Maya gripped the doorframe. The man standing outside her apartment wore a charcoal suit, polished brown shoes, and an expression too serious for an ordinary delivery. His briefcase was wet from the rain. Behind him, the hallway lights flickered above peeling wallpaper, reminding Maya how far her little apartment was from the kind of place where men like him usually conducted business.
"My name is Adrian Wells," he said. "I'm an attorney."
Maya stared at him.
"Is Thomas dead?"
Adrian looked surprised.
"No. He's alive. But he's in the hospital."
Maya felt a wave of relief.
"What happened?"
"He collapsed near the old textile warehouse yesterday afternoon. Someone called an ambulance."
She remembered his trembling hands, the torn coat, and the way he'd hurried away after mentioning her mother. She should have tried harder to help him find shelter. Instead, she'd spent the past three days searching for work, worrying about rent, and trying unsuccessfully to understand the silver button he left behind.
"Is he going to be okay?"
"The doctors believe he can recover, but he needs treatment and rest."
Adrian opened his briefcase.
"Mr. Ward asked me to give you this letter before you visit him."
Maya accepted a sealed envelope. Her name appeared across the front in careful, unfamiliar handwriting.
Inside was a single page.
Dear Maya,
If you're reading this, I finally found the courage to tell someone what happened to your mother. I have carried the truth for eleven years, but shame has a way of making cowards out of men who once believed they were brave.
Please don't trust anyone who tells you the Bellhaven factory closed because of ordinary financial problems. Your mother discovered something that could have saved dozens of families from losing their homes.
I should have stood beside her.
Instead, I remained silent.
Thomas Ward.
Maya read the words twice.
Her mother died from complications of an illness shortly after the factory closed. The official explanation was simple: the business failed, hundreds of workers lost their jobs, and Evelyn spent her final months searching for employment while receiving medical treatment.
There had never been any mention of hidden evidence.
"Who is Thomas Ward?" Maya asked.
Adrian hesitated.
"He was the former chairman of Bellhaven Textile."
Maya looked up sharply.
"The company that fired my mother?"
"Yes."
"Then why was he searching through garbage?"
Adrian closed his briefcase.
"Because he lost nearly everything after attempting to challenge the people who took over the company."
Maya stared at the letter.
"Who took over?"
Adrian met her eyes.
"The same development group trying to buy your apartment building."