She Found a Forgotten Case File at Work — Then Realized the Recent Murders Were Following Its 20-Year-Old List
Chapter 4
Mara went home that night and confronted her mother.
Evelyn Bennett was sitting beside the kitchen window when Mara placed the old photograph on the table.
Her mother’s face changed immediately.
“Where did you get that?”
“From Dad’s case.”
Evelyn looked away.
“You shouldn’t have found it.”
“Why?”
“Because your father wanted you safe.”
Mara felt anger rising.
“He disappeared when I was nine.”
“I know.”
“You told me he left.”
“I lied.”
The words struck harder than Mara expected.
“Why?”
Evelyn’s eyes filled with tears.
“Because I was told to.”
“By who?”
She didn’t answer.
Mara pushed the photograph toward her.
“Who were these people?”
Evelyn stared at the image.
Five men stood outside an old courthouse.
Jonathan Bennett.
Frank Reed.
Judge William Harper.
Richard Cole.
And Thomas Hale.
Mara recognized all of them.
Except the fifth.
“Who’s that?”
Her mother whispered:
“Robert Voss.”
Mara frowned.
“Who’s Robert Voss?”
“The man your father was investigating.”
“Was he the killer?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.”
“Then what did he do?”
“He witnessed something.”
“What?”
Her mother stood.
“You need to leave this alone.”
“I can’t.”
“Mara.”
“What happened twenty years ago?”
Evelyn’s voice broke.
“Your father discovered that evidence from a major criminal case had been deliberately destroyed.”
Mara froze.
“By whom?”
“I don’t know.”
“You do.”
Her mother looked at her.
“Your father did.”
Mara stared.
“Then why did he disappear?”
Evelyn finally whispered:
“Because he found the person responsible.”
“Who?”
Her mother hesitated.
Then the lights went out.
Mara turned.
The house became completely dark.
A sound came from upstairs.
A door closing.
Evelyn grabbed her arm.
“Don’t move.”
Footsteps crossed the ceiling.
Slowly.
Then stopped.
Mara reached for her phone.
A message appeared.
Unknown number.
YOUR FATHER DIDN’T LEAVE YOU.
Another message followed.
HE WAS TAKEN.
Then a final one.
AND THEY’RE COMING FOR YOU NEXT.
