Chapter 7 - The Letter
Laura had kept the envelope for six years.
"I couldn't open it," she said. "Not after the accident. I told myself he was scared when he wrote it. I told myself it wouldn't change anything."
Ethan turned the envelope over.
His father's handwriting made his chest ache.
"Why give it to me now?"
"Because today I heard the name Whitmore too many times."
Ethan opened it.
Inside were three pages and a small flash drive.
The first line read:
Laura, if you are reading this, Grant knows I copied the inspection records.
Ethan looked up.
His mother had gone pale.
He kept reading.
Daniel Cole had been a site safety supervisor for Whitmore Construction. Two weeks before the scaffold collapse that killed him, he had documented missing anchors, altered inspection dates, and pressure from management to sign off on work he believed was unsafe.
He refused.
Then his access badge was disabled.
Three days later, it was restored after he threatened to contact the state inspector.
The letter ended with one sentence underlined twice.
If something happens, do not let them call it bad luck.
Laura covered her mouth.
"The company said a cable failed," Ethan said.
"That's what the report said."
"Did you ever see this?"
"No. I knew about the envelope, but I didn't know what was inside."
Ethan held up the flash drive.
"Do we have a computer that can open it?"
Laura shook her head. "Not ours. It's too old."
The next morning, Ethan brought it to Maya.
They sat in a corner of the library while the librarian shelved books twenty feet away.
"You sure?" Maya asked.
"No."
"Good answer."
She plugged it into her laptop.
Four folders appeared.
INSPECTIONS.
EMAILS.
PHOTOS.
WHITMORE.
Before they could open anything, the library door swung wide.
Mason entered with Blake.
Ethan slammed the laptop shut.
Mason looked from Ethan to Maya.
"You two are spending a lot of time together."
"Go away," Maya said.
Mason ignored her.
His eyes settled on the silver watch at Ethan's wrist.
"Still wearing trash."
Ethan stood.
"Still needing three people behind you before you talk?"
Blake moved forward.
Mason lifted one hand and stopped him.
Then he smiled.
"My mother says your mom called the police."
Ethan said nothing.
"Bad move."
"Why?"
Mason leaned close enough that only Ethan could hear.
"Because people who cause problems here don't stay here."
He turned to leave.
Then his eyes dropped to Maya's laptop bag.
A flash of recognition crossed his face.
"What's on the computer?"
Maya's hand tightened around the strap.
"Homework."
Mason stared at her.
"Then you won't mind showing me."
He reached for the bag.
May you like
Ethan stepped between them.
And the library doors locked with a loud electronic click.
