Chapter Eleven — The Person She Loved
1189 Words
Amara read the message again.
The next person who dies will be someone you love.
Her fingers tightened around the phone.
"Who sent it?"
Daniel shook his head.
"Unknown number."
"Can it be traced?"
"I'm already having it traced."
She looked at him.
"Daniel..."
"I know."
"No. You don't."
He stepped closer.
"What?"
"My mother."
"What about her?"
"She sounded terrified."
Daniel's expression hardened.
"We're going to your mother's house."
Amara nodded immediately.
"Now."
The drive was silent.
Daniel drove faster than usual, his eyes constantly moving between the road and the mirrors.
Amara noticed.
"Someone is following us?"
"I don't know."
"You keep checking."
"I'm making sure."
She turned toward the rear window.
A black sedan appeared several cars behind them.
"That car."
Daniel glanced at it.
"Don't look again."
"Why?"
"Because if they're watching us, I don't want them knowing we've noticed."
Amara's heart began pounding.
The sedan changed lanes.
Daniel did the same.
A few seconds later, the sedan followed.
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"Okay."
"What?"
"We're being followed."
Amara's stomach dropped.
"What do we do?"
"I'm going to lose them."
He turned onto a busy road, then another.
The sedan remained behind them.
Daniel accelerated.
Amara grabbed the door.
"Daniel!"
"I'm fine."
"You call this fine?"
He didn't answer.
After several turns, the sedan disappeared.
Daniel slowed.
They waited.
Nothing.
Finally, he exhaled.
"We're clear."
Amara looked at him.
"You scared me."
He glanced at her.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't do that again."
"I'll try."
She looked out the window.
Then quietly said,
"I don't want anything to happen to you either."
Daniel's hands tightened around the steering wheel.
He didn't respond.
But the words stayed with him.
When they reached her mother's house, the front gate was open.
Amara immediately knew something was wrong.
"Mom?"
She hurried inside.
The living room was empty.
A cup had fallen onto the floor.
There were broken pieces of glass beside it.
"Mom!"
Daniel followed.
They searched the house.
Bedroom.
Kitchen.
Bathroom.
Nothing.
Amara's breathing became faster.
"She's gone."
Daniel looked around.
"Don't panic."
"How can I not panic?"
He crouched beside the broken glass.
There was blood.
Only a small amount.
But enough.
Amara covered her mouth.
"She's hurt."
Daniel stood.
"Maybe."
"Maybe?"
He looked at her.
"There's not enough blood for a serious injury."
"Then where is she?"
He walked toward the back door.
It was unlocked.
Outside, there were tire tracks in the wet ground.
Daniel took out his phone.
"I'm calling the police."
Amara nodded.
Then she noticed something on the floor.
A scarf.
Her mother's scarf.
She picked it up.
Something was tucked inside.
A folded piece of paper.
She opened it.
Only one sentence.
If you want your mother alive, come alone.
Her heart stopped.
Daniel took the paper from her.
"When did this happen?"
"I don't know."
He read it again.
"You're not going anywhere alone."
"But they have my mother."
"And that's exactly why you can't do what they want."
"Daniel—"
"They're expecting you to panic."
"What if they hurt her?"
"We'll find her."
"You don't know that."
"I do."
"How?"
He looked directly at her.
"Because whoever took her wants something from us."
Amara's voice broke.
"What?"
"The truth."
Two hours later, they were at the police station.
The officers took statements and began investigating.
But there was still no sign of her mother.
Amara sat in a chair, staring at the floor.
Daniel sat beside her.
For the first time since they had met, she didn't care about appearances.
She leaned her head against his shoulder.
He froze.
Then slowly relaxed.
"You're allowed to be scared," he whispered.
"I am."
"Then don't pretend."
She closed her eyes.
"I don't know what I'll do if something happens to her."
"Nothing will happen."
"You can't promise that."
"I know."
He looked down at her.
"But I'll do everything I can."
She lifted her head.
Their eyes met.
"Why?"
Daniel hesitated.
"Because I care about you."
The words were simple.
But they carried more weight than either of them expected.
Amara looked away.
"I care about you too."
Daniel's heart stopped for a second.
She continued.
"That's what scares me."
He understood.
Because he was beginning to realize the same thing.
His phone rang.
It was his mother.
Daniel answered immediately.
"Mom?"
"Daniel."
Her voice was quiet.
"Where are you?"
"With Amara."
A pause.
"Is she safe?"
"Yes."
"Good."
Daniel stood.
"What happened?"
"I need to tell you something."
"Tell me now."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because I'm not alone."
Daniel's expression changed.
"Who is with you?"
Silence.
Then his mother whispered:
"Your father's old business partner."
Daniel froze.
"Who?"
The call ended.
He immediately called back.
No answer.
Amara stood.
"What happened?"
"My mother is with someone."
"Who?"
"She wouldn't say."
He looked at the police officer.
"Can you trace that call?"
The officer nodded.
They waited.
Five minutes.
Ten.
Then the officer returned.
"Mr. Asare."
"Yes?"
"We have the location."
Daniel looked at Amara.
"Where?"
The officer gave him an address.
Daniel recognized it immediately.
His face went pale.
"What is it?"
"My father's old warehouse."
They arrived just before midnight.
The warehouse stood abandoned at the edge of the city.
Police surrounded the building.
Daniel stepped out.
Amara followed.
"You stay here."
"No."
"Amara."
"My mother is inside."
"I'm going in first."
She nodded reluctantly.
The officers entered.
The warehouse was dark.
Empty.
Then a voice echoed from somewhere inside.
"Daniel."
He froze.
His mother's voice.
"Mom?"
He ran forward.
They found her tied to a chair.
Alive.
Barely conscious.
"Mom!"
Daniel rushed to her.
Amara followed.
Her mother looked up.
"Amara..."
"I'm here."
Tears filled the woman's eyes.
"I'm sorry."
"Who did this?"
She looked at Daniel.
Then at Amara.
"I should have told you years ago."
Daniel untied her.
"What?"
His mother grabbed Amara's hand.
"Your father didn't discover the theft."
Amara frowned.
"Then what?"
Her mother's voice trembled.
"He discovered who was behind it."
"Who?"
She looked toward the darkness behind them.
"Someone you both trust."
A noise came from the far end of the warehouse.
Everyone turned.
A shadow moved.
Daniel stood.
"Who's there?"
No answer.
Then a man's voice echoed through the building.
"You were warned."
The lights suddenly went out.
Gunshots exploded through the darkness.
Everyone screamed.
Daniel grabbed Amara and pulled her to the floor.
"Stay down!"
Another shot.
Then silence.
When the emergency lights came on, the warehouse was empty.
Except for one thing.
A single photograph lay on the floor.
Amara picked it up.
Her blood ran cold.
It showed her father.
Daniel's father.
Daniel's mother.
And a fourth person.
Amara stared at the face.
She knew him.
Her voice trembled.
"No..."
Daniel looked at the photograph.
"Who is it?"
Amara slowly raised her eyes.
"It's Uncle Samuel."
Daniel's face went blank.
The man they had been searching for wasn't a stranger.
He was family.
And somewhere in the darkness outside the warehouse, Samuel Mensah was watching them.
He smiled.
Because they had finally found the right person.
But they had no idea how wrong their next move would be.
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