detective Ramirez when she arrived at Jordan’s house.
The second thing he told her was that my father had stolen it.
Ramirez was a compact woman in her fifties with tired eyes that seemed to notice everything.
“You never reported it stolen,” she said.
David looked ashamed.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I didn’t know it was gone until Thomas contacted me six months ago.”
Ramirez folded her arms.
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
David sighed.
“Thomas sent me a photograph of it.”
Mom stared at him.
“You never told me.”
“I didn’t want you more frightened than you already were.”
Ramirez’s expression sharpened.
“Secrets are why we’re here.”
David nodded.
“I know.”
“What did the message say?”
David pulled out his phone.
He had saved a screenshot.
Ramirez read it aloud.
Family should be careful where they leave fingerprints.
My skin crawled.
“You touched the gun?” I asked.
“For years. It was mine.”
“So Dad could frame you.”
“That’s the idea.”
Ramirez looked at me.
“Marcus, has your father asked you to meet him?”
“Yes.”
Mom grabbed my arm.
“You didn’t tell me that.”
“He wanted me at the bus station.”
“And you went?”
“I didn’t know!”
Mom immediately softened.
“Okay. I’m sorry.”
Ramirez crouched slightly so she was looking straight at me.
“If Thomas contacts you again, you tell me before responding.”
“Why?”
“Because your father isn’t just running anymore.”
She glanced toward David.
“He’s building a story.”
“A story?”
“One where David helped fake Thomas’s death, murdered Aaron Pike, and paid Elaine to stay quiet.”
The documents in the locker.
The photographs.
The fake transfer.
It clicked.
“He wanted me to find that envelope.”
“Yes,” Ramirez said.
“So I’d believe it.”
“Yes.”
“Why me?”
Nobody answered.
That hurt.
“Why me?”
Mom whispered, “Because you’re the one person whose belief can destroy me.”
I stared at her.
Dad wasn’t trying only to escape prison.
He wanted revenge.
He wanted me to hate Mom.
And for a few hours, it had worked.
My phone buzzed.
Everyone froze.
Dad.
I showed Ramirez.
She nodded.
“Read it.”
I opened the message.
YOU WANT THE WHOLE TRUTH?
COME ALONE.
Then an address.
An abandoned warehouse near the river.
Mom immediately said, “No.”
Ramirez held out her hand.
“Give me the phone.”
I did.
She typed something.
I couldn’t see what.
Mom looked terrified.
“What are you doing?”
“Keeping him talking.”
Dad replied.
NO POLICE.
Ramirez typed again.
How do I know you won’t disappear?
The response came quickly.
BECAUSE I HAVE SOMETHING MARCUS WANTS.
A picture loaded.
I stopped breathing.
It was a photograph of Aunt Rebecca.
Mom’s sister.
She was sitting in a chair.
Her wrists appeared tied behind her.
Mom screamed.
“Rebecca!”
Ramirez grabbed her radio.
David swore.
I stared at the photograph.
Aunt Rebecca looked terrified.
Across her shirt was a handwritten piece of cardboard.
COME GET THE TRUTH.
Mom lunged for the phone.
“I’m going.”
Ramirez blocked her.
“No.”
“That’s my sister!”
“And walking into Thomas’s hands helps her how?”
“I can’t leave her there!”
David stepped between them.
“Elaine.”
“Don’t!”
Mom shoved his arm away.
“This happened because of me!”
“No,” I said.
Everyone looked at me.
“This happened because of Dad.”
It was the first time I said it and believed it.
Dad.
Thomas.
The man I had worshiped.
The man who had taught me that protecting family meant being strong.
He had spent years teaching me his definition of strength.
Control.
Now I saw the difference.
Ramirez pointed toward the photograph.
“Look carefully.”
We did.
“What?”
“The shadows.”
David understood first.
“This wasn’t taken tonight.”
Ramirez nodded.
Mom stared.
“How can you tell?”
“Window behind her. Full daylight.”
Relief hit me.
“So she’s not there?”
“I didn’t say that.”
Ramirez called someone.
“Find Rebecca Cole. Now.”
Minutes passed.
Every second felt endless.
Finally Ramirez’s radio crackled.
A voice came through.
“Detective, Rebecca Cole’s residence is empty. Front door forced.”
Mom’s relief vanished.
Ramirez looked at the address Dad had sent.
“He wants us at that warehouse.”
David nodded.
“Which means Rebecca may be somewhere else.”
“Or she may be bait.”
Mom sat down heavily.
I walked toward her.
“Mom.”
She looked up.
“We’ll find her.”
She squeezed my hand.
Then Ramirez asked me something unexpected.
“Marcus, how good are you at lying to your father?”
Mom stood.
“No.”
Ramirez raised one hand.
“I’m not sending him inside.”
“What are you asking?”
“He wants Marcus emotionally isolated. So we let Thomas think he succeeded.”
David’s eyes narrowed.
“You want Marcus to text him.”
“Under supervision.”
I swallowed.
“What do I say?”
Ramirez handed back my phone.
“Something Thomas desperately wants to hear.”
I understood.
My fingers trembled as I typed.
Mom admitted everything.
Dad responded almost instantly.
What did she admit?
Ramirez nodded.
I continued.
That she knew you were alive. That David helped. That they lied to me.
Three dots appeared.
Then:
I told you.
My stomach turned.
I typed:
I’m done with her.
Dad’s reply came.
That’s my boy.
I almost threw up.
Ramirez whispered, “Keep going.”
I typed:
Where is Aunt Rebecca?
A long pause.
Then Dad sent:
Insurance.
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Mom gasped.
“Oh God.”
“What?”
“Aunt Rebecca works for Hastings Mutual.”
Ramirez looked at her.
“The insurance company?”
Mom nodded.
“She handled Thomas’s death claim.”
Everything changed again.
David moved toward Mom.
“Did she approve it?”
“Yes.”
“Did Thomas know?”
“No. Rebecca used her married name professionally.”
Ramirez’s eyes sharpened.
“Thomas discovered who processed the claim.”
Mom covered her mouth.
“He thinks she knows something.”
My phone buzzed.
Dad sent another message.
Ask your aunt why there was never DNA confirmation on my body.
I looked at Ramirez.
She immediately called her team.
“Pull the original death file.”
Ten minutes later, she received an email.
She read it silently.
Then cursed.
“What?”
“The remains weren’t identified through DNA.”
Mom stared.
“I was told they were.”
“They were identified using dental records.”
David’s face darkened.
“Thomas had access to company health files.”
Ramirez nodded.
“Potentially dental insurance records too.”
I suddenly understood.
“He chose Aaron.”
Nobody answered.
“He chose someone whose records he could switch with his.”
Ramirez looked at me.
“We need proof.”
My phone rang.
Dad again.
This time Ramirez nodded for me to answer.
I put it on speaker.
“Hello?”
Dad sounded pleased.
“Now you see what your mother is.”
I looked at Mom.
She was gripping my hand.
I forced anger into my voice.
“Where is Aunt Rebecca?”
“Safe.”
“I want to see her.”
“You want answers first.”
“No. I want my aunt.”
Dad laughed.
“You always were stubborn.”
“Guess I got it from you.”
“That you did.”
Then his tone changed.
“Come to the warehouse.”
“I’m coming.”
Mom squeezed my hand harder.
Dad continued.
“And Marcus?”
“What?”
“If David comes anywhere near you, leave.”
“Why?”
“Because he killed Aaron Pike.”
David’s face went still.
“You said that already.”
“I can prove it.”
“How?”
Dad paused.
Then he said the words that made David turn white.
“Because Aaron was alive when David found him.”
The call ended.
I looked at my uncle.
“Is that true?”
May you like
David didn’t answer.
And that was the moment I knew Dad had found one secret David really had been hiding.
