Mara stood in the doorway with the ledger pressed against her side.
The police captain remained beside the black car, one hand resting casually on its roof. He was older than she remembered, but the face was unmistakable.
Captain Adrian Holt.
He had stood beside Mara at her father's funeral.
He had placed a hand on her shoulder while she cried.
Now he was looking at her as though she were a problem that had finally become inconvenient.
Stephen Cross stepped onto the porch.
“You shouldn't have called him,” Mara said.
Stephen smiled.
“I didn't.”
Mara glanced toward the captain.
“No. But he came anyway.”
Thomas appeared behind her.
Holt's expression changed when he saw him.
For the first time, the captain looked uncertain.
“Thomas.”
Thomas said nothing.
Stephen turned toward him.
“You're supposed to be dead.”
Thomas answered quietly.
“So are a lot of people in your records.”
The two men stared at each other.
Daniel stood behind Mara, close enough that she could feel the tension coming off him.
Eleanor remained inside.
Jonathan had moved toward the kitchen counter, where he quietly switched on a small recorder.
Mara noticed.
She said nothing.
Stephen stepped closer.
“Where's the second ledger?”
Mara held up the black notebook.
“This one isn't enough for you?”
“You know exactly what I mean.”
“So you admit there is another.”
Stephen's smile disappeared.
Holt walked onto the porch.
“Enough.”
Mara looked at him.
“Enough for whom?”
“For everyone.”
She almost laughed.
“You've known my father was alive for six years.”
Holt didn't deny it.
“Yes.”
“And you helped falsify his death.”
“I helped prevent his murder.”
Mara stared.
“That is not what the paperwork says.”
Holt's jaw tightened.
“Your father was involved with dangerous people.”
“My father was investigating criminals.”
“He was also hiding evidence.”
“Because you were one of them.”
The captain's eyes hardened.
Stephen looked at him.
“This is getting out of control.”
Mara saw the exchange.
Tiny.
Almost invisible.
But revealing.
Stephen wasn't afraid of Holt.
He expected Holt to protect him.
That meant Holt had been involved from the beginning.
Mara stepped backward into the house.
“If you want the ledger, come inside.”
Holt stopped Stephen with one hand.
“No.”
Stephen frowned.
“Why?”
“Because she's trying to make us all gather in one place.”
Mara smiled.
“That would be exactly what I'd want if I were afraid of you.”
Holt looked at her carefully.
“You've changed.”
“I had to.”
He glanced at Thomas.
“You should have left her out of this.”
Thomas stepped forward.
“You left her in it the moment you used her mother's house.”
Holt's expression hardened.
“That house was collateral.”
“For what?”
“The money.”
Mara's attention sharpened.
“What money?”
Stephen looked irritated.
Holt realized his mistake.
Mara stepped closer.
“You just admitted there was money.”
Holt said nothing.
“Who was it for?”
Still nothing.
Mara looked at the recorder Jonathan had hidden.
She knew Holt had not noticed it.
Neither had Stephen.
She needed them talking.
“Was it my father's money?”
Holt finally answered.
“No.”
“Then whose?”
“Your mother's.”
Eleanor appeared in the doorway.
“That money was never mine.”
Holt looked at her.
Eleanor's face had gone pale.
“You promised me,” she said.
Holt shook his head.
“I promised to keep your daughter alive.”
“You promised to keep Thomas safe.”
“And I did.”
Thomas stepped beside Eleanor.
“You kept me hidden while you emptied her accounts.”
Holt's expression remained cold.
“That was necessary.”
“No,” Thomas said. “It was convenient.”
Stephen suddenly looked toward the road.
Mara noticed.
A second vehicle was approaching.
Stephen stepped down from the porch.
“Who's that?”
Holt turned.
The vehicle stopped near the farmhouse.
Two plainclothes officers got out.
Mara's stomach tightened.
Holt had brought backup.
Jonathan whispered, “We need to move.”
Mara shook her head.
“No.”
She raised her voice.
“Captain, if you came for the ledger, you should know one thing.”
Holt looked at her.
“What?”
“I already sent copies.”
Silence.
Stephen's face changed.
“To whom?”
Mara held his gaze.
“Everyone.”
It was a lie.
But it worked.
Stephen took one step backward.
Holt stared at her.
Then his eyes moved toward Jonathan.
Jonathan said nothing.
Holt's hand slowly dropped toward his belt.
Mara realized the negotiation was over.
And she had only seconds to decide whether to run or expose the recording.
Click here to continue reading: PART 14: The First Gunshot Never Came, Because Mara Revealed the Recording Before the Captain Could Decide How Far He Would Go
The Key Turned in the Lock, and the Woman Behind the Door Knew Exactly Who Had Betrayed Her
Part 13 of 20
