He turned it over.
The back opened.
Inside was a tiny key.
Daniel stared at it.
“My father…”
Samuel smiled.
“He always liked secrets.”
Daniel inserted the key.
The metal plate opened.
Behind it was a small box.
Daniel pulled it out.
His hands shook.
Inside was a black folder.
Exactly as Samuel had described.
Evidence.
Documents.
Photographs.
Bank records.
Names.
Dates.
Everything.
Daniel looked at the first photograph.
His father stood beside several railway executives.
Then Daniel saw a second photograph.
His uncle.
Jonathan Carter.
Standing beside the same men.
Daniel's stomach dropped.
There was no longer any doubt.
His uncle had been involved.
But then he saw something else.
A photograph taken months later.
Jonathan was lying unconscious on the ground.
Beside him stood his father.
And behind them was Elena's mother.
Daniel stared.
“What happened here?”
Samuel looked at the photograph.
His face changed.
“I've never seen this.”
Elena stepped closer.
“My mother…”
She covered her mouth.
Daniel turned the photograph over.
There was writing.
“HE TRIED TO STOP THEM.”
Daniel looked at Samuel.
“Jonathan tried to stop them?”
Samuel read the sentence.
Then another.
“He wasn't the traitor.”
Daniel stared.
“Then who was?”
They searched the folder.
Page after page.
Until Daniel found a document with a familiar signature.
His father's.
The final page contained one sentence.
THE PERSON WHO BETRAYED US IS THE PERSON YOU TRUST MOST.
Daniel looked at Samuel.
Then Elena.
Neither spoke.
A sound came from outside.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Approaching the tower.
Samuel closed the folder.
“We have to leave.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
“What?”
“We need to know.”
“Daniel.”
“We spent nine years looking for this.”
“We have the evidence.”
“No.”
Daniel looked at the photographs.
“We don't have the truth.”
The footsteps grew louder.
Then the door opened.
A man entered.
Daniel recognized him immediately.
The same man from the train.
Behind him stood two others.
Samuel stepped forward.
“It's over.”
The man smiled.
“Not yet.”
He looked at Daniel.
“Your father was a stubborn man.”
Daniel said nothing.
“He could have walked away.”
“You killed him.”
The man's smile disappeared.
“No.”
“Then who did?”
The man looked at Samuel.
Samuel's face changed.
Daniel saw it.
The hesitation.
The fear.
The truth.
“Samuel?”
The old conductor looked down.
The man laughed.
“Ask your friend.”
Daniel turned toward Samuel.
“Did you know?”
Samuel's eyes filled with tears.
“I knew your father was in danger.”
“That isn't what I asked.”
“I knew who was responsible.”
Daniel's heart broke.
“Who?”
Samuel looked at him.
“Your father knew.”
“Who?”
Samuel whispered,
“Your mother.”
Silence.
Daniel felt as if the floor had disappeared beneath him.
“My mother?”
“She was not part of the operation,” Samuel said quickly.
“Then why?”
“She was being threatened.”
“By whom?”
The man behind them laughed.
“By me.”
Daniel turned.
The man stepped forward.
“Your mother was forced to cooperate.”
Samuel continued.
“She gave them information.”
“What information?”
“Your father's movements.”
Daniel's face went pale.
“My mother…”
“She didn't know they intended to kill him.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
“She thought they would only scare him.”
“No.”
“She was trying to protect you.”
Daniel backed away.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
Samuel's voice broke.
“She made one terrible choice.”
Daniel looked at the man.
“Then who killed my father?”
The man smiled.
“I did.”
Samuel stepped forward.
“You weren't there.”
“Yes, I was.”
“You're lying.”
The man pulled a photograph from his coat.
He threw it onto the floor.
Daniel picked it up.