My Darlings,
I hope this letter finds you safe and well. I pray it reaches you without delay, because there are things I need you to understand—things I want to make absolutely clear.
After everything that's happened recently, I want to reassure you beyond any doubt that I am still alive. Yes, still breathing, still fighting, and still holding on. Please, don't believe everything the media tries to feed you—they often twist the truth to suit their own stories. But here, from me, you have the truth.
I don't blame you for worrying. If I were in your shoes, I would be scared too. But let me be clear: a mere gunshot wound will not stop me. It was nothing more than a painful reminder that I'm walking on thin ice, but I'm not out of the game yet. Unfortunately, I never saw the person who shot me. Had I caught sight of them, I promise you, they would have paid the price.
It's hard to believe another month has already passed since I last wrote. Time moves strangely in this kind of life—sometimes it feels endless, other times it slips away like sand through your fingers. I hope you both are doing well, making the most of each day, and spending every single penny I send your way wisely. You deserve that much, and more.
Know this: I love you both more than words can express. Not a single day goes by that I don't think about you, wonder what you're doing, hope you're safe, and dream about the moment when we'll all be together again. How I wish things were different... how I wish I could hold you close without this shadow hanging over us.
I won't tell you where I am—that's a secret I have to keep for your safety and mine. But I can say this: I'm holding up. As long as I can keep my beautiful wife and our precious daughter safe, nothing else matters. The truth is, I've feared the worst more than once. I know I'm being followed, watched, maybe even hunted. But don't you worry—because I know what I'm doing. I didn't earn the nickname 'Rabid Bull Eye' for nothing.
When the time comes—because it will come—when my cover is blown and I can no longer protect you directly, I want you to be ready. I can't shield you from everything, but I have plans. I've pulled strings, made arrangements. Within the next month, you will have new neighbours. Powerful neighbours. A man of great influence, with three sons. How do I know? One of those sons works for me. Which one? That, my darlings, is not something I can tell you. It would complicate things too much.
Remember this: even though one of them is an informant for me, you must never approach or associate with any of those sons—especially you, Maggie. They are dangerous people. The worst kind. Keep your distance. I beg you, don't speak to them, don't get involved, and act as if you know nothing at all.
My love for you both cuts deeper than any wound. I pray every night that one day soon, this nightmare will end, and we will be reunited to live a long, peaceful, and happy life together. Until then, stay safe. Stay strong.
I will write again next month.
All my love,
Dad.
P.S. Maggie, your lesson this month is Self-Defence. Vince will pick you up every day after school. Under no circumstances are you to miss a single session. This is important—don't forget it.