Chapter 13 - THE WOMAN WHO NEVER DIED
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Nobody moved.
Dorian stared at his mother with the expression of a man watching a ghost walk out of a grave.
"You died six years ago," he said.
Evelyn removed her gloves.
"So everyone believed."
"Why?"
"Because I needed to disappear."
"Did you arrange it?"
She gave a small shrug.
"Your father had enemies. The family needed someone to take control without attracting attention."
Dorian stepped closer.
"You let me bury you."
"I let you preserve the family."
His face twisted.
"I spent years believing I'd lost you."
"And you became stronger because of it."
I watched them, stunned by the coldness of her words.
Then Evelyn turned toward me.
"Your mother was a good woman. Too good for the world she entered."
"Did you kill her?"
Evelyn's expression barely changed.
"I tried to stop her from destroying two families."
"That isn't an answer."
"Your mother was preparing to give the ledger to federal investigators. The consequences would have been catastrophic. Victor panicked. I made a decision."
"What decision?"
"I told him to frighten her into silence."
Catherine gasped.
Evelyn continued as if discussing a business transaction.
"I never ordered anyone to kill her. But I knew what Victor was capable of."
"You knew he might hurt her."
"I knew the stakes."
Dorian's voice dropped dangerously low.
"You let me believe she died because of a medical emergency."
Evelyn looked at him.
"You were young. You were in love with Audra. If you had known everything, you would have destroyed the family."
"I should have."
For the first time, Evelyn looked genuinely surprised.
I stepped between them.
"What happened to my father?"
"He escaped."
"Who helped him?"
"Margaret, with assistance from a doctor who owed me a favor."
"Then why did the money keep moving?"
Evelyn smiled without warmth.
"Because the money was never the most valuable thing your father owned."
I held up the ledger.
"Then what was?"
She looked at me for a long moment.
"Control. Your father had enough evidence to dismantle the entire operation. He could have sent half the East Coast's respectable businessmen to prison."
"And you wanted the evidence."
"I wanted to ensure the family survived."
"At my mother's expense."
Evelyn's smile disappeared.
"Your mother made her own choices."
I stepped closer.
"She chose to protect her daughter. You chose to threaten her."
A muscle jumped in Evelyn's cheek.
Dorian moved beside me.
"Enough, Mother."
She looked at him with disbelief.
"You're taking her side?"
"I'm taking the side of the truth."
Evelyn's eyes hardened.
"Then you will lose everything."
A sound came from outside.
The detective reached for his radio.
Two vehicles had blocked the road. Armed men were moving toward the chapel.
Evelyn glanced toward the windows.
"Unfortunately," she said, "we no longer have time for family conversations."
She turned to Catherine.
"Give me the original ledger."
Catherine backed away.
"No."
Evelyn sighed.
"Then I suppose we'll have to find out how much your daughter is willing to sacrifice for you."
My phone vibrated.
A message from Margaret appeared.
Blythe has disappeared. Someone took her from the safe house.
I looked at Evelyn.
May you like
Her smile returned.
"Now, Audra, shall we discuss the price of your silence?"
