Matthew sat motionless.<\/p>\n
I waited.<\/p>\n
For years, I had wanted answers about Anthony's final days.<\/p>\n
Now that they were finally within reach, I wasn't sure I was ready to hear them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho was there?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
Matthew looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cCole.\u201d<\/p>\n
I closed my eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone else?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
He hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrandpa.\u201d<\/p>\n
I opened my eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour grandfather?\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was there before he died.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat isn't possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe died years before Dad.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen what are you saying?\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew looked down.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean his people.\u201d<\/p>\n
I understood.<\/p>\n
Not my father.<\/p>\n
The men who had worked with him.<\/p>\n
The people who had inherited the system.<\/p>\n
The people Anthony had been fighting.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell me exactly what you know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew rubbed his hands together.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad discovered the money transfers.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe found the original ledger.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart jumped.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen how do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore he got sick.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did he say?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said the ledger could destroy everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone connected to the properties.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCole?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOthers?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNames?\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never saw the full list.\u201d<\/p>\n
I leaned back.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why did you help Cole?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause he promised me something.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cProtection.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Lily.\u201d<\/p>\n
My anger faltered.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did he threaten?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPaula.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said he could take Lily away permanently.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew's voice broke.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought I could control him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou couldn't.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI became exactly what Dad warned me not to become.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did he warn you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat once you start lying for them, you stop knowing which lies are yours.\u201d<\/p>\n
I remembered Anthony's recording.<\/p>\n
Matthew is not the beginning.<\/p>\n
He is the consequence.<\/p>\n
The words suddenly made sense.<\/p>\n
Anthony had known his son was being pulled into the same machinery.<\/p>\n
Maybe he had tried to stop it.<\/p>\n
Maybe he had failed.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell me about the last night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew took a breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad was at home.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWillow Creek?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had the ledger.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told me he did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCole came.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith someone else?\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn older man.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid Dad know him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWas he one of Grandpa's associates?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think so.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew looked at the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad confronted them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout the ledger?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told them he would expose everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey threatened Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n
I froze.<\/p>\n
\u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDad agreed to give them the house.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo he did make a deal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he hid the original ledger first.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy did he tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause he wanted me to protect you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why did you betray him?\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew's eyes filled.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I was scared.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked away.<\/p>\n
There was no excuse.<\/p>\n
But there was a reason.<\/p>\n
Sometimes those were not the same thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened after that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDad went to the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had been poisoned.\u201d<\/p>\n
My body went cold.<\/p>\n
\u201cPoisoned?\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know what they used.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you see it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho told you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCole.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo Cole could be lying.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen we need proof.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad left one.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA recording.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart stopped.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe gave it to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew looked toward the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hid it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the house.\u201d<\/p>\n
My pulse quickened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the old clock.\u201d<\/p>\n
I knew the clock.<\/p>\n
It had belonged to Anthony's parents.<\/p>\n
It had stopped years ago.<\/p>\n
We returned to Willow Creek under police escort.<\/p>\n
The clock stood in the hallway.<\/p>\n
I had passed it thousands of times.<\/p>\n
Matthew pointed.<\/p>\n
\u201cBehind the face.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul removed the wooden panel.<\/p>\n
A small recorder was taped inside.<\/p>\n
Sarah took it.<\/p>\n
We played it.<\/p>\n
Anthony's voice filled the hallway.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you're hearing this, then the agreement failed.\u201d<\/p>\n
I closed my eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI couldn't trust the people around me. I couldn't even trust my own son.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew looked down.<\/p>\n
The recording continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Matthew is not beyond saving.\u201d<\/p>\n
My son began to cry.<\/p>\n
Anthony's voice softened.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe believes he can protect his family by becoming useful to dangerous people.\u201d<\/p>\n
A pause.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew covered his face.<\/p>\n
I reached for him.<\/p>\n
Then stopped.<\/p>\n
I wasn't ready to forgive him.<\/p>\n
But I couldn't pretend he meant nothing to me.<\/p>\n
Anthony continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ledger is beneath the house.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sarah looked at me.<\/p>\n
The recording confirmed it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe entrance is marked by the black square.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart raced.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou must open it with the red key.\u201d<\/p>\n
I remembered the key.<\/p>\n
17.<\/p>\n
But the recording continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ledger is not the only thing beneath the house.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone went silent.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a second room.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anthony's voice dropped.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Evelyn survived, that is where she would have gone.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stopped breathing.<\/p>\n
Evelyn.<\/p>\n
Alive?<\/p>\n
The recording continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe she survived.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ella covered her mouth.<\/p>\n
Jonah stood motionless.<\/p>\n
Anthony said one final thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cFind her before Cole does.\u201d<\/p>\n
The recording ended.<\/p>\n
Nobody moved.<\/p>\n
Then Lily spoke from the doorway.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrandma?\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned.<\/p>\n
She was holding something.<\/p>\n
A small red key.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere did you get that?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked at Matthew.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe gave it to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at my son.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore the airport.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew looked at Lily.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I knew I might not be able to protect her.\u201d<\/p>\n
I took the key.<\/p>\n
It was warm from her hand.<\/p>\n
The number 17 was stamped on it.<\/p>\n
We returned to the cellar.<\/p>\n
The black square was still visible beneath the floor.<\/p>\n
This time, the key fit.<\/p>\n
The panel opened.<\/p>\n
A narrow stairway descended into darkness.<\/p>\n
Sarah reached for her flashlight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI go first.\u201d<\/p>\n
We followed.<\/p>\n
The stairs ended at a stone room.<\/p>\n
At the center was a wooden table.<\/p>\n
On it sat the original ledger.<\/p>\n
Beside it was a red scarf.<\/p>\n
And beside the scarf was a photograph.<\/p>\n
A woman stood in the picture.<\/p>\n
Older than the young Evelyn from the letters.<\/p>\n
Gray hair.<\/p>\n
Same eyes.<\/p>\n
Same face.<\/p>\n
On the back was written:<\/p>\n
I waited.<\/p>\n
Ella began to cry.<\/p>\n
Jonah whispered, \u201cShe's alive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then we heard a sound behind the wall.<\/p>\n
Three slow knocks.<\/p>\n
Everyone froze.<\/p>\n
Another three.<\/p>\n
I looked at the photograph.<\/p>\n
Then at the hidden door.<\/p>\n
Sarah whispered, \u201cThere's someone in there.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stepped forward.<\/p>\n
My hand touched the stone.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvelyn?\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence.<\/p>\n
Then a woman's voice answered.<\/p>\n
Weak.<\/p>\n
Old.<\/p>\n
But unmistakably alive.<\/p>\n
\u201cMara?\u201d<\/p>\n
I couldn't breathe.<\/p>\n
Ella grabbed my arm.<\/p>\n
Jonah stepped closer.<\/p>\n
For decades, our family had believed a woman had disappeared.<\/p>\n
For decades, the truth had been buried beneath the house.<\/p>\n
Now the wall stood between us and the person who had started everything.<\/p>\n
I turned toward Sarah.<\/p>\n
\u201cOpen it.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked at the police officer.<\/p>\n
He examined the door.<\/p>\n
There was no handle.<\/p>\n
Only another black square.<\/p>\n
I placed the red key against it.<\/p>\n
The lock clicked.<\/p>\n
The hidden door began to open.<\/p>\n
Matthew sat motionless. I waited. For years, I had wanted answers about Anthony's final days. Now that they were finally within reach, I wasn't sure I was ready to hear … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16167,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insightdrama"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16179"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16179\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16206,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16179\/revisions\/16206"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}