Her eyes filled with shame.
“Nothing criminal. Graham was struggling with addiction three years ago. He disappeared for two days. I found him in a motel and brought him home. Nobody knows except my family.”
“How could this person know?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why did you tell me not to contact you?”
Rachel folded her arms tightly.
“Because the message arrived seconds after you called. Whoever sent it knew you were trying to reach me.”
A cold wave moved through my body.
That meant someone was watching both of us.
I asked Rachel to forward every message and photograph. She hesitated before agreeing.
“Please be careful, Lola,” she said. “This is not a rejected woman or some jealous stranger.”
“You think my father is involved?”
“I think someone close to him is.”
I wanted to defend him. Instead, I remembered how quickly he had become angry when I asked about his dates.
I left Rachel outside her office and drove to my father’s house.
He opened the door wearing an old sweatshirt and slippers. His hair was uncombed, and dark circles rested beneath his eyes.
“Rachel has not answered me,” he said. “Did I do something wrong?”
The pain in his voice sounded real.
I stepped inside without responding.
He followed me into the living room.
“Lola, what happened?”
“Someone threatened her.”
His face went still.
“What?”
I showed him the messages.
He read them slowly. His expression changed from confusion to fear.
“This happened after our date?”
“Yes.”
