My Neighbor Asked Me to Watch Her Daughter for One Hour… She Didn’t Come Back Until Sunrise
Chapter 6
Richard Hawthorne didn’t look like a villain.
That was what frightened Daniel most.
He looked like the kind of man who belonged in a boardroom.
Perfect gray suit.
Polished shoes.
Silver hair.
A watch that probably cost more than Daniel’s house.
His face was calm.
Almost fatherly.
He stood outside the barn with two men behind him.
“Daniel,” Hawthorne called. “You have no idea what you’re involved in.”
Daniel stayed silent.
“You’re a good father.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“You know about me?”
“I know everyone who lives near my operations.”
The casual way he said it made Daniel uncomfortable.
Hawthorne continued.
“I know you lost your wife four years ago.”
Daniel’s chest tightened.
“I know you’re raising Lily alone.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“Don’t talk about my daughter.”
Hawthorne smiled.
“I’m not threatening her.”
“You’re standing outside a barn with armed men.”
“Because your friend Marcus is unstable.”
Marcus raised his weapon.
Hawthorne sighed.
“Put it down, Marcus.”
Marcus said nothing.
“You’ve already betrayed me once.”
Marcus’s face hardened.
“You kidnapped Evan.”
Hawthorne’s expression barely changed.
“Evan made dangerous choices.”
“He exposed you.”
“He misunderstood what he found.”
“Then why did you hide him?”
Hawthorne looked toward Sophie.
“Because Evan was not the only person who knew.”
Daniel felt a cold wave pass through him.
“What does Sophie know?”
Hawthorne’s eyes softened.
“More than she realizes.”
Daniel moved in front of her.
Hawthorne sighed.
“Mr. Carter, I’m offering you a chance to walk away.”
“No.”
“Think carefully.”
“No.”
“You don’t understand what happens if those files become public.”
“People deserve to know.”
“People deserve stability.”
Hawthorne stepped closer.
“Do you know how many families depend on my company?”
Daniel shook his head.
“That’s your excuse?”
“No. It’s reality.”
Marcus suddenly shouted:
“Daniel, don’t listen to him!”
Hawthorne looked annoyed.
“Marcus has always been emotional.”
Then headlights appeared behind Hawthorne.
Another vehicle.
Hawthorne turned.
For the first time, concern crossed his face.
Marcus smiled.
“What?”
Hawthorne stepped backward.
A woman got out of the vehicle.
Claire.
Daniel’s heart jumped.
“Claire!”
She ran toward the barn.
Hawthorne’s men moved to stop her.
Marcus fired into the ground.
“Back away!”
Claire reached Daniel.
She grabbed Sophie.
“My baby.”
Sophie buried her face in her mother’s chest.
“I thought you weren’t coming back.”
Claire cried.
“I tried.”
Daniel stared at her.
“What happened?”
“Later.”
Hawthorne watched them.
“Claire.”
She turned.
“You lied to me.”
Hawthorne’s voice remained calm.
“You told me you had the drive.”
Claire’s face hardened.
“I don’t.”
Hawthorne smiled.
“You’re a terrible liar.”
Then another voice came from the darkness.
“You always were.”
Everyone froze.
A man stepped out from behind the second vehicle.
Older.
Thin.
His face was scarred.
But Claire knew him.
She covered her mouth.
“Evan.”
Sophie screamed:
“Daddy!”
She ran.
Evan dropped to his knees.
Sophie threw herself into his arms.
Daniel watched Claire collapse against the barn wall.
Evan held his daughter as though he’d spent three years imagining this exact moment.
Hawthorne stared at him.
“You should be dead.”
Evan looked up.
“So should a lot of people.”
Marcus lowered his weapon.
Daniel looked from one face to another.
“What is happening?”
Evan stood slowly.
“The drive isn’t the evidence.”
Daniel frowned.
“Then what is?”
Evan looked at Sophie.
“She is.”
Daniel didn’t understand.
Evan continued.
“Three years ago, I discovered Hawthorne had been using undocumented chemical dumping sites across Ohio.”
Hawthorne interrupted.
“Lies.”
Evan ignored him.
“I copied the records.”
He pointed toward Sophie.
“But the system had one more security measure.”
Daniel waited.
Evan said:
“Every transaction was automatically backed up to an encrypted biometric device.”
Daniel looked confused.
“What device?”
Evan reached into his coat.
He held up a tiny medical bracelet.
Sophie wore an identical one.
Daniel’s eyes widened.
“She has it?”
Evan nodded.
“Her bracelet has been recording data since she was six months old.”
Hawthorne’s face finally lost its calm.
“Take the child.”
His men raised their weapons.
Marcus shouted:
“RUN!”
Gunfire erupted.
