WAITING FOR ETHAN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: CROSSROADS

Ethan stood motionless in the middle of his apartment.The photograph trembled slightly in his hand, Olivia's smiling face stared back at him.Beneath it, the handwritten warning seemed to burn itself into his mind.

Stop now, or she pays.

For several long seconds, he couldn't think, couldn't move, couldn't breathe, everything had changed.Until now, the threats had been directed at him.

Now Olivia was involved, not indirectly, not as a possibility, directly.The people behind this were making their intentions clear.If Ethan continued searching for answers, Olivia would become the target.

A wave of anger surged through him, stronger than fear, stronger than doubt, someone had broken into his home, someone had searched through his belongings,someone had threatened the person he loved.

And somehow they expected him to walk away.His phone immediately appeared in his hand.He called Olivia.The call connected after two rings.

"Ethan?"The sound of her voice brought both relief and anxiety."Are you okay?"There was a brief pause."That's a strange way to start a conversation.""Olivia."

Something in his tone made her serious."What happened?"Ethan looked at the photograph again.For a moment he considered telling her everything.

Then he stopped.If she knew about the threat, she would worry, she might even try to involve herself further.And that was the last thing he wanted."I just needed to hear your voice."The silence on the other end softened.

For several moments, neither spoke,then Olivia laughed quietly."You sound exhausted.""I am.""You should get some sleep.""I'll try."Another pause followed.Then Olivia spoke more softly.

"Ethan?"

"Yeah?""Promise me you'll be careful."His chest tightened."I promise."After they ended the call, Ethan remained standing beside the kitchen table, the promise felt heavier than ever, because he wasn't sure he could keep it.

The following morning, Willow Creek awoke beneath cloudy skies.Olivia sat inside a small café near the town square.A cup of coffee rested untouched in front of her, across from her sat Daniel Sterling.

He looked tired, distracted, as though he hadn't slept.Which, in truth, he hadn't, the warehouse continued to haunt him.

The photographs, the security guards, the files.Most of all, the giant board displaying images of Ethan, Olivia, and himself.Every time he closed his eyes, he saw it again.

"You look terrible," Olivia finally said, Daniel laughed."I was about to say the same thing."Normally she would have smiled but today she didn't.

Both of them seemed trapped beneath the weight of unanswered questions, finally Daniel leaned forward."I found something."Olivia immediately became alert.

"What?"Daniel lowered his voice."I followed someone."Her eyes widened."You what?""I know it sounds stupid.""It was stupid."Daniel couldn't argue with that."It led me to an old warehouse."Olivia listened carefully as he explained everything. When he finished, her face had gone pale.

"They had photographs of us?"Daniel nodded."Lots of them."A chill passed through her, someone was watching Ethan in New York, someone was watching her in Willow Creek.

And apparently someone was watching Daniel too.The realization was terrifying.For the first time, they weren't dealing with rumors, they were dealing with proof.

"What do we do now?" Olivia asked, Daniel looked out the window, rain had begun to fall.Small droplets sliding down the glass."I honestly don't know."

Meanwhile, Ethan sat inside Mason's apartment.The older man listened quietly as Ethan described the break-in.When he finished, Mason remained silent, which worried Ethan.

Normally Mason always had an opinion.Always had advice, today he looked troubled."Say something."Mason sighed."They're escalating.""I figured that out."

"No."Mason shook his head."You don't understand."Ethan frowned."Then explain."For a moment, Mason seemed unsure, then he stood and walked toward a bookshelf.After searching through several folders, he removed a worn envelope."I hoped I wouldn't have to show you this."Ethan's pulse quickened.

Inside the envelope was another photograph.This one is older, much older.The image showed Ethan's father standing beside several people, one of them was William Bennett, another was Victor Sterling, a third was Robert Hamilton.

Ethan immediately recognized them.What shocked him was the expression on their faces.They looked happy, like friends, like partners, like people who trusted one another, "What happened to them?" Ethan asked quietly.

Mason stared at the photograph, The sadness in his eyes surprised him."I wish I knew."The answer felt genuine, which somehow made it worse.Because if even Mason didn't know, then the truth was buried deeper than Ethan imagined.

That evening, William Bennett stood inside his office overlooking Manhattan, the city stretched endlessly beyond the glass windows, normally the view helped him think, tonight it did nothing.

His attention remained fixed on a report lying open on his desk, a knock sounded.

"Come in."His assistant entered.Her expression immediately told him the news wasn't good."What happened?"She hesitated, then placed another file on the desk.

"Ethan Carter's apartment was searched."William's jaw tightened."I know.""He wasn't supposed to be threatened."The statement hung heavily in the room, William slowly looked up.

"What do you mean?"The woman shifted uncomfortably."The order was surveillance only."Silence filled the office, a dangerous silence.

Because if William hadn't authorized it...Someone else had and that meant the situation was slipping beyond his control.For the first time in years, genuine concern appeared on his face.

Because there were only a handful of people powerful enough to act without permission and none of them were people he wanted involved.

Late that night, Ethan sat alone in his apartment, sleep refused to come.His thoughts kept returning to Olivia, the threats, the break-in, the photograph.

Finally, shortly after midnight, he stood and walked toward the window.The city lights glittered below, thousands of people, thousands of stories.Yet somehow he felt completely alone.

Then his phone buzzed, a message from an unknown number, again, his stomach tightened.

Slowly, he opened it. This time there was no threat, no warning, only an address, beneath it appeared a single sentence.

If you want the truth about your father, come alone.

Ethan stared at the screen, his heart pounding, it could be a trap.Most likely it was.Yet it was also the closest thing to a real lead he had received in months.Outside, thunder rolled across the night sky.

Inside, Ethan faced a choice.Walk away, or step deeper into the mystery than ever before, and somewhere in Willow Creek, Olivia suddenly woke from a nightmare she couldn't remember, a strange sense of dread settled over her, as though something important was about to, happenSomething that would change all of their lives forever.