Chapter 13 - The Appointment That Never HappenedNobody spoke.
Daniel reread the date.
Then again.
His father had supposedly died fifteen years ago.
Noah was born less than a year ago.
Yet there was a medical record under his father's identity dated only six months before Noah's birth.
Olivia whispered,
“That means someone used Grandpa's identity.”
Daniel stared at the screen.
“Who?”
Olivia shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Maria looked at the notebook.
“Maybe the Silver Circle.”
Daniel sat down.
For the first time, he looked completely defeated.
Sarah reached for his hand.
He didn't move away.
“I never wanted this,” she whispered.
Daniel looked at her.
“Neither did I.”
Then he noticed Maria studying the notebook.
“What?”
Maria pointed.
“There's a name here.”
Daniel leaned closer.
It was written beside the medical appointment.
Dr. Adrian Cole.
Olivia searched the name.
She gasped.
“Dad.”
“What?”
“He died too.”
“When?”
“Two years ago.”
Daniel looked confused.
“How could he approve an appointment after he died?”
Olivia shook her head.
“He didn't.”
She scrolled.
“Someone accessed his account.”
Maria whispered,
“Someone is using dead people's identities.”
Daniel's phone rang.
Ethan.
Daniel answered.
“Talk.”
Ethan's voice was urgent.
“You found the records.”
“Yes.”
“You're in more danger than you realize.”
“Where are you?”
“Outside.”
Daniel looked toward the window.
“Why?”
“Because someone followed me here.”
“Who?”
“Victor.”
Maria moved toward the curtain.
Daniel stopped her.
“Don't.”
Ethan continued.
“There's one thing I need you to understand.”
“What?”
“The person controlling the Silver Circle isn't Victor.”
“Then who?”
Ethan hesitated.
“Your mother.”
Daniel froze.
“My mother is dead.”
“I know.”
“Then what are you saying?”
“She left instructions.”
Daniel felt a chill.
“Instructions for what?”
“For Noah.”
Sarah's face went white.
Ethan continued.
“She believed the baby belonged to the family and needed to be protected.”
Daniel shook his head.
“From whom?”
“From the people who wanted to use him.”
“Why?”
“Because Noah carries something.”
“What?”
Ethan said one sentence.
“The proof of who your father really was.”
The call ended.
Daniel looked at Maria.
Then Sarah.
Then Noah sleeping upstairs.
Suddenly, Olivia screamed.
Everyone ran.
She stood in the hallway holding the notebook.
“It changed.”
“What changed?”
She pointed at the page.
The ink was disappearing.
Not fading.
Disappearing.
As if the words were being erased before their eyes.
Then a hidden message appeared beneath them.
A sentence in red ink.
THE PERSON YOU TRUST MOST WILL OPEN THE FINAL DOOR.
Daniel looked at everyone.
Maria.
Sarah.
Olivia.
Nobody spoke.
Then a soft sound came from the basement.
Three knocks.
Pause.
Three knocks.
Pause.
Three knocks.
May you like
Someone was inside the house.
And they were asking to be let out.
