My Neighbor Asked Me to Watch Her Daughter for One Hour… She Didn’t Come Back Until Sunrise
Chapter 12
By noon, Hawthorne’s name was everywhere.
News helicopters circled the company’s headquarters.
Federal agents entered offices across Ohio.
Employees were interviewed.
Government officials who had accepted bribes resigned before they could be questioned.
Environmental investigators reopened cases that had been closed for years.
But Daniel barely watched any of it.
He sat in a hospital waiting room with Lily beside him.
Claire sat across from them.
Sophie was asleep against her shoulder.
Evan had been taken into protective custody.
Marcus was being treated for his gunshot wound.
Daniel stared at the floor.
For the first time in four years, he wasn’t wondering how his wife had died.
He knew.
That should have brought peace.
Instead, it brought anger.
Claire finally spoke.
“I’m sorry.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You don’t have to keep saying that.”
“I lied to you.”
“Yes.”
“I was afraid.”
“I know.”
She wiped a tear from her cheek.
“Emily made me promise to protect you.”
Daniel looked toward Lily.
“You did.”
Claire nodded.
“Even when you hated me?”
Daniel smiled faintly.
“I didn’t hate you.”
“I thought you did.”
“I was just angry.”
“I know.”
A nurse walked through the waiting room.
Then an FBI agent appeared.
“Mr. Carter?”
Daniel stood.
“Yes?”
“My name is Agent Miller.”
Daniel shook his hand.
“We’ve finished reviewing the files.”
“What did you find?”
Agent Miller sat.
“There are seventeen confirmed deaths linked to Hawthorne operations.”
Daniel nodded.
“And my wife?”
“Confirmed.”
Daniel swallowed.
Agent Miller continued.
“But there is something else.”
“What?”
“Your wife wasn’t killed because she found the dumping records.”
Daniel frowned.
“Then why?”
Agent Miller placed a folder on the table.
“She discovered Hawthorne was using a private network to blackmail public officials.”
Daniel opened it.
Inside were names.
Judges.
Police chiefs.
County officials.
State representatives.
Business owners.
And one name Daniel recognized.
His own former employer.
He looked up.
“How far does this go?”
“Far.”
Daniel closed the folder.
Then he saw another document.
His wife’s final note.
It had never been sent.
Daniel read it.
It contained only one sentence:
If I can’t protect Daniel, Claire will.
His eyes filled.
Claire looked away.
Daniel handed her the note.
She began crying.
“I promised her.”
“You kept your promise.”
Claire shook her head.
“I almost failed.”
“But you didn’t.”
Sophie woke.
“Mom?”
Claire hugged her.
“I’m here.”
Sophie looked at Daniel.
“Are you going home?”
Daniel smiled.
“Yes.”
“Can I come?”
Claire laughed through her tears.
“Maybe.”
Lily looked at Sophie.
“We have a moon project.”
Sophie smiled.
“I like the moon.”
Daniel laughed.
For the first time all night, everyone smiled.
Then Agent Miller’s phone rang.
He listened.
His expression changed.
“What happened?” Daniel asked.
Miller stood.
“Hawthorne’s attorney just requested a private meeting.”
“With whom?”
“You.”
Daniel frowned.
“Why me?”
“He says he has information about Emily.”
Daniel’s heart stopped.
“What kind of information?”
Miller hesitated.
“He says Emily left something behind that was never found.”
Daniel looked at Claire.
She shook her head.
“What?”
Miller lowered his voice.
“He claims your wife knew she was going to die.”
Daniel whispered:
“I know.”
“No.”
Miller looked directly at him.
“He says she planned it.”
Daniel stared.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
Miller handed him a note.
There were five words written in Emily’s handwriting.
Don’t trust the sunrise.
Daniel read them twice.
Then he remembered the title Hawthorne had used that morning.
Watch the sunrise.
He suddenly felt cold.
The case wasn’t over.
Not even close.
