3. Melissa

CHAPTER 3

MELISSA

LONDON - THURSDAY – THE BIOLOGICAL

L eaving Fitzpatrick your uncle is a complete psychopath. Although we share the same father and were business partners, I never trusted or liked him.

Over the years, he manipulated me into dangerous situations but avoided risk himself. He was behind the deaths of my sister Leona and her daughter Clara, who were killed for his associates' amusement. Apart from my parents, they were the only people I have ever cared for in my life. So, after discovering this, I swore to avenge their deaths. That's where you come in.

The key is to a safety deposit box at the branch of the bank where an account has been opened in your name. When you see the contents, you will understand why it is crucial that he is stopped.

You will need to get the evidence to do that. Inside the box is everything you need to know about him so that you can obtain the information required to ensure his downfall. I trust you to handle this because of your inherent morality, which neither I nor any of my associates possess.

Utilise your skills to retrieve this information and pass it to the National Crime Unit. Find a trustworthy contact there that cannot be easily bought off. Your uncle is a prominent figure and will do everything he can to protect himself and his reputation.

The money I sent is to help keep you safe. Although I never knew you, you are my daughter and so, I do not want you to suffer the same fate as Leona and Clara.

I know if anyone can do this, you can. Be cautious. He is a very dangerous man. He should not be underestimated, and if he becomes aware of your existence, he will come after you on the off chance that you know too much.

Aiden Mathieson

Disappointment filled me. The letter was impersonal. I wasn't sure what I had expected, but not that. Despite never caring who he was before, I couldn't help but wonder about him now. Oliver Martin would always be my real dad to me, and he was the best, but he was gone now, and it would have been nice to have known how my biological father had felt about me since he was obviously gone now too. However, it didn't seem like he'd felt anything.

Puffing out a breath, I shook my head. I didn't know what to think about this.

My biological father admitted to being a bad person and said my uncle was a psychopath that wanted me to bring down. What the hell had he got me into?

Well, I would not get involved. They could both go to hell. I didn't want any trouble.

However, that night as I lay in bed, sleep eluded me yet again and I lay there thinking about the contents of the letter. My agitation made me restless. My mind was all over the place as I stared into the dark for hours, tossing and turning, unable to calm my thoughts. I was having a hard time processing things.

Who was this uncle of mine and had he really killed his half-sister and her daughter? What kind of person would do that? I didn't know these women, but guilt tugged at me. I really didn't want to be involved in any of this, but if it was true, could I really ignore things and not do anything about it?

"Aargh!"

Frustrated, I flicked the light back on, picked the letter up and read it yet again. The first time I'd read it, my feelings were mixed with hurt and disappointment at how impersonal it was. The second time, I was filled with shock. This time, I was bloody pissed.

"Fucking arsehole!" I scrunched the letter up and threw it across the room.

How dare this man put me in such a dangerous position? Why would he do that?

Of course, I could simply ignore the letter and never open the safety deposit box, like I initially thought. That was what I would prefer to do. After all, I didn't owe the guy anything. But from what the letter said, it looked like I could be in danger whether I went to the bank and opened the safety deposit box or not.

Raking my hand through my hair, I frowned. The air was cool, and I shivered. Rubbing my tired eyes, I climbed back into bed and pulled the covers up around my neck.

Maybe if I went and opened the box, there would be enough information to hand straight over to the authorities and be done with it. I'd let them decide how to proceed. Nodding my head, I decided that was what I would do.

First thing in the morning, I would go to the bank where the money had been transferred and open that bloody box, find out what the hell all of this was about, then pass the information on.

Hopefully, I could hand it all over to the police and forget about it. They could do what they liked about it. That was as far as I was willing to go. I wouldn't put myself in danger to get any further information, no matter what my biological father suggested.

With that decision came relief and I finally relaxed enough to fall asleep.