Chapter 3 - WHAT DUSTIN WAS HIDING
The next morning, I went to the hospital before sunrise.
Evelyn was asleep.
Eleanor sat beside her.
“You didn't sleep,” she said.
“Neither did you.”
She looked at me.
“You found something.”
I nodded.
“What?”
“Dustin wasn't acting alone.”
She closed her eyes.
“I knew it.”
I showed her the photographs.
Her face changed.
“Oh my God.”
“I need you to stay calm.”
“How can you say that?”
“Because if we panic, they control us.”
Eleanor looked at Evelyn.
“What do we do?”
“Document everything.”
“And the police?”
“Today.”
At 8:15, Detective Sarah Bennett arrived.
She was in her forties, calm, professional, and clearly accustomed to people lying to her.
She listened to Evelyn's statement.
She reviewed the photographs.
Then she looked at me.
“Where did you get these?”
“A source.”
“Can your source testify?”
“Not yet.”
She nodded.
“That makes things difficult.”
“I understand.”
She closed the folder.
“But the hospital records, photographs of injuries, previous messages, and your daughter's statement give us enough to begin.”
Evelyn looked frightened.
“Will they come after us?”
Detective Bennett answered honestly.
“They might try.”
Eleanor squeezed her hand.
“Then what?”
“Then we make sure they're arrested.”
That afternoon, Dustin called.
Evelyn's phone displayed his name.
She froze.
“Don't answer,” Eleanor said.
I looked at the screen.
“No.”
I took the phone.
“Put it on speaker.”
Evelyn nodded.
I answered.
Dustin's voice came through.
“Baby?”
Evelyn said nothing.
“You know I didn't mean to hurt you.”
I felt my hands tighten.
Dustin continued.
“Your father is making this worse.”
Still nothing.
“He doesn't understand what he's getting into.”
I leaned closer to the phone.
“You're right.”
Silence.
Dustin recognized my voice.
“Mr. Mercer.”
“You should have thought about consequences before you touched my daughter.”
“You're threatening me?”
“No.”
I looked at Evelyn.
“I'm promising her that she doesn't have to be afraid anymore.”
Dustin hung up.
Detective Bennett immediately asked for the recording.
I handed her the phone.
Then my own phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice said:
“Mr. Mercer.”
“Marcus?”
A pause.
“You should stop digging.”
“Give me one reason.”
“You have a wife.”
My blood went cold.
“And a daughter.”
I said nothing.
The voice continued.
“People around you can get hurt.”
I stared through the hospital window.
Then I answered quietly.
“You made one mistake.”
“What?”
“You threatened my family.”
The call ended.
Detective Bennett stared at me.
“Who was that?”
“Marcus Voss.”
She nodded slowly.
“Then we're going to have a conversation with him.”
But before she could stand, Evelyn screamed.
We rushed into the room.
Her phone was gone.
The window was open.
And on the hospital bed lay a single white envelope.
Inside was a photograph of our house.
May you like
On the back were four words.
YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.
