The nursing facility stood at the edge of the city behind a row of tall cypress trees. It was the kind of place designed to disappear into its surroundings, quiet enough that nobody passing on the road would give it a second glance.<\/p>\n
Ruiz parked two buildings away.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe go in through the main entrance,\u201d she said. \u201cNo one separates. Celia, you stay between me and Denise.\u201d<\/p>\n
I held the ledger against my chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about Vaughn?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe isn't in that photograph.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked again at the picture on my phone.<\/p>\n
He was there.<\/p>\n
Hands free.<\/p>\n
Standing beside Evelyn.<\/p>\n
Patricia Holloway sat in the wheelchair between them.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe isn't being held,\u201d Denise said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe not.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruiz glanced at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLook at Vaughn's face.\u201d<\/p>\n
I enlarged the photograph.<\/p>\n
He wasn't smiling.<\/p>\n
He looked exhausted.<\/p>\n
His eyes were fixed on the camera.<\/p>\n
Not Evelyn.<\/p>\n
Not Patricia.<\/p>\n
The camera.<\/p>\n
Almost as if he knew someone would eventually see the photograph.<\/p>\n
Then I noticed something else.<\/p>\n
His left hand was behind the wheelchair.<\/p>\n
Two fingers were raised.<\/p>\n
A gesture.<\/p>\n
I didn't recognize it.<\/p>\n
Denise did.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat's not random.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father used that signal.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDanger.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at the photograph again.<\/p>\n
Two fingers.<\/p>\n
Behind the chair.<\/p>\n
Vaughn had been trying to tell us something.<\/p>\n
Ruiz called the facility.<\/p>\n
The receptionist confirmed that Patricia Holloway was a resident.<\/p>\n
She had been there for six years.<\/p>\n
\u201cSix years?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder what name?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPatricia Holloway.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHas anyone visited her today?\u201d<\/p>\n
The receptionist checked.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo visitors.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNames?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEvelyn Mercer and Vaughn Mercer.\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre they still there?\u201d<\/p>\n
A pause.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe so.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruiz showed her badge.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need access to the secured wing.\u201d<\/p>\n
The receptionist hesitated.<\/p>\n
Then nodded.<\/p>\n
The elevator took us to the second floor.<\/p>\n
The hallway was quiet.<\/p>\n
Too quiet.<\/p>\n
A nurse passed us pushing a medication cart.<\/p>\n
She smiled politely.<\/p>\n
Ruiz stopped her.<\/p>\n
\u201cPatricia Holloway?\u201d<\/p>\n
The nurse's smile disappeared.<\/p>\n
\u201cRoom 214.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs she alone?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe has visitors.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou do know.\u201d<\/p>\n
The nurse looked toward the end of the hallway.<\/p>\n
Then lowered her voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey told me not to interfere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruiz's expression hardened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho told you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAdministration.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhich administrator?\u201d<\/p>\n
The nurse didn't answer.<\/p>\n
A door slammed somewhere behind us.<\/p>\n
We turned.<\/p>\n
No one.<\/p>\n
Then the fire alarm sounded.<\/p>\n
The nurse jumped.<\/p>\n
Ruiz swore under her breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone stay together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Red lights began flashing.<\/p>\n
The hallway filled with confused voices.<\/p>\n
Patients were being moved toward the stairwell.<\/p>\n
In the confusion, a man in a maintenance uniform passed us carrying a toolbox.<\/p>\n
He looked at me.<\/p>\n
Then at the ledger.<\/p>\n
Then kept walking.<\/p>\n
I recognized him.<\/p>\n
Richard Sloan.<\/p>\n
The man arrested at Michelle's office.<\/p>\n
Except he was supposed to be in custody.<\/p>\n
\u201cRuiz.\u201d<\/p>\n
She turned.<\/p>\n
I pointed.<\/p>\n
The man disappeared around the corner.<\/p>\n
Ruiz ran.<\/p>\n
Two officers followed.<\/p>\n
We heard shouting.<\/p>\n
Then a crash.<\/p>\n
The alarm continued.<\/p>\n
Denise grabbed my arm.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't move.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI won't.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then a door opened.<\/p>\n
Room 214.<\/p>\n
Patricia Holloway rolled herself into the hallway.<\/p>\n
She was thinner than the woman in the photograph.<\/p>\n
Her gray hair was cropped close.<\/p>\n
Her face looked fragile.<\/p>\n
But her eyes were sharp.<\/p>\n
She looked directly at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have the ledger.\u201d<\/p>\n
I froze.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Evelyn told me you would.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is she?\u201d<\/p>\n
Patricia smiled sadly.<\/p>\n
\u201cStill trying to control everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere's my husband?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVaughn?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe's inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs he hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs he helping her?\u201d<\/p>\n
Patricia looked at Denise.<\/p>\n
Then back at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat depends on what you mean by helping.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fire alarm stopped.<\/p>\n
The hallway fell quiet.<\/p>\n
Ruiz returned with two officers.<\/p>\n
\u201cRichard Sloan escaped through the service stairwell.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patricia sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe always was good at running.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruiz looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTwenty years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruiz stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cRichard worked for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why was he working for Harvest?\u201d<\/p>\n
Patricia laughed softly.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Harvest was never a company.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat was it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA collection of frightened people who learned that fear could be turned into money.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stepped closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho created it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Patricia looked at the ledger.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour mother discovered the truth before any of you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTell me the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Evelyn knows you're here.\u201d<\/p>\n
A voice came from behind us.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always know where Celia is.\u201d<\/p>\n
We turned.<\/p>\n
Evelyn stood at the far end of the hallway.<\/p>\n
She was wearing the same cream coat from the photograph.<\/p>\n
No panic.<\/p>\n
No anger.<\/p>\n
Just calm.<\/p>\n
Ruiz drew her weapon.<\/p>\n
\u201cHands where I can see them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evelyn raised both hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStep away from the wall.\u201d<\/p>\n
She did.<\/p>\n
I stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou took my daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt home.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou expect me to believe that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruiz moved closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is Vaughn?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cInside Patricia's room.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlone?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho is with him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone who wants to make a deal.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
Evelyn looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt my stomach tighten.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ledger.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou'll never get it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't need the whole thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat then?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOne page.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhich page?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last one.\u201d<\/p>\n
I thought of the seven names.<\/p>\n
The unknown initials.<\/p>\n
The people still alive.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause that page proves who your mother trusted.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at Denise.<\/p>\n
Evelyn smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe knows.\u201d<\/p>\n
Denise stepped forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cStop playing games.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were there when Thomas confessed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Denise froze.<\/p>\n
Evelyn continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou heard him admit what he had done.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was twenty-four.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd frightened.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn't know what you were capable of.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew you were dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evelyn's eyes hardened.<\/p>\n
Then she looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour mother didn't hide the ledger to expose me.\u201d<\/p>\n
I shook my head.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe hid it to protect you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patricia spoke from behind us.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvelyn, stop.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evelyn turned.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou've been waiting six years to say that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI've been waiting six years for you to admit what you did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I did?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou killed Thomas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evelyn's face remained still.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don't know that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou weren't there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patricia looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I was.\u201d<\/p>\n
My breath caught.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
Patricia's voice weakened.<\/p>\n
\u201cThomas came to me the night before he died.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did he say?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told me Evelyn had discovered the ledger.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said if anything happened to him, I should protect Vaughn.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy Vaughn?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Vaughn was the only one who still believed his father was innocent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evelyn laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThomas was not innocent.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Patricia said. \u201cBut he wasn't the monster you made him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evelyn looked away.<\/p>\n
Ruiz asked, \u201cWhere is Vaughn?\u201d<\/p>\n
Patricia pointed toward her room.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe's waiting for Celia.\u201d<\/p>\n
I entered.<\/p>\n
Vaughn was sitting in a chair beside the window.<\/p>\n
He looked older than he had that morning.<\/p>\n
His wrists were cuffed.<\/p>\n
His face was bruised.<\/p>\n
He stood when he saw me.<\/p>\n
\u201cCelia.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stopped several feet away.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are you here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I needed to tell you something before Evelyn did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked at the ledger.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour mother was right.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat I would choose you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I said nothing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI should have chosen you sooner.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn't you?\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked down.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause every time I tried, someone else paid for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThomas?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe tried to leave Northgate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vaughn swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvelyn made sure he couldn't.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought I could fix it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou stole my money.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou forged my signature.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou helped them plan around my schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n
His eyes closed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew about the insurance.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew they were talking about killing me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew they were planning something.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat isn't an answer.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
The words hurt.<\/p>\n
I felt tears rising but refused to let them fall.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn't you warn me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Evelyn told me if I did, she'd kill June.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe threatened our daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said it would look like an accident.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt something inside me break.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should have come to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should have trusted me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should have let me choose whether I wanted to fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
His voice cracked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at the man I had loved for eleven years.<\/p>\n
For the first time, I could see the frightened boy beneath the lies.<\/p>\n
It didn't absolve him.<\/p>\n
But it made him human.<\/p>\n
Then Patricia spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cVaughn didn't know about the final targets.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat final targets?\u201d<\/p>\n
Patricia pointed toward the ledger.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone listed in red.\u201d<\/p>\n
I opened it.<\/p>\n
Seven names.<\/p>\n
Mine.<\/p>\n
Michelle.<\/p>\n
Brielle.<\/p>\n
Denise.<\/p>\n
Vaughn.<\/p>\n
Evelyn.<\/p>\n
And the initials M.H.<\/p>\n
Marla Hannah Keene.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Marla works for Evelyn.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe tried to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patricia looked toward Evelyn.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvelyn doesn't allow people to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
A police officer entered.<\/p>\n
\u201cDetective Ruiz?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found a vehicle outside.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhose?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMarla Keene.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is she?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven't found her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patricia closed her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe has the missing page.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at the ledger.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last page?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy would Marla have it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause she stole it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore Vaughn's arrest.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vaughn looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was going to trade it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHer life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evelyn interrupted.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe won't survive long enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruiz turned toward her.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat's a threat.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evelyn smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt's a prediction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then the lights went out.<\/p>\n
The room went black.<\/p>\n
Someone shouted.<\/p>\n
A crash sounded in the hallway.<\/p>\n
Patricia screamed.<\/p>\n
I felt a hand grab my wrist.<\/p>\n
Vaughn.<\/p>\n
\u201cStay down.\u201d<\/p>\n
A gunshot cracked through the darkness.<\/p>\n
Then another.<\/p>\n
Emergency lights flickered on.<\/p>\n
Vaughn was on the floor.<\/p>\n
Blood covered his sleeve.<\/p>\n
I dropped beside him.<\/p>\n
\u201cVaughn!\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI'm okay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruiz shouted for officers.<\/p>\n
Evelyn was gone.<\/p>\n
So was Patricia.<\/p>\n
The window stood open.<\/p>\n
I looked down.<\/p>\n
The second floor.<\/p>\n
A fire escape.<\/p>\n
Ruiz ran toward it.<\/p>\n
I stayed beside Vaughn.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou're bleeding.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt's my arm.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho shot you?\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked toward the window.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then he whispered:<\/p>\n
\u201cMarla.\u201d<\/p>\n
The nursing facility stood at the edge of the city behind a row of tall cypress trees. It was the kind of place designed to disappear into its surroundings, quiet … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8047,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8056","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\/8056","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=8056"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8056\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8076,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8056\/revisions\/8076"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8047"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}