Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN WHO NEVER LEFT|
Ethan ordered everyone away from the damaged ceiling.
Two guards brought a ladder. Marcus checked the structure before allowing anyone beneath it. When they finally opened the hidden panel, a small bundle of blankets fell onto the floor.
Inside was a human skeleton.
The room went silent.
Lucy covered her mouth.
Ethan stared at the remains, unable to understand what he was seeing.
"Who is it?"
Marcus examined the clothing.
"Female. Possibly older."
Claire stepped closer, then stopped.
"That's not your mother."
Ethan looked at her.
"How do you know?"
"Your mother wore a silver necklace. She never took it off."
Marcus searched the remains and found a small chain.
A pendant shaped like a blackbird.
Claire shook her head.
"That's not hers."
Daniel laughed from the corridor.
"You see? Even now, you believe what people tell you."
Ethan turned.
"Who is that?"
Daniel smiled.
"Someone who tried to help your mother."
"Who?"
"Ask Richard."
"Where is he?"
Daniel pointed toward the basement.
"Waiting for his favorite son."
Ethan moved forward, but Daniel pulled a small remote from his pocket.
"One more step, and the entire east wing goes dark."
Marcus raised his weapon.
"Drop it."
Daniel pressed a button.
The lights went out.
A second later, an explosion shook the mansion.
Emergency lights flickered on. Smoke filled the corridor. Daniel had disappeared.
Ethan turned toward Claire.
"Can you walk?"
She nodded, though her legs were trembling.
"Then stay with Marcus."
"No."
"Claire—"
"I spent six months listening to your footsteps above me. I am not staying behind while you go looking for the man who put me there."
Ethan couldn't argue.
They descended through the old service stairs. The basement contained several sealed rooms that had not appeared on the mansion's official plans.
At the end of the corridor was a steel door.
A voice came from behind it.
"Ethan?"
He froze.
The voice was older, weaker, but unmistakable.
"Father?"
The lock clicked.
The door opened.
Richard Blackwell sat in a chair beneath a single light. His hair was white, and one side of his face was marked by an old scar. He looked at Ethan as though no time had passed.
"You took your time."
Ethan stared.
"You were alive."
Richard shrugged.
"Obviously."
"You let me bury you."
"I needed you to believe I was gone."
"You let me believe Daniel was dead."
Richard's expression hardened.
"Daniel was supposed to be dead."
Claire stepped forward.
"Where is his mother?"
Richard looked at her.
"Still asking questions."
"Where is she?"
"Not here."
"Is she alive?"
Richard smiled faintly.
"That depends on what you mean by alive."
Ethan seized his father's chair.
"Tell me what happened to my mother."
Richard looked at him for a long moment.
May you like
Then he said:
"Your mother is the woman you found above the ceiling."
