Chapter 3 - The Man I Called Uncle James for Twenty Years Had Been Hiding the One Secret My Father Died ProtectingI couldn't sleep.
James Reyes.
My father's friend.
He had brought me birthday presents.
Helped my mother.
Carried groceries.
Walked me home from school.
He had been family.
Now Noah was telling me he was alive.
And helping the men who had attacked me.
“Why?” I asked.
Noah didn't answer immediately.
“Because he has the ledger.”
“What ledger?”
“The original Black Ledger.”
“Where?”
“Your father hid it.”
“Where?”
“We don't know.”
I looked at the photograph.
My mother.
Alive.
James.
Preston.
My father.
Everyone connected.
Except me.
Maybe that had been the point.
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?”
A man's voice.
“You're asking the wrong questions.”
“Who are you?”
“Your father left you something.”
“What?”
“Your wedding ring.”
I looked at it.
“What about it?”
“Open it.”
I froze.
I took it off.
There was a tiny seam inside.
Noah stepped closer.
“Don't.”
I ignored him.
I pressed the seam.
The ring opened.
Inside was a microchip.
I stared.
“How did I never notice?”
“Because your father didn't want you to.”
“What does it contain?”
Noah took it.
“We need a reader.”
Within minutes, the chip was decoded.
A video appeared.
My father.
Older.
Tired.
Alive.
I couldn't breathe.
“Anna.”
I covered my mouth.
“If you're watching this, I'm dead.”
Noah stood beside me.
My father's voice continued.
“I'm sorry.”
“I lied to you because I loved you.”
“I knew people were watching.”
“I knew they wanted the ledger.”
“I hid it in the only place I thought they wouldn't search.”
He paused.
“You.”
My heart stopped.
“The ledger isn't a book.”
“It's memory.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“Every account.”
“Every name.”
“Every transaction.”
“Everything is stored in a biological key.”
“Your mother knows the location.”
“The key is inside the family bloodline.”
I looked at Noah.
My father continued.
“Do not trust James.”
I froze.
“He betrayed us.”
“The night I disappeared, James was there.”
“He took the ledger.”
“But he didn't get all of it.”
My father looked directly at the camera.
“I kept the final key.”
“And I gave it to Anna.”
The video ended.
I stared.
“The ring.”
“Yes,” Noah said.
“The key.”
“Yes.”
“So my father planned everything.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did he let me believe he was dead?”
“To protect you.”
I looked at Noah.
“Everyone protects me with lies.”
He stepped closer.
“Because the truth gets people killed.”
I turned away.
Then an alarm sounded.
Security.
Someone had breached the perimeter.
Noah grabbed my hand.
“Downstairs.”
We ran.
Gunfire erupted outside.
His men moved.
I heard shouting.
A window shattered.
Noah pushed me behind the wall.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Anna.”
“I am done hiding.”
He looked at me.
Then smiled faintly.
“That's my wife.”
He handed me a weapon.
I stared.
“I don't know how to use this.”
“Then don't.”
We waited.
The attackers retreated.
A man was captured.
Noah questioned him.
He refused to speak.
Then he looked at me.
“Your mother sent us.”
I froze.
“What?”
He laughed.
“She's waiting.”
“Where?”
“Mexico.”
Noah stared.
The man smiled.
“Your mother doesn't want the ledger.”
“What does she want?”
“She wants you.”
I felt cold.
“Why?”
The man looked at Noah.
“Because your wife isn't who you think she is.”
Noah went still.
May you like
The man laughed.
“She was never just the daughter of a mechanic.”
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