Chapter 3 - The Signature That Wasn't Mine
Nathan photographed every document on Rebecca's table.
Then he called the one person he trusted with his company's cybersecurity.
"I need you to verify a digital signature. Quietly."
Maya Chen, Archer Holdings' security director, did not ask why.
"Send it."
Thirty minutes later, her answer came back.
"It's yours."
Nathan nearly dropped the phone.
Rebecca folded her arms.
"There."
"No. Listen."
Maya continued.
"The certificate is tied to your executive credential. But the signing event is strange. The timestamp says 11:42 a.m. on March 18, seven years ago."
Nathan knew the date.
Rebecca's funeral.
At 11:42 that morning, he had been standing beside an empty casket while his mother held his arm.
"Can someone fake that?"
"Not easily. But someone with access to the internal credential server could have duplicated your certificate."
"Who had that access?"
"Back then? Three people. You. Your father. And Graham."
Graham Archer.
Nathan's older brother.
Current chairman of the Archer Foundation.
The man who had handled nearly every legal problem while Nathan disappeared into grief.
Rebecca saw his expression.
"What?"
"My brother had access."
"Graham?"
She looked genuinely shocked.
That mattered.
Nathan had assumed Rebecca suspected the entire family. Apparently not.
His phone rang before he could ask more.
MARGARET ARCHER.
His mother.
Nathan almost ignored it.
Then he answered.
"Hello."
Margaret's voice was controlled.
"Where are you?"
"Why?"
"Your office said you canceled everything after lunch."
"I did."
A pause.
"Nathan, did something happen?"
He looked at Rebecca.
"I found someone I thought was dead."
Silence.
Not confusion.
Not shock.
Silence.
Nathan stood.
"Mom?"
Her breath changed.
"Where is Rebecca?"
Rebecca's face went white.
Nathan's grip tightened around the phone.
"You knew."
"Nathan, listen to me carefully."
"You knew she was alive."
"Do not bring her to the house."
"Why?"
His mother's voice dropped.
"Because if Graham learns Rebecca is alive, none of you will make it through the night safely."
The call ended.
Rebecca stared at him.
"She knew."
Nathan lowered the phone.
"Yes."
Rebecca's eyes shifted to the window.
"Then we need to get Lucy. Now."
They were halfway down the stairs when Rebecca's phone buzzed.
A picture message.
Lucy standing beside the neighbor in the park.
Taken from across the street.
Under the image were five words.
WE KNOW NATHAN FOUND YOU.
---
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