Chapter 9 - THE CHURCHThe church stood at the edge of an abandoned neighborhood.
Its stained-glass windows were broken.
Weeds covered the steps.
Inside, dust floated through shafts of pale morning light.
Daniel walked down the aisle.
“Rachel?”
Nothing.
Marcus searched the rooms.
Then Daniel noticed something beneath the altar.
A wooden box.
Inside was a flash drive.
And a wedding ring.
Rachel's wedding ring.
Daniel held it in his palm.
His hands shook.
“She was here.”
Marcus nodded.
The flash drive contained dozens of files.
Names.
Accounts.
Photographs.
Transactions.
Daniel's eyes widened.
Then he saw a video.
Rachel appeared on the screen.
She looked exhausted.
But alive.
Daniel stopped breathing.
“Daniel,” she said.
“If you're watching this, I couldn't come home.”
Tears filled his eyes.
“I need you to understand something. I didn't leave Emma because I didn't love her.”
Rachel paused.
“I left because I loved her too much.”
Daniel covered his mouth.
Rachel continued.
“They are watching our house. They are watching you. I had to make them believe I was alone.”
Then she whispered:
“There's someone inside our family who betrayed us.”
The video ended.
Daniel looked at Marcus.
“Who?”
Before Marcus could answer, a voice came from behind them.
“Me.”
Daniel turned.
May you like
A man stood in the doorway.
Rachel's brother, Michael.
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