Chapter 9: The Shadow of Secrets

I scowled, frustration building.

You might not realize how crucial that secret is.

It’s the only hope of nailing Tom.

But Caleb just shook his head—Mark never told him.

I snapped:

“Why not?”

“I don’t know—maybe he thought I’d be in danger if I knew.”

“Wasn’t recording the video dangerous enough? Sometimes, just knowing the wrong thing can get you killed in this town. Tom’s not going to care if you know or not.”

“I… I didn’t think of that.”

Hearing him, I was angry but also scared.

Back then, I was just starting out—no connections, barely scraping by, mailbox full of overdue bills. Now this case had put me in real danger.

Let me spell it out:

If I submit the video, Tom Reynolds still can’t be charged. But Caleb will get a lighter sentence—and walk free in a few years.

That’s when Tom will get nervous. He’ll worry Caleb knows the secret, or that I do, or that we’ll blackmail him. He’ll wait, then do whatever it takes to shut us up—just like he did with Mark.

And now I was part of the mess. Just holding the video made me a target.

Mark said, “This secret could cost you your life.”

He wasn’t kidding.

I shivered, goosebumps running up my arms.

I tried to keep my cool, but the fear was real. I double-locked my apartment door that night, every car backfiring on the street making me flinch.

Caleb asked, “What’s wrong?”

I stared at him, frowning:

“Aren’t you scared?”

“With this evidence, I won’t get the death penalty. What’s there to be afraid of?”

I pressed:

“Aren’t you afraid Tom will come after you?”

Caleb froze, face twisting, anxiety creeping in:

“Right. Tom’s going to come after me.”

His fear hit me like a punch. We were both in over our heads.

A hundred emotions swirled in my mind—not hate, not disgust, just confusion. Since this started, it felt like I’d been dragged along, never in control.

I gathered my things and left. I didn’t turn in the video. I went home, locked the door, drew the curtains, and sat in the dark, replaying everything in my head. My phone buzzed, but I ignored it. Outside, sirens wailed, fading into the night.

This was supposed to be a simple case. Now it felt like I’d never touched the truth, like someone was hiding it on purpose.

Looking back, every twist came from Caleb. His calls, his retraction, his new evidence—every turn, every lie.

I couldn’t shake the feeling I’d never really known him.