Chapter 8 - WHAT SARAH HID Daniel reached the lake house at 2:17 a.m.
The property sat two hours north of Los Angeles, surrounded by pine trees and black water.
No police.
No Sloan.
Mateo had been specific.
Daniel entered through the kitchen.
“Lily?”
“Dad!”
He ran toward her voice.
She was sitting on the living-room couch.
Unhurt.
Daniel pulled her into his arms.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
Then Daniel looked at Mateo.
Elena’s brother looked nothing like the photographs.
His face was thin.
A scar ran from his temple to his jaw.
He held no weapon.
Daniel noticed that immediately.
“You kidnapped my daughter?”
“No.”
“Then explain why she’s here.”
“The officer transporting her brought her.”
“Where is he?”
“Gone.”
Daniel stared.
“Reed?”
“Probably.”
“You don’t know?”
Mateo laughed bitterly.
“Nobody knows everything anymore.”
Daniel moved Lily behind him.
“Why did you contact me?”
“Because Sarah trusted you.”
“Apparently she trusted everyone except me with the truth.”
Mateo’s expression softened.
“She was protecting you.”
“I’m getting tired of hearing that.”
“She knew you would confront Reed.”
“She was right.”
“And Reed would have killed you.”
Daniel said nothing.
Mateo walked toward the fireplace.
He removed a brick.
Behind it was a steel box.
Daniel stared.
“The ledger?”
“No.”
Mateo opened it.
Inside was a small digital recorder.
Daniel’s breathing changed.
“The second recording?”
Mateo nodded.
“The full version.”
Daniel reached for it.
Mateo pulled it away.
“Before you hear this, understand something.”
“What?”
“Sarah wasn’t only investigating your family.”
Daniel frowned.
“She was part of the investigation.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Mateo’s expression hardened.
“You don’t.”
He pressed play.
Sarah’s voice filled the room.
My name is Sarah Mercer. For eleven months, I have been working as a confidential source in a federal investigation into Thomas Reed and Mercer Development.
Daniel froze.
Federal investigation?
Sarah continued.
Daniel knows nothing. He cannot know. His signatures were used without his consent, and I believe his mother and brother intend to make him the fall guy if the operation is exposed.
Daniel closed his eyes.
Even in secret, Sarah had been protecting him.
Then another voice entered.
A man.
We need the ledger, Sarah. Without it, Reed walks.
Daniel looked at Mateo.
“Who is that?”
Mateo didn’t answer.
The recording continued.
Sarah said:
I know where Charles Mercer hid it.
Daniel’s father.
The man replied:
Then get it.
Sarah:
Not until Daniel and Lily are safe.
Man:
That isn’t the agreement.
Sarah:
Then the agreement changes.
Daniel listened.
The man’s voice became colder.
Be careful, Sarah. You’re forgetting who you work for.
Sarah laughed quietly.
No. I’m finally remembering who I’m doing this for.
Recording ended.
Daniel stared.
“Federal agent?”
“No.”
Mateo shook his head.
“Confidential source.”
“Who was handling her?”
Mateo looked toward the window.
“Special Agent Jonathan Cross.”
Daniel recognized the name.
Cross was now Deputy Director of the FBI.
His face had appeared on national television hundreds of times.
Daniel whispered, “Sarah trusted him.”
“At first.”
“What changed?”
“She discovered Cross wasn’t investigating Reed to prosecute him.”
Daniel felt cold.
“Then why?”
“To take over.”
Silence.
Mateo continued.
“Reed had spent thirty years building a network of compromised officials. Cross wanted the ledger because whoever controlled it controlled the network.”
Daniel looked toward Lily.
“Sarah discovered that?”
“Yes.”
“So she stopped cooperating.”
“Yes.”
“And Cross?”
“Ordered me to bring her in.”
“You worked for him?”
Mateo looked ashamed.
“I was a contract investigator.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“You betrayed Sarah?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“I warned her.”
Mateo’s voice broke.
“That’s why I disappeared.”
Daniel stared.
“Cross tried to kill you.”
“He tried twice.”
“What does this have to do with my father?”
Mateo pointed toward the recorder.
“Charles Mercer created the ledger as insurance.”
“Against Reed?”
“Against everyone.”
“Where is it?”
Mateo looked toward Lily.
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“Don’t.”
Lily whispered:
“Dad…”
He turned.
She was holding something.
A small brass key.
“Where did you get that?”
“Mom gave it to me.”
Daniel froze.
“When?”
“The night she died.”
Mateo closed his eyes.
Daniel crouched.
“Lily, you told me you didn’t remember that night.”
“I didn’t.”
Her eyes filled.
“Not until we came here.”
She pointed upstairs.
“Mom brought me here before the accident.”
Daniel felt the room tilt.
“What happened?”
“She put something in the wall.”
Mateo immediately looked upward.
“Where?”
Lily led them upstairs.
Daniel followed.
His daughter entered her old childhood bedroom.
She walked to the window.
Touched the wooden frame.
Then pressed a carved star.
A hidden panel clicked open.
Inside—
a black notebook.
Daniel removed it.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
Photographs.
Account numbers.
The Mercer ledger.
Mateo whispered, “My God.”
Daniel opened another page.
He saw Reed.
Judges.
Police officials.
Businessmen.
Then—
Jonathan Cross.
Daniel looked at Mateo.
“Cross is in the ledger.”
“Yes.”
“Then Sarah discovered her federal handler was part of Reed’s network.”
“No.”
Mateo shook his head.
“Look at the dates.”
Daniel did.
Cross’s payments began fifteen years earlier.
Long before Sarah’s investigation.
Daniel understood.
“He was never investigating Reed.”
Mateo nodded.
“He was eliminating competition.”
Headlights appeared outside.
Three vehicles.
Mateo looked through the window.
His face went white.
“They found us.”
Daniel grabbed Lily.
“Back stairs?”
“Kitchen.”
They ran.
The front door exploded inward.
Men entered.
Daniel heard shouting.
Mateo shoved him toward the rear exit.
“Take Lily!”
“What about you?”
“I’ll slow them down.”
“No.”
Mateo looked at him.
“Elena spent four years thinking I was dead.”
“Then don’t make it true tonight.”
Mateo stared.
Daniel handed Lily the ledger.
“Keep this under your jacket.”
They moved through the kitchen.
Then a voice came from the doorway.
“Daniel.”
Everyone froze.
A tall man entered.
Gray hair.
Dark tactical coat.
Daniel recognized him instantly.
Jonathan Cross.
The Deputy Director smiled.
“You have something that belongs to the United States government.”
Daniel moved in front of Lily.
“No.”
Cross’s smile faded.
“Give me the ledger.”
“You killed Sarah.”
“No.”
“You used her.”
“Yes.”
“Did you order Michael to run her off the road?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Cross looked almost amused.
“You still think Sarah died because of the ledger?”
Daniel frowned.
“Why else?”
Cross stepped closer.
“Sarah found something worse.”
“What?”
Cross looked directly at Lily.
“She discovered who Lily’s biological father really was.”
Daniel stopped breathing.
Behind him, Lily whispered:
May you like
“Dad?”
And suddenly the ledger in her hands was no longer the most dangerous secret in the room.
