Chapter two
1901 Words
Amara didn’t tell Nina about the man who had visited her.
She thought about it several times, but every time she opened her mouth, she couldn’t find the right words.
What was she supposed to say?
A strange man came into my office and told me my father didn’t abandon us twenty-two years ago?
It sounded ridiculous.
So she kept quiet.
She spent the rest of the morning trying to work, but she couldn’t concentrate. She read the same email three times before realizing she hadn’t understood a single sentence.
Nina noticed.
“You’ve been staring at that screen for ten minutes.”
Amara looked up.
“Have I?”
“Yes.”
Amara glanced at the clock.
“I didn’t realize.”
Nina pulled her chair closer.
“Something happened.”
“Nothing happened.”
“You’ve been saying that since you came back from the conference room.”
Amara gave her a tired smile.
“It’s personal.”
Nina studied her for a moment.
“Okay.”
She stood.
“But if you need someone to talk to, I’m here.”
“Thanks.”
Nina returned to her desk.
Amara waited until she was gone before opening the drawer.
The photograph was still there.
She took it out and placed it on the desk.
Her father was standing beside Gabriel Moretti.
She had looked at the photograph so many times that she knew every part of it.
Her father looked younger.
Happier.
Like a man who had no idea that his life would end up becoming a question nobody could answer.
Amara turned the photograph over.
The date was still written on the back.
She opened her laptop and searched it.
Nothing.
She tried her father’s name.
Nothing useful.
Then Gabriel Moretti.
There were several articles about the Moretti family, but nothing connected Gabriel to Daniel.
Amara leaned back.
“Where are you hiding?”
Her phone rang.
It was her mother.
She answered.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Where are you?”
“At work.”
“Are you busy?”
“Not really.”
Her mother was quiet.
Then she asked, “Why were you asking about your father yesterday?”
Amara frowned.
“I found something.”
“What?”
“A photograph.”
There was silence.
“What photograph?”
“One of Dad and Gabriel Moretti.”
Her mother’s voice changed.
“Where did you find it?”
“In the old box.”
“You shouldn’t have opened that.”
“Why?”
“Because there’s nothing in there that will help you.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I know what happened.”
Amara sat up.
“You know what happened to Dad?”
Her mother didn’t answer.
“Mom?”
“I know enough.”
“Then tell me.”
“Amara, please.”
“No. I’ve spent twenty-two years believing he left us.”
“He didn’t leave because he stopped loving you.”
Amara went quiet.
Her mother’s breathing was unsteady.
“Then why did he leave?”
“I can’t talk about this on the phone.”
“Why?”
“Just come home later.”
The call ended.
Amara stared at the screen.
For the first time, she wondered if her mother had been waiting all these years for someone to finally ask the right questions.
Adrian spent most of the afternoon at the warehouse.
He hadn’t planned to go there, but the missing shipment was bothering him.
Eight million dollars didn’t disappear by accident.
He stood in the security office with Samuel, the operations manager.
“Show me the records again.”
Samuel opened the computer.
“The truck left at 4:16 a.m.”
“Driver?”
“Sam Okoro.”
“Security?”
“Peter.”
“Anyone else involved?”
“Loading supervisor.”
“Name?”
“Daniel Brooks.”
Adrian looked at him.
“Where is he?”
“At home, I think.”
“You think?”
Samuel hesitated.
“He didn’t come in today.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
Adrian stared at him.
“Did you ask?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“He said he wasn’t feeling well.”
Adrian shook his head.
“Call him.”
Samuel took out his phone.
He called.
No answer.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
Adrian looked through the loading records.
Everything was properly signed.
Too properly.
“Give me the security footage.”
Samuel opened the camera system.
They went through the footage from the night the truck disappeared.
The loading area was busy.
Workers came and went.
The truck was loaded.
Peter checked the vehicle.
Sam got inside.
The gates opened.
The truck left.
Nothing unusual.
Adrian watched the screen again.
“Go back.”
Samuel rewound it.
“Stop.”
The footage paused.
A black sedan was parked across the road.
Adrian pointed at it.
“What’s that?”
Samuel leaned closer.
“I don’t know.”
“How long was it there?”
They watched.
Twenty minutes.
Maybe a little longer.
The sedan drove away shortly before the truck left.
“Was the plate captured?”
Samuel checked another camera.
Nothing.
Adrian rubbed his jaw.
“Who was watching the warehouse that night?”
“Security.”
“No. I mean who was watching it?”
Samuel didn’t answer.
Adrian looked at him.
Samuel lowered his eyes.
“I don’t know.”
Adrian walked out.
He wasn’t convinced.
Someone had been watching the warehouse.
And somebody had known exactly when the truck was leaving.
Amara went to her mother’s house after work.
Her mother opened the door.
“You came early.”
“I needed to talk to you.”
Her mother stepped aside.
Amara walked in.
They sat in the living room.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then Amara placed the photograph on the table.
“Tell me about him.”
Her mother looked at the photograph.
Her face changed.
“Your father was a good man.”
“I know.”
“He made mistakes.”
“What kind?”
Her mother looked away.
“I don’t know.”
“You just said he made mistakes.”
“I don’t know everything.”
“Mom.”
Her mother sighed.
“He started doing business with people I didn’t trust.”
“The Morettis?”
She nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
“What kind of business?”
“I never asked.”
“Why?”
“Because your father wouldn’t tell me.”
Amara picked up the photograph.
“Did you know Gabriel?”
“I met him.”
“What was he like?”
Her mother thought about it.
“Polite.”
“That’s it?”
“He was charming.”
Amara waited.
Her mother continued.
“But I didn’t like him.”
“Why?”
“I can’t explain it.”
“Try.”
Her mother looked at her.
“Some people can smile at you and still make you uncomfortable.”
Amara nodded slowly.
“What happened before Dad disappeared?”
Her mother folded her hands.
“He became distant.”
“How?”
“He stopped sleeping properly. He would leave the house late at night. Sometimes he’d come home and check the windows before going to bed.”
“Did he say he was in danger?”
“No.”
“Did he mention Gabriel?”
“Sometimes.”
“What did he say?”
Her mother hesitated.
“He said he had made a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“I don’t know.”
Amara stared at her.
“Everybody keeps saying they don’t know.”
Her mother looked hurt.
“Because sometimes we really don’t.”
“What happened the night he disappeared?”
Her mother’s eyes lowered.
“I woke up and he was gone.”
“When?”
“Early morning.”
“Did he leave a note?”
“No.”
“Did he take his things?”
“Not all of them.”
“His passport?”
“I don’t remember.”
“His clothes?”
“Some.”
Amara swallowed.
“Did you report him missing?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“Nothing happened.”
“Nothing?”
“They asked questions. They looked around. Then after some time, they stopped coming.”
Amara looked at the photograph.
“Did you ever believe he was dead?”
Her mother didn’t answer immediately.
“Every day.”
The answer was so quiet that Amara almost missed it.
She reached across the table and held her mother’s hand.
For a moment, neither of them said anything.
Then her mother whispered,
“Please don’t go looking for him.”
Amara looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because whoever made him disappear may still be around.”
That night, Adrian returned home later than usual.
He found his father in the study.
Vittorio looked up from his desk.
“Where have you been?”
“The warehouse.”
“Why?”
“The shipment.”
Vittorio’s expression hardened.
“I told you to leave that alone.”
“I know.”
“Then why were you there?”
“Because I wanted answers.”
His father stood.
“Adrian.”
“No.”
Adrian closed the door behind him.
“I found something.”
“What?”
“A black car was parked outside the warehouse before the truck left.”
Vittorio said nothing.
“Someone was watching.”
“That doesn’t prove anything.”
“I know.”
Adrian watched him carefully.
“Who was Daniel Cole?”
Vittorio’s face became still.
“You’ve been looking into him.”
“Yes.”
“I told you not to.”
“Why?”
“Because it isn’t your business.”
“Everything happening to this family becomes my business eventually.”
Vittorio looked away.
Adrian stepped closer.
“Was Daniel involved with Uncle Gabriel?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Business.”
“What kind?”
“I don’t remember.”
Adrian gave him a frustrated look.
“You don’t remember?”
“It was twenty-two years ago.”
“You remember everything else.”
Vittorio didn’t answer.
Adrian waited.
Finally, his father said, “Daniel was working with Gabriel on something.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re lying.”
Vittorio looked at him sharply.
“Be careful.”
Adrian held his gaze.
“Then tell me the truth.”
Neither of them moved.
Eventually, Vittorio sat down.
“Go home, Adrian.”
Adrian shook his head.
“That’s all you ever say.”
He walked out.
Once he reached his car, his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
A man’s voice came through.
“Stop looking into Daniel Cole.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
“Who is this?”
“Someone trying to save you from making a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
The line went dead.
Adrian lowered the phone.
He looked back at his father’s house.
For years, he had believed the biggest threat to the Moretti family came from outside.
Now he wasn’t so sure.
And for the first time, Adrian understood that whatever happened twenty-two years ago wasn’t finished.
Someone had simply been waiting for the right time to bring it back.
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