Chapter 2 - The Seven People Who Weren’t Afraid
Lorraine crossed her arms.
“Evelyn will sign the transfer when she recovers.”
Daniel stared at her.
“No.”
“You don't decide that.”
“Neither do you.”
Caleb stepped forward.
“Careful.”
Daniel looked at him.
“With what?”
“With how you speak to my aunt.”
Daniel almost smiled.
“My pregnant wife was found beaten inside a burning farmhouse, and you're giving me etiquette advice?”
Nobody answered.
Daniel turned toward Lorraine.
“Tell me what happened tonight.”
“I already told you. I was home.”
“Then why were you here before me?”
Lorraine's eyes flickered.
Only for a second.
But Daniel caught it.
“I heard about the fire.”
“From whom?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
Caleb interrupted.
“Enough questions.”
Daniel ignored him.
“Who told you Evelyn had been brought here?”
Lorraine's confidence slipped.
“Daniel—”
“Who?”
Wade suddenly stood.
“You don't interrogate us.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You're nervous.”
Wade laughed.
“About you?”
“Yes.”
“You're a contractor.”
Daniel's phone vibrated.
A text from an unknown number.
Mr. Mercer. This is Detective Hannah Cole, Bellweather County Sheriff’s Office. I need to speak with you regarding tonight’s fire.
Daniel showed Lorraine the screen.
“Looks like I'm not the only person asking questions.”
Caleb's smile disappeared.
Lorraine said, “Lawyers will handle it.”
“I'm sure they will.”
Daniel slipped the phone away.
Then Caleb made his mistake.
He leaned closer and whispered:
“Take the insurance money. Convince Evelyn to sign the land over. Everybody walks away.”
Daniel studied him.
“Everybody?”
“You know what I mean.”
“I don't think I do.”
“Stop pretending.”
“Pretending what?”
“That your wife didn't cause this.”
Daniel's voice dropped.
“Explain.”
“She could've signed.”
Lorraine snapped, “Caleb.”
But he continued.
“She turned a business disagreement into a war.”
Daniel stared at him.
“And someone decided to end the war?”
Caleb realized too late what he'd implied.
“I didn't say that.”
“No.”
Daniel nodded.
“You almost did.”
The elevator opened.
Two sheriff's deputies stepped into the hallway.
Lorraine immediately changed.
Her shoulders dropped.
Her voice softened.
“Daniel, please. Evelyn is my daughter. We're all devastated.”
Daniel watched the transformation.
Twenty seconds earlier she'd called Evelyn stubborn.
Now she looked like a grieving mother.
One deputy approached.
“Daniel Mercer?”
“Yes.”
“Detective Cole wants to speak with you downstairs.”
“I'll be there.”
The deputy looked toward Lorraine and her relatives.
“And nobody leaves.”
Caleb frowned.
“Are we under arrest?”
“Didn't say that.”
“Then we're leaving.”
The deputy smiled without humor.
“You can explain that plan to Detective Cole.”
He walked away.
Daniel turned toward Lorraine.
Her hands were trembling now.
“Something wrong?”
“You're enjoying this.”
“No.”
He looked toward the ICU.
“There's nothing about tonight I enjoy.”
For the first time, Lorraine had no answer.
Daniel reached inside his coat.
Caleb saw the phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling someone.”
Caleb laughed.
“Your lawyer?”
Daniel looked at him.
“No.”
He opened his contacts.
There was no company name.
No photograph.
Just two words.
Gabriel Shaw.
Daniel stared at the name.
Four years.
Four years since he'd made this call.
Four years since he'd told Gabriel he was finished.
Four years since Evelyn had looked at him across their kitchen table and asked:
“Can you really leave?”
Daniel had answered:
“For you? Yes.”
And he had.
Mostly.
But there was a difference between abandoning power and losing it.
Daniel pressed CALL.
One ring.
Then:
“Daniel?”
The voice hadn't changed.
“Gabriel.”
Silence.
Then Gabriel asked the question Daniel had hoped never to hear.
“Are you coming back?”
May you like
Daniel looked at Lorraine.
“For one night.”
