Chapter 5

Chapter Five: The Man at the Door

Nora could not move.

The man stood in the hallway with the photograph still in his hand.

He looked nothing like the image her frightened mind had expected. He was perhaps in his early forties, dressed in a dark coat that was wet from the rain outside. His face was calm, almost ordinary, but there was something unsettling about the way he looked at her.

Not at Lucas.

Not at Daniel.

At her.

As though he had been waiting years for this exact moment.

Nora's mother gripped the edge of the dresser.

“Graham,” Evelyn whispered.

The man's smile disappeared.

“You remember me,” he said.

Nora looked at her mother.

“Who is he?”

Evelyn did not answer.

Nora looked back at the stranger.

“Who are you?”

The man lifted the photograph slightly.

“My name is Graham Vale.”

Lucas moved in front of Nora.

“Put the photograph down, Graham.”

Graham looked at him.

“You still play the protector.”

Lucas's jaw tightened.

“You need to leave.”

“I would have,” Graham replied calmly, “if you had not brought her back to this house.”

Daniel stepped forward.

“How did you get inside?”

Graham glanced at him.

“The same way the others did.”

Daniel's face hardened.

“There were others?”

Graham smiled faintly.

“You really should stop asking questions when you already know the answers.”

Nora looked from one man to the other.

“What is happening?”

Nobody answered.

Her frustration exploded.

“What is happening?”

Graham's eyes returned to her.

“You really do not remember anything, do you?”

Nora felt a chill.

“No.”

Graham studied her for several seconds.

“That is unfortunate.”

Lucas took another step toward him.

“Leave.”

Graham ignored him.

Instead, he held the photograph toward Nora.

“Your father took this picture because he knew somebody was going to betray him.”

Nora stared at the photograph.

“Who?”

Graham smiled again.

“That is what you were supposed to find out.”

Nora's heart began pounding.

“What does that mean?”

“It means your father trusted the wrong people.”

Lucas spoke sharply.

“You have said enough.”

Graham finally looked at him.

“You are the last person who should decide what she is allowed to know.”

Nora turned toward Lucas.

“What does he mean?”

Lucas did not answer.

Graham laughed quietly.

“You still have not told her.”

“Tell me what?” Nora demanded.

Graham's expression became serious.

“Ask him why he was really with your father that night.”

Nora looked at Lucas.

“Why were you there?”

Lucas met her eyes.

“Your father asked me to come.”

“Why?”

“He needed help.”

“With what?”

Lucas hesitated.

“Finding the person who had been stealing from his company.”

Graham interrupted.

“That is not why he called you.”

Lucas turned toward him.

“You were not there.”

“I was close enough.”

“You do not know what happened.”

“I know more than you think.”

Nora stepped between them.

“Enough.”

Both men stopped.

She looked at Lucas.

“Did my father trust you?”

“Yes,” Lucas said.

“Did I trust you?”

Lucas swallowed.

“Yes.”

“Then why does everyone keep talking as though you were responsible for what happened?”

Lucas did not answer immediately.

Finally, he said, “Because I made mistakes.”

“What mistakes?”

“I should have protected you better.”

Nora shook her head.

“That is not an answer.”

“No,” Lucas admitted. “It is not.”

Graham stepped forward.

“You want the truth?”

Nora looked at him.

“Yes.”

“Then ask your mother what happened after the gunshot.”

Evelyn closed her eyes.

Nora turned toward her.

“Mum?”

Evelyn's voice trembled.

“I do not want to talk about that night.”

“You have to.”

“Nora, please.”

“No.”

She walked closer to her mother.

“You told me you were not responsible for Dad's death.”

“I am not.”

“Then what happened after the gunshot?”

Evelyn looked at Graham.

He gave her a cold smile.

“You can tell her,” Graham said. “Or I can.”

Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.

“Your father was still alive.”

Nora stopped.

“What?”

“After the shooting, your father was still alive.”

Nora looked at Lucas.

He nodded slowly.

“He was conscious,” Lucas said.

“What did he say?”

Evelyn covered her mouth.

Lucas answered.

“He asked me to take care of you.”

Nora's chest tightened.

“Why?”

“He knew he was dying.”

“Did he say who shot him?”

Lucas hesitated.

“Yes.”

Nora waited.

“Who?”

Lucas looked at her.

“He said your name.”

The room went silent.

Nora shook her head.

“No.”

“That is what he said.”

“He was injured.”

“I know.”

“He could have been confused.”

“I know.”

“Then why do you believe him?”

Lucas's expression was full of pain.

“Because he said something else.”

“What?”

“He told me not to let you remember.”

Nora stepped backward.

The same words again.

The same promise.

The same missing year.

Everything seemed to circle back to the same night.

Graham folded his arms.

“Your father knew what was coming.”

Nora looked at him.

“What was coming?”

Graham smiled.

“You.”

Nora stared at him.

“I do not understand.”

“You were not supposed to survive that night.”

Daniel suddenly stepped forward.

“Stop.”

Graham looked at him.

“You were there too, Daniel.”

Nora turned toward her brother.

“You were there?”

Daniel's face fell.

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“Outside.”

“You saw what happened?”

“I heard the gunshot.”

“Did you see me?”

Daniel looked down.

“Yes.”

Nora felt sick.

“What was I doing?”

Daniel struggled to speak.

“You were standing beside Dad.”

“Was I holding a gun?”

Daniel closed his eyes.

“I do not know.”

“You do know.”

“I saw something in your hand.”

Nora's heart raced.

“What?”

Daniel looked at her.

“I thought it was a gun.”

The room seemed to shrink around her.

Graham watched her carefully.

“Now you understand why your memory was taken from you.”

Nora looked at him.

“What do you mean?”

“You did not simply forget.”

Lucas's face tightened.

“Graham.”

“You were made to forget.”

Nora's eyes widened.

“By who?”

Graham looked toward Evelyn.

Her mother lowered her head.

Nora stared at her.

“Mum?”

Evelyn began to cry.

“I was trying to save you.”

“From who?”

“From yourself.”

Nora felt tears gathering in her eyes.

“You made me forget?”

Evelyn shook her head quickly.

“No. I could never do that to you.”

“Then who did?”

Nobody answered.

Graham slowly lifted the photograph.

“Your father knew what would happen.”

Nora looked at the photograph.

“Why do you have that?”

“Because your father gave it to me.”

Lucas stepped forward.

“That is impossible.”

Graham smiled.

“Is it?”

Lucas stared at him.

Graham turned the photograph over.

There was writing on the back.

He held it out so Nora could see.

Her father's handwriting was unmistakable.

If anything happens to me, trust the person Nora remembers last.

Nora read the sentence twice.

Then she looked at Graham.

“Who did I remember last?”

Graham's smile returned.

“Me.”

Lucas immediately shook his head.

“That is a lie.”

Graham ignored him.

“You knew me, Nora.”

She stared at him.

“I have never seen you before.”

“Yes, you have.”

“When?”

“On the night your father died.”

Nora felt another memory trying to surface.

A man's voice.

A flashlight.

Rain.

Someone saying her name.

Graham.

She closed her eyes.

The memory became stronger.

She was standing outside a car.

Her hands were shaking.

Someone was shouting.

Then she heard herself say a name.

“Graham.”

Nora opened her eyes.

Graham was watching her.

“You remember.”

She shook her head.

“I heard your name.”

“That is enough.”

Lucas moved toward Nora.

“Do not listen to him.”

Graham laughed.

“You are still afraid she will remember what you did.”

Lucas stopped.

Nora turned toward him.

“What did he mean?”

Lucas looked at her.

“Nora…”

“What did you do?”

“I made a mistake.”

“What mistake?”

Lucas looked away.

“I left you alone.”

“When?”

“After the shooting.”

Nora's heart sank.

“You left me?”

“I thought you were safe.”

“You thought?”

“I had to get your father help.”

“And you left me there?”

“Yes.”

“With the person who shot him?”

“I did not know who it was.”

Graham stepped closer.

“You knew.”

Lucas turned toward him.

“You were gone before I arrived.”

“I was there before you.”

“That is not possible.”

Graham smiled.

“Then perhaps you should ask Nora.”

Nora looked at him.

“What should I ask myself?”

“Who handed you the gun?”

Her heart stopped.

“What?”

Graham looked at Lucas.

“Tell her.”

Lucas said nothing.

Graham turned back toward Nora.

“You did not shoot your father.”

Nora stared at him.

“What?”

“You were holding the gun.”

Lucas looked at him sharply.

“But you did not pull the trigger.”

Nora's breathing slowed.

“Then who did?”

Graham's expression changed.

For the first time, there was no smile on his face.

“You did.”

Nora's eyes widened.

“You just said I did not.”

“I said you did not pull the trigger.”

“Then who did?”

Graham looked toward the hallway.

“Ask your mother.”

Everyone turned.

Evelyn was standing beside the window.

She was crying silently.

Nora walked toward her.

“Mum.”

Evelyn shook her head.

“Please.”

“Who pulled the trigger?”

Her mother closed her eyes.

“I did.”

Nora stopped.

The words seemed impossible.

“What?”

Evelyn opened her eyes.

“I pulled the trigger.”

Daniel looked down.

Lucas remained silent.

Nora stared at her mother.

“You killed Dad?”

“No.”

Evelyn's voice broke.

“I shot him.”

Nora could barely breathe.

“Why?”

Evelyn looked at her daughter.

“Because your father was about to kill you.”

The room went silent.

Nora shook her head.

“That is not possible.”

Evelyn walked toward her.

“Your father believed you had betrayed him.”

“What did I do?”

“He thought you had given his records to the people who were stealing from him.”

“I did not.”

“I know.”

“Then why did he think I did?”

Evelyn looked at Lucas.

“Because someone made him believe it.”

Nora turned toward Lucas.

“Who?”

Lucas's face became hard.

“The person we have been looking for all year.”

Graham laughed softly.

“You still do not know.”

Lucas looked at him.

Graham smiled.

“You never figured out who was behind it.”

Nora's voice trembled.

“Then who was it?”

Graham stepped toward the door.

“You are closer than you think.”

Lucas moved to stop him.

“Graham.”

Graham turned around.

“One day, Nora will remember everything.”

He looked directly at her.

“And when she does, she will finally understand why Lucas has been lying to her.”

Then he walked out.

Daniel rushed after him.

“Stop!”

The front door slammed.

Nora remained in the bedroom, staring at the empty hallway.

She turned toward Lucas.

“You said you loved me.”

Lucas nodded.

“I did.”

“Do you still?”

His eyes softened.

“Yes.”

“Then tell me the truth.”

Lucas looked at her for a long moment.

Then he said the one thing she had not expected.

“I was the person who gave you the gun.”

Nora's face went pale.

“What?”

Lucas swallowed.

“I put it in your hand that night.”

He looked at her with tears in his eyes.

“And I have regretted it every day since.”