Chapter 7: The Past Never Dies

A cold shudder ran through me, like the car had dropped twenty degrees.

I realized—his story about someone else seeing was just a cover. He knew me too well. He knew how far I’d go to protect what’s mine, that I’d fight back with everything I had.

Bastard—if he knows, why can’t he let it go?

His daughter’s sick, and I was the only one who gave him all my savings, no questions asked. Now he’s threatening me?

Fine. I’ll just have to kill him.

My eyes narrowed, all warmth gone.

To avoid police checkpoints, I veered onto an old county road—cracked, unlit, outside town. No streetlights, no cameras, hardly any cars after midnight.

If I crashed, even if we both died, there’d be nothing left but rumors.

I sped up. Eighty miles an hour. If I slammed the brakes, Derek—no seatbelt, slumped in the back—would fly into the windshield.

All I’d have to do is act terrified, crash into a tree, stage the perfect accident.

The fire department would shake their heads. Car explosions are rare, but the story would make sense. I’d kneel in front of Derek’s parents at the funeral, sobbing, promising to look after his daughter.

With how much his parents like me, they might even pity me.

Thinking of all this, I pressed the gas harder, nerves singing with adrenaline.

But before I could act, Derek spoke, voice steady:

"Caleb, stop pretending. I know you have your worries, but it’s just the two of us here. You still won’t admit it—were you the one who sent me the evidence?"

My grip loosened, curiosity flickering.

"What evidence?"

"It wasn’t you?" Derek’s surprise looked honest, eyes wide. He dug the crumpled manila envelope from his backpack, hands shaking.

He explained: Half a month ago, he’d gotten an anonymous package. A plain manila envelope, with a printed letter inside.

The letter detailed, step by step, how Rachel was pushed off the building, and exactly how to find the murderer. Even the scene Derek acted out at the reunion was suggested by the writer.

The person promised that if Derek played along, he’d catch the killer and get money for his daughter’s hospital bills.

"I thought it was you. Besides me, only you really cared about Rachel back then. Only you would care about my daughter."