My Wife Took A Phone Call During Dinner And Forgot I Speak Spanish
Chapter 6
Daniel felt every muscle in his body tighten.
“Who?”
Sophia shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“Where was she?”
“At school.”
“When?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
Daniel grabbed his jacket.
“Let’s go.”
They rushed to the school.
Police had already arrived.
Mia was screaming.
“She never misses pickup.”
Daniel saw Isabella’s red backpack lying beside a bench.
His knees almost gave out.
Sophia picked it up.
Inside was a child’s drawing.
A family.
Three people.
Isabella.
Mia.
And a man.
Daniel stared at the drawing.
“That’s me?”
Sophia nodded.
“She drew you from a photograph.”
A police officer approached.
“Mrs. Brooks?”
“Yes.”
“We found this.”
He handed her a note.
Daniel read it.
You have 24 hours.
Bring the Meridian file.
No police.
No tricks.
Or the child dies.
Daniel looked at Sophia.
“What is the Meridian file?”
She shook her head.
“I don’t have it.”
“Yes, you do.”
“No.”
“Then what do they want?”
Sophia stared at the note.
“I think they want the original trust agreement.”
Daniel remembered the hidden trust.
“Where is it?”
“My father’s old office.”
They returned home.
Sophia led Daniel to a locked compartment beneath the floor.
Inside was a metal box.
She opened it.
Documents.
A flash drive.
And an old photograph.
Daniel picked it up.
His father.
Michael.
Sophia.
Victor.
All together.
On the back:
THE FOUR WHO KNEW.
Daniel looked at Sophia.
“What is this?”
“The beginning.”
She explained that years ago, his father discovered Meridian had been stealing from dozens of investors.
Michael was involved.
Victor was investigating.
Sophia’s father had been an attorney representing the company.
The four knew enough to destroy Meridian.
Then someone betrayed them.
Daniel’s father died.
Victor disappeared.
Sophia’s father fled.
Michael went underground.
Sophia remained behind to protect Daniel.
“Why did Michael hide the trust?”
“Because your father made him trustee.”
“Until I turned forty.”
“Yes.”
“What happens then?”
“The assets become yours.”
Daniel looked at the clock.
One year remained.
The kidnappers knew.
They wanted the trust now.
Then Daniel noticed something.
The note wasn’t written by Michael.
He had seen his handwriting before.
“This isn’t him.”
Sophia frowned.
“What?”
“The handwriting.”
“Then who?”
Daniel opened the flash drive.
There was one video.
He played it.
Victor appeared on screen.
Alive.
Daniel froze.
Victor looked directly into the camera.
“Daniel, if you’re watching this, then Isabella has been taken.”
Daniel stared.
Victor continued.
“I am not your enemy.”
Sophia stepped closer.
“I thought Victor was involved.”
“So did everyone.”
Victor explained that he had faked his death after discovering Meridian had infiltrated the police.
He had spent years gathering evidence.
He knew Isabella was Daniel’s daughter.
But he couldn’t tell Daniel because Michael was watching them.
“I protected Isabella by staying away.”
Daniel’s eyes filled with tears.
“Then why take her now?”
Victor looked toward the camera.
“Because Michael isn’t the man you should fear.”
The screen went black.
A new line appeared.
THE BETRAYAL CAME FROM INSIDE YOUR MARRIAGE.
Daniel turned slowly toward Sophia.
She looked horrified.
“No.”
“Someone knew about Isabella.”
“Yes.”
“Someone knew about the trust.”
“Yes.”
“Someone knew I’d understand Spanish.”
Sophia froze.
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“The person on the phone.”
Sophia shook her head.
“That wasn’t who you think.”
“Then who was it?”
She whispered:
“My father.”
Daniel stared.
Her father had been sitting across from him at Thanksgiving.
Had been helping with the business.
Had been giving advice.
And apparently had known everything.
Then Sophia’s phone buzzed.
One message.
BRING DANIEL TO THE OLD MERIDIAN WAREHOUSE.
ALONE.
