Chapter 7: The Dead Man on the Phone
For eleven months, Naomi Reyes had dreamed about Daniel Cross.
Sometimes he was standing in the hotel corridor, shouting her name.
Sometimes he was lying beneath the emergency exit sign, blood spreading across his white shirt.
And sometimes he simply looked at her, disappointed, while she tried desperately to explain why she hadn't been able to save him.
Now his voice was coming through Margaret Hale's phone.
Alive.
Calm.
And apologizing.
"Put him on speaker," Naomi said.
Margaret didn't move.
"Margaret.""
The older woman swallowed and placed the phone on the table.
"Daniel, Naomi is here.""
A brief silence followed.
Then a familiar voice spoke.
"Hello, kid.""
Naomi gripped the edge of the table.
"Don't call me that.""
"I understand.""
"No, you don't.""
"I know you're angry.""
"Angry?""
Her voice cracked.
"You let me bury you. You let me believe I killed you. I stopped working.
I stopped trusting people. I spent eleven months thinking about what I should have done differently.""
Daniel exhaled.
"Naomi, I never wanted—"
"You never wanted what? To die? To disappear? To let me think I failed?""
Silence.
Then Daniel said something unexpected.
"I watched your career disappear because of what happened that night. I know what it cost you.""
Naomi closed her eyes.
"You don't know anything about what it cost me.""
"I know about Sofia.""
Her eyes snapped open.
"Don't say her name.""
"She's alive, Naomi.""
"I saw the photograph.""
"Then you know I wasn't lying.""
"Where is she?""
"Somewhere safe.""
"Where?""
"I can't tell you over the phone.""
Naomi laughed bitterly.
"Of course you can't.""
"Listen to me. The photograph you received wasn't taken by my people. It was sent by Victor.""
"Why?""
"Because he wants you to come looking for me.""
Naomi glanced at Margaret.
"Where are you?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Portsmouth, New Hampshire. There's an old marina near the eastern harbor. Tomorrow morning, six o'clock.""
"Why should I trust you?""
"You shouldn't.""
The answer caught her off guard.
Daniel continued.
"But you should come because I have something that belongs to you. Something I took from Room 814.""
Naomi's heart began pounding.
"The ledger?""
"No.""
A pause.
"Your memory.""
The call ended.
Naomi stared at the phone.
Margaret slowly lowered herself into a chair.
Ethan, who had been standing near the doorway, entered the room.
"Was that really him?""
Naomi nodded.
Ethan looked at Margaret.
"How could you let this happen?""
Margaret rubbed her forehead.
"I thought I was protecting Naomi.""
"By lying to her?""
"I made a decision under pressure.""
Ethan shook his head.
"That's what everyone in my family says.""
The words struck Margaret harder than he intended.
Naomi picked up the photograph of Sofia.
"I'm going to Portsmouth.""
Ethan immediately responded.
"Then I'm coming with you.""
"No.""
"Naomi—"
"This isn't a family outing.""
"I'm not asking permission.""
She looked at him.
"You have no idea how dangerous these people are.""
Ethan stepped closer.
"And you have no idea how much I have already lost because of them.""
Naomi said nothing.
Ethan continued.
"My mother is dead. My father has apparently spent years building a criminal empire. My grandmother has been living with a secret that could destroy our family.""
His voice dropped.
"And the only person who has told me the truth is the woman my father tried to throw out of his house.""
He held her gaze.
"I'm coming.""
At 5:20 the following morning, Naomi and Ethan left Boston.
Margaret remained at the clinic under medical observation.
Before they departed, she gave Naomi a small envelope.
Inside was a handwritten note.
Daniel didn't betray you because he stopped caring. He betrayed you because he believed the truth would get you killed.
Naomi folded the note.
It wasn't an apology.
Not yet.
Portsmouth was covered in morning fog.
The marina looked deserted, its wooden walkways slick with rain. Fishing boats rocked gently against their ropes.
Naomi walked ahead.
Ethan followed several feet behind.
"Do you see anyone?"" he whispered.
"No.""
"That's reassuring.""
"You're talking too much.""
He fell silent.
They reached the eastern end of the marina.
An old man sat on a wooden bench, wearing a dark wool coat.
He was thinner than Naomi remembered.
His hair had turned almost entirely gray.
But his eyes were the same.
Daniel Cross stood.
"Hello, Naomi.""
She stopped three feet away.
For several seconds, she couldn't speak.
Then she slapped him.
The sound echoed across the empty dock.
Daniel accepted it without moving.
"Fair enough.""
"That's all you have to say?""
"No.""
"Then explain.""
Daniel looked toward Ethan.
"Who is he?""
"Ethan Whitmore.""
Daniel's expression changed.
"Richard's son?""
"Yes.""
Daniel looked at Naomi.
"Then we have a problem.""
Ethan folded his arms.
"I've been hearing that a lot lately.""
Daniel motioned toward a small boat.
"Get aboard. We don't have long.""
Naomi didn't move.
"Start talking.""
Daniel sighed.
"Eleven months ago, I discovered that Richard Whitmore had arranged the disappearance of several financial records. The records connected him to a network of shell companies used to conceal illegal payments.""
"That part I know.""
"There's more. His wife, Catherine, discovered the same operation thirty years ago.""
Ethan stiffened.
"My mother?""
Daniel nodded.
"She was preparing to expose him. Richard arranged an accident, but Catherine had already hidden a copy of the evidence.""
"Where?""
Daniel looked at Naomi.
"Inside the original ledger.""
Naomi frowned.
"But you said the ledger wasn't what you gave me.""
"Because it wasn't.""
He reached into his coat and removed a small photograph.
It showed Naomi in the hotel room, sitting beside a desk.
Her hands were covered in blood.
A second person stood behind her.
Margaret.
Naomi stared.
"Why am I bleeding?""
Daniel lowered his voice.
"Because you were shot.""
She looked up sharply.
"What?""
"You took a bullet through your shoulder while protecting the witness.""
Naomi's hand moved instinctively toward her left shoulder.
A faint scar remained beneath her uniform line, something she had always believed came from an earlier training injury.
Daniel continued.
"After the shooting, you entered Room 814. You found the ledger, but you also found something else.""
"What?""
"A flash drive containing Catherine Whitmore's original testimony.""
Ethan stepped closer.
"Where is it now?""
Daniel looked at Naomi.
"She hid it.""
Naomi's breathing became shallow.
"I don't remember.""
"I know.""
"Why?""
Daniel glanced toward the water.
"Because you suffered a traumatic brain injury. But that wasn't the only reason.""
He reached into his coat again.
This time, he removed a small digital recorder.
"After the shooting, Margaret and I agreed to let the agency believe you had no memory of the documents. We thought Richard would stop looking.""
Naomi stared at him.
"You made me disappear.""
"We thought it would keep you safe.""
"You made that decision for me.""
Daniel lowered his head.
"Yes.""
Ethan stepped forward.
"Did you know about Sofia?""
Daniel looked at him.
"I knew she was being watched.""
"Was she taken?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Yes.""
Naomi felt her stomach tighten.
"By whom?""
"Victor Sloane.""
"Where did he take her?""
"To a private residence in Connecticut. But she escaped before Christmas.""
Naomi gripped the railing.
"Why didn't she come home?""
"Because she believed you were dead.""
The words struck harder than anything Victor had said.
Naomi looked at him.
"What?""
Daniel continued.
"Richard's people told her that you had died in Philadelphia. They showed her a photograph from the hospital.""
Naomi's eyes filled.
"She thought I was dead?""
Daniel nodded.
"She's been living under a different name.""
Naomi turned away.
For eleven months, she had believed she was protecting her sister by staying invisible.
Meanwhile, Sofia had been grieving her.
"Where is she?"" Naomi whispered.
Daniel looked at his watch.
"She was supposed to meet us here.""
Naomi turned.
"What do you mean, supposed to?""
Daniel's expression changed.
He looked toward the parking area.
A black SUV had just entered the marina.
Daniel's face went pale.
"Get down.""
A sharp crack shattered the morning silence.
The wooden railing exploded beside Naomi's head.
Ethan grabbed her and pulled her behind a stack of fishing equipment.
Daniel dropped to the ground.
A second shot struck the boat.
"Victor!"" Daniel shouted.
Naomi peered around the crates.
Two men were moving along the dock.
One held a handgun.
The other carried a radio.
Ethan looked at her.
"What do we do?""
"Stay behind me.""
Naomi spotted a narrow maintenance walkway leading toward the marina office.
She waited until the armed men moved past the fuel storage area.
Then she grabbed a loose rope and pulled hard.
A stack of empty plastic containers toppled across the walkway.
The first man stumbled.
Daniel rushed forward and struck the man's arm, knocking the weapon away.
Naomi reached the second man before he could turn.
She caught his wrist and forced him against the side of a boat.
His radio fell into the water.
"Where is Victor?"" she demanded.
The man struggled.
"Go to hell.""
Naomi tightened her grip.
"Where is he?""
A voice answered from behind her.
"Right here.""
Victor stepped out from behind the marina office.
He was holding a pistol.
Daniel froze.
Ethan stood up.
"Don't!""
Victor smiled.
"Mr. Whitmore. You really should have stayed home.""
He aimed at Ethan.
Naomi moved instinctively.
But before she could reach him, another gunshot rang out.
Victor staggered.
His weapon fell.
A young woman stood at the end of the dock, holding a small pistol with both hands.
Her red coat was soaked from the rain.
Her dark hair hung loosely around her face.
She looked directly at Naomi.
And whispered:
"Hi, big sister.""
Naomi couldn't move.
"Sofia?""
Her sister dropped the weapon.
Then she ran.
Naomi caught her in a desperate embrace.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Sofia buried her face against Naomi's shoulder.
"I thought you were dead.""
Naomi held her tighter.
"I thought I had lost you.""
Sofia began crying.
"I waited for you.""
Naomi closed her eyes.
"I'm here now.""
But the reunion was interrupted by Daniel.
"Naomi, we have to go.""
She looked toward Victor.
He was already being helped into the SUV by his remaining men.
Before the vehicle disappeared, Victor rolled down the window.
He looked directly at Sofia.
Then at Naomi.
"Ask your sister what she took from Richard's office.""
The SUV sped away.
Naomi turned.
"What is he talking about?""
Sofia's face changed.
She reached inside her coat and removed a small silver pendant.
"I stole something.""
She opened it.
Inside was a tiny memory card.
Naomi stared.
Sofia's voice trembled.
"Dad gave it to me before he died.""
Naomi froze.
"Which dad?""
Sofia looked at her.
Then she said the words that changed everything.
"Daniel Cross wasn't the man who died in Philadelphia.""
May you like
She swallowed.
"He's our father.""
