My Neighbor Asked Me to Watch Her Daughter for One Hour… She Didn’t Come Back Until Sunrise
Chapter 10
The old newspaper office stood behind a closed diner on the outskirts of Columbus.
Its sign had faded years ago.
Daniel had never heard of it.
Claire led them inside.
A woman in her sixties appeared from a back room.
Her name was Margaret Hayes.
She looked at Daniel.
Then at Claire.
Then at Evan.
Her face changed.
“Evan?”
He nodded.
Margaret covered her mouth.
“I thought you were dead.”
“So did everyone.”
She stepped aside.
“Come in.”
They entered.
Margaret locked the door.
Daniel looked around.
Old newspapers covered the walls.
Photographs.
Maps.
Documents.
This wasn’t an abandoned newspaper office.
It was an archive.
Margaret looked at Sophie.
“You must be Claire’s daughter.”
Sophie nodded.
Margaret knelt.
“Your mother has been fighting for you for three years.”
Sophie asked:
“Do you know my daddy?”
Margaret looked at Evan.
“Yes.”
Sophie smiled.
Daniel felt something break inside him.
A child shouldn’t have to grow up believing her father abandoned her.
Margaret turned to Daniel.
“Emily was one of the bravest people I ever knew.”
Daniel swallowed.
“You knew her.”
“I published her first investigation.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Margaret looked ashamed.
“Because I promised her.”
“Promised what?”
“That if she disappeared, I would keep you away from this.”
Daniel stared.
“She knew she might die.”
“Yes.”
Margaret walked to a filing cabinet.
She opened it.
Inside was a sealed folder.
She handed it to Daniel.
“This is what Emily never got to publish.”
Daniel opened it.
There were financial records.
Witness statements.
Photographs.
And a video file.
He played it.
Emily appeared on the screen.
She looked tired.
But alive.
Daniel couldn’t breathe.
“Daniel, if you’re watching this, then something went wrong.”
Her voice shook.
“I need you to know that I never wanted to leave you with unanswered questions.”
Daniel covered his mouth.
“I love you.”
The recording continued.
“Hawthorne knows what I found.”
She looked away.
“I don’t think I’ll make it.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I need you to protect Lily.”
He whispered:
“I did.”
Emily continued.
“And if Claire ever comes to you, trust her.”
Daniel opened his eyes.
“Claire knows the location of the master archive.”
Claire looked shocked.
“I didn’t know she left this.”
Emily continued.
“The archive isn’t digital.”
A pause.
“It’s physical.”
Daniel leaned closer.
“It’s inside Hawthorne’s first warehouse.”
Margaret froze.
The old warehouse had been demolished years ago.
Emily shook her head in the video.
“They think they destroyed it.”
She smiled faintly.
“They didn’t.”
Then the video ended.
Margaret immediately moved to another computer.
“We need to broadcast this.”
Daniel nodded.
“How?”
Margaret smiled.
“I have friends.”
For the first time that night, hope appeared.
But it lasted only seconds.
A loud crash came from outside.
Margaret looked toward the window.
Cars.
Several black SUVs.
Hawthorne had found them.
Evan grabbed the files.
“We move.”
Margaret shook her head.
“No.”
She pulled out a small handgun.
“You take the children.”
Daniel stared.
“What are you doing?”
“Buying you time.”
“No.”
Margaret smiled.
“Emily saved my life once.”
She opened the back door.
“Now I’m returning the favor.”
Daniel hesitated.
Then Claire grabbed his arm.
“We have to go.”
They ran.
Behind them, the office door exploded inward.
Gunfire erupted.
Daniel carried Lily.
Evan carried Sophie.
They ran through an alley.
At the end stood a news van.
Margaret’s old colleague waited behind the wheel.
“Get in!”
They climbed inside.
The van accelerated.
Daniel looked back.
Margaret stood in the doorway.
Still holding the gun.
Then the alley disappeared behind them.
Claire cried silently.
Daniel held Lily close.
Evan looked at the clock.
5:38 a.m.
“Sunrise is coming.”
Daniel looked out the window.
The eastern sky was turning gold.
“What happens at sunrise?”
Evan stared at him.
“Hawthorne is planning to destroy the facility.”
Daniel’s heart stopped.
“When?”
“Six o’clock.”
“Why?”
“To erase every remaining record.”
Daniel looked at the files.
Then at the approaching light.
They had less than twenty minutes.
