Mara reached into her coat.
Holt immediately raised his hand.
“Don't.”
She stopped.
“I wasn't reaching for a weapon.”
“I know.”
“You're afraid of what's on my phone.”
Holt's eyes narrowed.
Stephen looked between them.
“What did she record?”
Mara looked at Jonathan.
He gave the smallest nod.
She pressed play.
The farmhouse filled with Stephen's voice.
*Thomas will disappear tonight. Eleanor will believe the plan worked.**
Stephen went rigid.
The recording continued.
Jonathan's voice followed.
Then Eleanor's.
Then Stephen again.
No one spoke until the audio ended.
Holt looked at Stephen.
“You told me that recording was destroyed.”
Stephen's face went pale.
“I thought it was.”
Mara smiled.
That was the first truly honest reaction she had seen from either man.
“You didn't destroy it.”
Holt turned toward her.
“Give me the phone.”
“No.”
“You don't understand what you're holding.”
“I understand enough.”
Holt stepped closer.
Jonathan moved beside Mara.
“Captain.”
Holt looked at him.
“You've made this worse.”
Jonathan replied calmly.
“No. You did that six years ago.”
Daniel moved toward the back door.
Mara noticed.
He whispered, “The workshop.”
She understood immediately.
The second ledger.
If the recording bought them even a few minutes, Daniel could retrieve it.
Mara looked at Thomas.
He understood too.
“Go,” he whispered.
Daniel slipped away.
Stephen noticed movement.
“Where is he going?”
Mara stepped in front of him.
“You're not interested in Daniel.”
Stephen stared at her.
“You don't know what I'm interested in.”
“I know you used his identity.”
Stephen's expression changed.
“You found the ledger.”
“Not yet.”
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Stephen smiled.
“There is no second ledger.”
Mara watched his face.
That was the confirmation she needed.
“There is.”
Stephen realized his mistake.
Holt looked at him.
“You told me it was gone.”
Stephen shook his head.
“I thought it was.”
Mara stepped back.
“So both of you have been lying to each other.”
Holt's attention returned to her.
“Where is it?”
Mara said nothing.
The captain walked closer.
“You think you have leverage.”
“I do.”
“You don't.”
He pointed toward the phone.
“That recording can be dismissed as incomplete.”
Mara's heart sank.
He was right.
Without the missing portion, the recording proved something had been discussed, but not everything.
Then Jonathan spoke.
“Not if I testify.”
Holt looked at him.
Jonathan continued.
“I witnessed the arrangement.”
Holt's face hardened.
“You were involved.”
“Yes.”
“And you falsified the records.”
“Yes.”
“So you'll go down too.”
Jonathan nodded.
“If necessary.”
Mara looked at him.
For years, she had thought Jonathan was simply the attorney who had helped her mother with paperwork.
Now she understood that he had carried guilt all these years.
He had helped create the lie.
He had also been trying to undo it.
Outside, Daniel's footsteps sounded.
He returned carrying an old metal box.
Stephen's eyes widened.
“Where did you get that?”
Daniel placed it on the table.
“Your workshop.”
Stephen lunged.
Thomas blocked him.
They collided hard against the kitchen wall.
Eleanor shouted.
Mara grabbed the box.
Stephen shoved Thomas aside.
Mara ran.
She locked herself inside the pantry.
Stephen slammed against the door.
“Open it!”
Mara backed away.
She looked at the box.
The latch was already broken.
Inside lay a black ledger.
Several envelopes.
And a photograph.
Mara picked up the photograph.
It showed Stephen, Holt and a third man.
The third man was her father's physician.
On the back was a date.
The night Thomas supposedly died.
Mara's hands shook.
She opened the ledger.
The first pages contained payments.
Then names.
Then coded initials.
Near the middle was one entry that made her stop.
*T.B. — hospital substitution approved.**
Thomas had not died.
Someone had substituted another patient.
Mara stared at the words.
The door shook again.
“Open this door!”
She ignored him.
The final page contained one sentence.
*Eleanor knows where the original evidence is hidden.**
Mara looked toward her mother.
Eleanor stood outside the pantry.
Their eyes met through the narrow glass panel.
Mara unlocked the door.
“Mom.”
Eleanor's face collapsed.
“You found it.”
“What original evidence?”
Her mother closed her eyes.
“The thing your father spent six years trying to protect.”
Click here to continue reading: PART 15: Eleanor Finally Told Mara What Had Been Hidden From Her, and the Truth Was Worse Than a Forged Death Certificate
The Key Turned in the Lock, and the Woman Behind the Door Knew Exactly Who Had Betrayed Her
Part 14 of 20
