Chapter 4: The Envelope
For three seconds, nobody moved.
My father's eyes darted from the gun in Lauren's hand to the envelope on the floor.
James stepped in front of me.
"Lauren," he said evenly, "put it down.""
She tightened her grip.
"No.""
My father swallowed.
"Lauren, what are you doing?""
She didn't look at him.
"I'm fixing a mistake.""
I could barely breathe.
The gun wasn't pointed directly at my chest, but it didn't matter. Every part of my body understood what it meant.
Emma was at home.
Our daughter was sleeping in her crib.
And my sister was standing in my parents' kitchen with a weapon.
"Lauren," I whispered, "why are you doing this?""
Her expression cracked for the first time.
"Because you won't listen.""
"Listen to what?""
"To the truth.""
James kept his eyes on the gun.
"What truth?""
Lauren laughed bitterly.
"You really want to do this now?""
"Yes.""
"You think you're protecting her.""
"I am.""
"No, James. You have no idea what you've brought into her life.""
He took one slow step forward.
"Put the gun on the counter.""
"Stop.""
"Lauren.""
"I said stop!""
My father flinched.
I had never heard my sister sound like that.
Not angry.
Terrified.
James noticed too.
His voice became quieter.
"Nobody is going to hurt you.""
Lauren shook her head.
"That's what everyone says right before they do.""
"Who are you afraid of?""
She looked toward the dark hallway.
"The people who sent Daniel.""
My blood ran cold.
"Sent him where?""
Lauren's eyes found mine.
"To your house.""
James went completely still.
I felt my fingers go numb.
"When?"" I asked.
"Before he deployed.""
James answered before Lauren could.
"How did you know?""
She laughed again.
"Because I was here.""
I stared at her.
"You were here?""
Lauren nodded.
"The night he came to your house.""
My father's face crumpled.
"Lauren, don't.""
She finally looked at him.
"You don't get to tell me not to.""
"Please.""
"No, Dad.""
She lowered the gun slightly.
"You've been covering for this family for years.""
I looked at my father.
"What did you cover?""
He couldn't meet my eyes.
James stepped toward him.
"Mr. Miller.""
My father looked up.
"Tell her.""
My father rubbed both hands over his face.
"I don't know everything.""
"Then tell me what you do know.""
His mouth trembled.
"Daniel came here.""
"When?""
"Six months ago.""
I looked at James.
"Before your deployment?""
He nodded.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
My father glanced at Lauren.
She shook her head.
"Tell her.""
My father sighed.
"He came looking for James.""
"Why didn't you call me?""
"Because James wasn't home.""
I frowned.
"Where was I?""
My father looked away.
"You were upstairs.""
The words hit me strangely.
I remembered that night.
Or thought I did.
I'd been folding baby clothes in the nursery.
Emma hadn't even been born yet.
James had been home.
Or at least, I thought he had.
I looked at him.
"Wait.""
James' expression tightened.
"You weren't upstairs.""
My heart dropped.
"What?""
"You were asleep.""
"I was not.""
"I put you to bed.""
I stared at him.
A memory surfaced.
A headache.
Tea.
The bedroom lamp.
James telling me he'd take care of the door because someone was expected.
I'd forgotten.
No.
I hadn't forgotten.
I'd never known enough to remember.
"What happened that night?"" I asked.
James looked at Lauren.
She slowly lowered the gun onto the counter.
"Now we're finally getting somewhere.""
She didn't let go of it.
James spoke carefully.
"Daniel came to the house because he believed someone was watching you.""
"Who?""
"We didn't know.""
"Why me?""
"We thought it was because of me.""
Lauren shook her head.
"No.""
James looked at her.
"What?""
"It wasn't because of you.""
She looked directly at me.
"It was because of Anna.""
My heartbeat thudded in my ears.
"What did I do?""
"Nothing.""
"Then why?""
Lauren's eyes filled with tears.
"Because of Emma.""
The room went silent.
Our baby.
My stomach turned.
"Emma wasn't born yet.""
"I know.""
James took another step.
"Lauren, explain.""
She finally picked up the envelope from the floor.
"Your daughter wasn't the target.""
She looked at me.
"You were carrying something.""
"I was pregnant.""
"Not just pregnant.""
James' face changed.
"Lauren.""
"I told you they were watching her.""
He stared at her.
"What did Anna have?""
Lauren shook her head.
"She didn't have it.""
"Then who did?""
Lauren looked toward my father.
He whispered, "Enough.""
She ignored him.
"Mom had it.""
My stomach dropped.
"My mother?""
"The original file.""
"What file?""
Lauren placed the envelope on the kitchen table.
"Everything Daniel found.""
James stared at it.
"You said you destroyed it.""
"I said I thought it was gone.""
"What's in there?""
Lauren looked at me.
"The reason Daniel disappeared.""
James' voice hardened.
"Where is the rest?""
"I don't have it.""
"Who does?""
She said nothing.
"Lauren.""
My father's voice broke.
"They have Mom.""
I stopped breathing.
"What?""
My father sat down heavily at the kitchen table.
"Your mother went home with Lauren.""
"Then where is she?""
Nobody answered.
I grabbed my phone.
No missed calls.
No messages.
I called my mother.
It rang once.
Then went straight to voicemail.
Again.
Same result.
I called my father.
He answered from across the room.
That made no sense.
I stared at him.
"You knew.""
"I knew they took her.""
"Who?""
"I don't know.""
Lauren whispered, "I do.""
James looked at her.
"Who?""
She swallowed.
"The same people who took Daniel.""
"Names.""
"I don't know their names.""
"You've been dealing with them.""
"I've been trying to get away from them.""
James' voice became ice-cold.
"How long?""
Lauren closed her eyes.
"Eight months.""
I felt dizzy.
"Eight months?""
She nodded.
"I borrowed the money because they told me I'd have to pay.""
"Pay for what?""
"My silence.""
My father looked at the floor.
Lauren continued.
"They knew about the file. They knew Daniel had found it. They knew he trusted James.""
James' jaw tightened.
"What did Daniel tell you?""
"That someone inside the unit was selling information.""
"Who?""
"He never said.""
"But he came here.""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because he didn't trust anyone else.""
I looked at James.
"You knew Daniel trusted you?""
"I knew he was afraid.""
"That's not the same thing.""
"No.""
He looked at me.
"I should have told you.""
Before I could answer, Lauren's phone buzzed.
She looked at it.
Her face drained of color.
James noticed immediately.
"Who is it?""
She didn't answer.
"Lauren.""
Slowly, she turned the screen toward us.
It was a message.
*Open the envelope. Alone.*
Underneath it was a second line.
*If you don't, Anna's mother dies tonight.*
My father stood so fast his chair nearly fell over.
"No.""
Lauren backed away from the table.
"No, no, no.""
James reached for the phone.
She pulled it away.
"Don't.""
"Let me see.""
"They'll know.""
"They already know we're here.""
Another message appeared.
This one contained a photograph.
My mother was sitting in a chair.
Her hands were tied.
Her face was bruised.
I made a sound I didn't recognize.
"Mom.""
James looked at the screen.
His entire demeanor changed.
"Where is she?""
Lauren shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"Call them.""
"They told me not to.""
"Call them.""
"I can't.""
James slammed his palm against the counter.
Everyone jumped.
"Then give me the number.""
Lauren stared at him.
"Why?""
"Because I'm bringing her home.""
She laughed through her tears.
"You think you can?""
"I know I can try.""
"It's bigger than you.""
"Then we'll deal with bigger.""
My father grabbed my arm.
"Anna, you need to leave.""
I pulled away.
"No.""
"Please.""
"No.""
I looked at Lauren.
"You said I had something.""
She stared at me.
"You said Mom had the file.""
"Yes.""
"Then why are they threatening her now?""
Lauren's eyes moved to the envelope.
"Because they think she gave you the copy.""
"I don't have a copy.""
"I know.""
She looked at James.
"And that's the problem.""
He understood before I did.
"What?""
Lauren's voice dropped to a whisper.
"The copy isn't with your mother anymore.""
James went still.
"Where is it?""
Lauren looked at me.
Then at my pregnant shadow of a memory—the nursery, the tea, the night I thought James had gone to bed early.
Her eyes filled with fresh tears.
"Your husband hid it.""
I turned toward James.
He didn't deny it.
Instead, he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket.
He pulled out a small brass key.
The same shape as the one found in Lauren's bag.
I stared at it.
"What's that?""
James looked at me.
"I was hoping we'd never need it.""
"Need it for what?""
He closed his hand around the key.
"For a safe I put inside our house.""
My heart stopped.
Then his phone rang.
The same unknown number.
James answered.
A man's voice came through the speaker, low and calm.
"Captain Walker.""
James said nothing.
The man continued.
"Bring the key.""
A pause.
"Bring your wife.""
My fingers went cold.
"And Captain?""
James' expression hardened.
"Yes?""
The voice gave a quiet laugh.
May you like
"Don't open the envelope.""
Then the call ended.
