Chapter 5 - THE MESSAGE FROM THE PAST
Laurel received an unexpected letter.
It arrived through Hannah's office.
There was no return address.
Inside was a photograph.
The photograph showed Beckett and Pierce standing beside a warehouse.
Between them stood a younger man Laurel recognized immediately.
Her brother.
Daniel Mercer.
Daniel had disappeared eight years earlier.
He had worked briefly for one of Beckett's shipping companies.
Then he vanished.
Beckett told Laurel that Daniel had stolen money and fled the country.
Laurel had never believed it.
She stared at the photograph.
On the back, someone had written:
Ask Pierce what happened at Dock 17.
Laurel felt her stomach tighten.
She called Hannah.
“I need to show you something.”
When Evelyn examined the photograph, her expression changed.
“Where did you get this?”
“It came in the mail.”
Evelyn studied the image.
“Dock 17 was part of an old federal investigation.”
Laurel looked up.
“What investigation?”
“Illegal shipments. Missing cargo. Several unexplained disappearances.”
Laurel felt cold.
“Was my brother involved?”
Evelyn hesitated.
“Possibly.”
Laurel looked toward the window.
For years, she had believed Daniel had abandoned her.
Now she wondered whether he had ever been allowed to leave.
She turned back to Evelyn.
“I want to know what happened.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Then we proceed carefully.”
Laurel folded the photograph.
May you like
Her marriage had ended.
But the truth about her family was only beginning to emerge.
