Chapter 7 - The Price of SilenceAdrian Pike had given me my employee orientation. He'd told me Bellwether was a family, right before explaining that overtime requests had to be submitted three weeks ahead.

Now he was standing on security footage beside a man accused of trying to steal the company.

"Make copies," Tessa instructed by phone. "Preserve the source device and record every person who touches it."

Todd nodded, sweating. Iris talked him through an evidence export while Dad photographed the access log.

My phone rang from a blocked number.

"Miss Brooks," a man's voice said, "this could all disappear by morning."

"Who is this?"

"Someone who doesn't want you hurt."

"Then stop threatening me."

"You don't understand what a signature can do. Sign the release. Your mother keeps her treatment coverage. You keep a place to live."

The line went dead.

I stared at the phone. Mom's health insurance was through a legacy Bellwether benefit plan. I knew it was expensive. I hadn't known anyone was willing to use it as leverage.

"We can replace her coverage," Dad said.

"That's not the point. They know her doctors, our apartment, my shifts."

Tessa's voice cut through. "We document the threat. Naomi, I recommend you stay somewhere secure tonight. Your choice."

"I won't leave Mom alone."

Dad pulled out his keys. "Then we pick her up."

We left Todd with instructions from counsel and drove toward our apartment. Halfway there, my mother called.

"Naomi?" Her voice sounded steady, which frightened me more than panic would have. "There's a woman in the lobby. She says she knows you."

"What woman?"

"Red hair. Red suit."

My grip tightened around the seat belt. "Don't go downstairs."

"I'm not. She left something with the front desk."

"What?"

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Mom paused. "A folder with your childhood photographs."

Under the photographs was a hospital birth certificate. It listed a father whose name was not Daniel Brooks.