Chapter 6 – A Witness Becomes the Target
Emily agreed to meet Daniel—but only at the police station.
Ryan approved immediately.
"If someone tried to kill Daniel Mercer, the only eyewitness is now the most dangerous person alive."
Inside the interview room, Daniel stood as Emily entered.
For several seconds neither of them spoke.
Finally, Daniel broke the silence.
"You saved my life."
Emily shook her head.
"I just reacted."
"No."
He looked at the stitches on her forehead.
"You risked yours."
Emily smiled faintly.
"I've seen people ignore warning signs before."
Daniel hesitated.
"What do you mean?"
Emily reached into her bag and removed an old newspaper clipping.
Ryan leaned closer.
The headline was nearly ten years old.
LOCAL CHEMIST FOUND DEAD. ACCIDENT SUSPECTED.
"That's my father," Emily said quietly.
"He was a toxicologist."
Daniel frowned.
"What does that have to do with this?"
Emily swallowed.
"He believed someone was testing rare poisons that standard labs couldn't detect."
Ryan's eyes narrowed.
"He told the police."
"They dismissed him."
"A month later..."
Emily's voice nearly broke.
"He died."
Everyone in the room fell silent.
Ryan carefully picked up the clipping.
On the bottom corner was a handwritten note.
If anything happens to me... trust no one wearing the badge or the suit.
Ryan looked up slowly.
"You think your father's death wasn't an accident."
Emily nodded.
"I know it wasn't."
At that exact moment, Ryan's phone rang.
His face hardened as he listened.
"What?"
He stood abruptly.
"When?"
The room went still.
Ryan ended the call and looked at both of them.
"The forensic lab was just attacked."
He took a slow breath.
May you like
"The poisoned olive..."
"...is gone."
