Chapter 5: The Person Who Knew Too Much
Rachel couldn't move.
She couldn't even breathe.
The person standing in front of her wasn't a stranger.
That would have been easier.
A stranger could be feared.
A stranger could be avoided.
But this person had sat at her kitchen table.
Had held Madison when she scraped her knee.
Had brought soup when Rachel was sick.
Had laughed with Thomas during family dinners.
A familiar face was sometimes the most dangerous one.
"Why are you here?""
Rachel's voice came out barely above a whisper.
The person looked at Madison.
Then back at Rachel.
"Because I knew she would find it.""
Rachel's eyes narrowed.
"Find what?""
The missing envelope was still in their hand.
The one Thomas had written for Madison.
The one that was supposed to reveal the truth.
The person smiled sadly.
"Your husband always underestimated how much that little girl noticed.""
Madison stepped closer to Rachel.
"Mommy.""
Rachel immediately pulled her daughter behind her.
"Stay with me.""
The person tilted their head.
"Still protecting her.""
Rachel's hands tightened.
"You stay away from my daughter.""
A long silence followed.
Then the person sighed.
"Thomas said you would say that.""
Rachel felt a chill.
"Stop talking like you knew him.""
"I did know him.""
"No.""
Rachel shook her head.
"You knew the version of him he showed you.""
The words landed.
Because deep down, Rachel knew there was truth in them.
Her husband had secrets.
Everyone seemed to know pieces of him except her.
Daniel stepped forward.
"Enough.""
The person looked at him.
For the first time, their expression changed.
Not fear.
Recognition.
"Daniel Reed.""
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"I should have known you were involved.""
The person gave a quiet laugh.
"And I should have known Thomas would run to you if things went wrong.""
Rachel looked between them.
"You know each other.""
Daniel didn't answer.
That was becoming a pattern.
Everyone knew something.
Everyone except her.
Rachel's voice rose.
"Someone needs to start explaining.""
The person looked at her.
"Your husband wasn't the man you thought he was.""
Rachel stepped forward.
"Careful.""
"Why?""
"Because you are standing in a funeral home next to his coffin, threatening his family.""
The person looked at Madison.
"I'm not threatening her.""
"Then what are you doing?""
"I'm trying to save her.""
Nobody spoke.
Then Rachel laughed.
A sharp, angry sound.
"You expect me to believe that?""
The person looked hurt.
"Thomas did.""
"Thomas believed a lot of things.""
Rachel pointed toward the coffin.
"Like maybe he could disappear and leave his daughter a goodbye message instead of telling his wife the truth.""
The person's expression softened.
For a moment, they looked almost guilty.
Then Daniel said quietly:
"Rachel, we need to leave.""
She looked at him.
"Why?""
Daniel looked at the person.
"Because they know where we are.""
A sudden sound interrupted him.
A phone ringing.
Everyone froze.
The sound came from the person's pocket.
They slowly pulled out their phone.
Looked at the screen.
Then their face changed.
"What is it?"" Rachel asked.
The person didn't answer.
Daniel stepped closer.
"Who is calling?""
The person turned the phone around.
Rachel saw the name.
And her stomach dropped.
Because the caller ID said:
*THOMAS.*
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
The phone continued ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Madison whispered:
"Daddy.""
Rachel felt tears burn her eyes.
"No.""
Daniel stared at the screen.
"Impossible.""
The person answered.
Slowly.
"Hello?""
Silence.
Everyone listened.
Then a voice came through the speaker.
A voice Rachel knew better than her own.
"Are you alone?""
Rachel grabbed the desk beside her.
Her legs felt weak.
Thomas.
It was Thomas.
Older.
Tired.
But Thomas.
The person holding the phone looked shocked.
"How are you calling me?""
A pause.
Then Thomas said:
"Because I know what you did.""
The person's face went pale.
Rachel stepped forward.
"Thomas?""
The voice stopped.
A second later:
"Rachel?""
She covered her mouth.
The world disappeared for a moment.
She heard nothing except his voice.
His living voice.
"Rachel, listen to me.""
She couldn't answer.
"Rachel.""
Finally, she whispered:
"Where are you?""
Silence.
Then:
"I can't tell you yet.""
Her heart broke.
"Yet?""
She almost screamed.
"Do you know what I've been through?""
"I know.""
"No, you don't!""
Her voice echoed through the funeral home.
"I buried you!""
Silence.
Then Thomas spoke softly.
"I'm sorry.""
Two words.
Two simple words.
And somehow they hurt more than anything else.
Madison reached for the phone.
"Daddy?""
A shaky breath came through the speaker.
"Maddie?""
The little girl smiled.
"I'm here.""
Thomas's voice broke.
"Are you okay?""
She nodded.
Even though he couldn't see.
"Yes.""
"I knew you would find the message.""
"I did.""
"Good.""
Rachel looked confused.
"What message?""
Madison held up the envelope.
"The one you left.""
Thomas became quiet.
Then:
"Madison, I need you to listen carefully.""
She nodded.
"You cannot trust everyone in that room.""
Rachel looked around.
The room suddenly felt too small.
Thomas continued.
"Someone close to us has been helping the person who wants me gone.""
Daniel looked at the person holding the phone.
The person looked away.
Rachel noticed.
"Who?""
Thomas didn't answer.
"Thomas.""
"I can't say.""
"Why?""
"Because if I say the wrong name, they will know.""
Rachel's breathing stopped.
"They're listening?""
"Maybe.""
Everyone looked around.
At the funeral hall.
At the windows.
At the doors.
Then Thomas said something that made Rachel's blood turn cold.
"Rachel, look behind the flowers.""
She froze.
"What?""
"The white roses beside my coffin.""
Nobody moved.
Daniel slowly walked toward them.
The flowers were arranged beautifully.
Perfectly.
Almost too perfectly.
He moved them aside.
And stopped.
"There’s a camera.""
Rachel felt sick.
A tiny black camera was hidden inside the flower arrangement.
Watching.
Recording.
The person who had been holding the phone immediately stepped back.
"I didn't put that there.""
Daniel looked at them.
"How convenient.""
Thomas spoke through the phone.
"Get away from there.""
Rachel grabbed the phone.
"Thomas, tell me what is happening.""
His voice became quiet.
"The accident wasn't meant to kill me.""
Rachel stared.
"What?""
"It was meant to scare me into revealing where I hid the evidence.""
"What evidence?""
"The evidence that proves who has been controlling everything.""
Rachel looked at Madison.
Then at the hidden camera.
Then at the people around her.
Her whole life suddenly felt like a carefully built lie.
"Thomas...""
"I'm sorry I kept you out of this.""
"Why did you?""
A long pause.
Then he answered.
"Because the person behind this is someone you love.""
The words destroyed the room.
Nobody spoke.
Rachel looked at every face.
Her sister.
The funeral director.
Daniel.
The person who had been holding the envelope.
Everyone.
Thomas continued.
"Rachel, you need to leave now.""
"Where?""
"Anywhere away from the funeral home.""
A loud crash came from the front entrance.
Everyone turned.
The glass doors shook.
Someone was outside.
Rachel held Madison's hand.
The person who had been holding the phone looked toward the door.
And whispered:
"They found us.""
Thomas's voice suddenly became urgent.
"Rachel, run.""
The lights went out.
The funeral hall fell into darkness.
Then, from somewhere inside the room...
May you like
A man's voice whispered:
"Thomas should have stayed dead.""
