Chapter 5: The Man Behind the Patch
The following morning, Jace arrived at Emily's apartment before eight.
Hank came with him.
Neither man looked particularly cheerful.
Emily opened the door.
“What's happening?””
Jace held up his phone.
“Do you still have the photograph?””
“Yes.””
“Good. We need to talk.””
They sat around the kitchen table.
Emily placed the old photograph between them.
Hank studied it.
“That's Victor, all right.””
Emily looked at him.
“Why was he in your club?””
Hank rubbed his beard.
“Years ago, before the club became what it is today, Victor rode with us. He was charming. Funny. Always had money when somebody needed it.””
“What happened?””
“He started using people.””
Jace leaned forward.
“He borrowed money from members and never paid it back. Then he started making threats.””
Emily frowned.
“Why didn't anyone stop him?””
“We did,” Hank said.
“And?””
“He left.””
Jace picked up the photograph.
“Your mother helped us expose him.””
Emily stared at him.
“My mother?””
“She found out he was using the club's name to pressure people into paying debts. She brought us records. Names.
Dates. Copies of agreements.””
Hank nodded.
“She was the reason we discovered what he'd been doing.””
Emily looked at the picture again.
“Then why would she be standing beside him?””
“Because she was trying to get evidence,” Jace replied.
He pointed to the photograph.
“This was probably taken during the period when she was gathering information.””
Emily shook her head.
“So my mother was involved in all this?””
“She was involved in protecting people,” Hank said.
Emily looked at him.
“Was she scared?””
Hank's expression softened.
“Sometimes. But she never let it show when you were around.””
Emily's eyes filled.
She remembered her mother singing while making dinner.
She remembered Rachel sitting on the floor beside her bed during thunderstorms.
She remembered her mother pretending not to be tired.
“I wish she had told me.””
Jace nodded.
“I know.””
At ten that morning, Emily received a message from an unknown number.
We need to talk. It's important.
She stared at the screen.
Another message followed.
It's your father. Please don't ignore me.
Emily didn't answer.
Then her phone rang.
Daniel Carter.
She let it ring.
It stopped.
A minute later, another message appeared.
I know you've been talking to Jace Miller. You need to be careful about those people.
Emily's stomach tightened.
She showed the message to Jace.
He read it twice.
“Did you tell him where you live?””
“No.””
“Did he follow you yesterday?””
“I don't know.””
Jace handed back the phone.
“Don't respond yet.””
Emily frowned.
“Why?””
“Because I want Denise to see this before you say anything.””
Hank stood up.
“I'll make a few calls.””
Emily looked at him.
“To who?””
“People who can tell us where Victor is.””
That afternoon, Emily attended a meeting at Denise's office.
The attorney had reviewed the documents Rachel left behind and had contacted the bank holding the trust.
“There are some concerning developments,” Denise said.
Emily sat beside Jace.
“What kind?””
“Your father submitted a request for access to the trust three days ago.””
“But I'm the beneficiary.””
“Correct. The funds are intended for your education and future needs. Your father cannot simply withdraw them.””
Emily looked relieved.
“Then what's the problem?””
Denise turned her computer screen.
“Someone attempted to change the account's mailing address last month.””
Emily stared.
“Who?””
“The request was submitted using your father's personal information.””
Jace leaned forward.
“Was it approved?””
“No. The bank flagged it.””
Emily felt sick.
“He was trying to get my money?””
“We can't establish his exact intentions from this request alone,” Denise said.
“But it is important evidence.””
Emily looked down at her hands.
“Why now?””
Denise opened another document.
“Because the account is becoming more valuable. And because you're approaching adulthood.””
Emily frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“When you turn eighteen, you will gain greater control over the trust under its terms. Until then, certain funds remain under independent management.””
Jace exchanged a look with Hank.
Denise continued.
“Your mother anticipated that someone might attempt to interfere before you reached adulthood.””
Emily looked at the attorney.
“She knew he would come back.””
“I believe she was concerned he might.””
Later that evening, Emily returned to the diner.
Carol was wiping down the counter when she arrived.
“You're late today.””
“Sorry. I had an appointment.””
Carol studied her face.
“Everything okay?””
Emily nodded.
“Just family stuff.””
Carol placed a mug of hot chocolate in front of her.
“On the house.””
Emily smiled.
“Thank you.””
Then the bell above the entrance rang.
Daniel walked in.
This time, he wasn't alone.
A tall man in a dark suit followed him.
Emily recognized him from the photograph immediately.
Victor Shaw.
The man who had once worn the club's patch.
The man her mother had warned her about without ever saying his name.
Emily froze.
Daniel approached the counter.
“Emily. We need to talk.””
She stepped backward.
“I'm working.””
Victor smiled.
“Your father tells me you're a bright young woman.””
Emily stared at him.
“Who are you?””
Victor extended his hand.
“Victor Shaw.””
She didn't take it.
He lowered his hand.
“Your mother and I knew each other a long time ago.””
Emily's heart began pounding.
“I know.””
Victor glanced at the photograph tucked into her bag.
“Ah. So you've found the old pictures.””
Daniel frowned.
“What pictures?””
Victor ignored him.
“Rachel was a very determined woman. Always thought she could solve everybody's problems.””
Emily looked at him.
“What did you do to her?””
Victor smiled politely.
“Nothing she didn't bring upon herself.””
“Get out.””
Daniel raised his voice.
“Emily, stop being disrespectful!””
Carol stepped forward.
“Sir, she asked you to leave.””
Victor placed a business card on the counter.
“Tell Jace Miller I said hello.””
Emily's eyes narrowed.
“Why?””
Victor leaned closer.
“Because he owes me something.””
Then he turned toward the door.
Daniel followed.
But before leaving, her father looked back at her.
“Your mother made a terrible mistake trusting those bikers.””
Emily stood frozen until the door closed.
Carol locked it.
“Who were those men?””
Emily swallowed.
“People my mother was afraid of.””
At 9:17 that night, Jace received a call from Emily.
“Jace?””
“What's wrong?””
“They came to the diner.””
“Who?””
“My father. And Victor Shaw.””
Jace stood up so quickly his chair fell backward.
“Did they touch you?””
“No.””
“Did they threaten you?””
“Not exactly.””
“Emily, tell me everything.””
She described the conversation.
When she repeated Victor's final words, Jace went silent.
Then she heard him say something to someone in the background.
“Get Hank. Now.””
Emily swallowed.
“Jace?””
“I'm here.””
“Why does he say you owe him something?””
Jace didn't answer.
“Please tell me.””
He took a slow breath.
“Years ago, Victor stole money from the club. A lot of it. But that wasn't the worst thing he did.””
“What was?””
“He used Rachel's name to cover what he'd stolen.””
Emily gripped the phone.
“What?””
“He created documents suggesting your mother had helped him move the money. When she found out, she threatened to expose him.””
Emily's voice trembled.
“Did he hurt her?””
“We don't know.””
“Then why did she disappear?””
Jace looked toward the clubhouse wall.
A framed photograph hung above the fireplace.
Rachel Carter stood in the middle of twenty bikers.
Beside her was a much younger Jace.
And behind them, almost hidden, was Victor Shaw.
Jace had seen that photograph hundreds of times.
But he had never noticed what Rachel was holding.
A thick manila envelope.
The same envelope Emily had found beneath her bed.
“Emily,” he said quietly.
“What?””
“Your mother didn't just leave us a photograph.””
“What do you mean?””
“She left evidence.””
Emily's breathing quickened.
“Evidence of what?””
“Of what Victor did. Of what your father helped him do. And of why she had to disappear.””
A long silence followed.
Then Emily asked the question neither of them wanted to answer.
“Where is it?””
Jace looked toward Hank.
Hank was already reaching for his jacket.
“That's what we're about to find out.””
At 10:06 p.m., a black sedan pulled into the parking lot outside Emily's apartment.
The headlights remained on.
A man stepped out.
He walked toward the building carrying a small cardboard box.
Emily was standing at her kitchen window when she saw him.
Her phone buzzed.
An unknown number.
One message.
Your mother left something with me. Something Jace doesn't know about.
Emily stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
If you want the truth about the night Rachel Carter died, come downstairs alone.
Emily's heart stopped.
She looked toward the door.
Then toward the old photograph on her table.
And finally, toward the twenty missed calls on her phone.
All from Jace Miller.
But before she could call him back, someone knocked three times.
A man's voice came through the door.
“Emily? My name is Robert Hayes.””
A pause.
“Your mother asked me to find you if anything ever happened to her.””
Emily slowly approached the door.
Then the man said six words that changed everything.
May you like
“Your mother didn't die the way you think.””
*End of Chapter 5.*
