Chapter 6 - THE RECORDING
We escaped through the railway tunnels.
Perrin stayed between Elise and me.
He held both our hands.
For the first time in six years, he was walking between his parents.
No one spoke.
Finally he whispered:
“Are we going home?”
Elise looked at me.
I answered.
“Yes.”
But I knew home was no longer safe.
We went to a hotel under another name.
At midnight, the detective called.
“Martin Vale's fingerprints were found on the old evidence files from Elise's accident.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning he was there.”
I sat down.
“Can you protect us?”
“I can try.”
“No.”
I looked at Elise.
“We need proof.”
She nodded.
“The memory card wasn't the only copy.”
My heart jumped.
“Where?”
“In the wall.”
We returned to the house.
Behind the first hidden room was another compartment.
Elise knew exactly where to look.
She removed a loose brick.
Inside was a recorder.
We played it.
My father's voice filled the room.
“If you're hearing this, I'm probably dead.”
I closed my eyes.
He continued.
“Evan, I was wrong.”
The recording revealed everything.
My father had discovered the conspiracy.
He had tried to protect Elise.
But he had trusted the wrong people.
Rhea had been working for them.
Martin had arranged the fake accident.
And the man controlling everything was someone we never suspected.
My uncle.
Richard Hale.
I stared at Elise.
“Richard died before my father.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“He disappeared.”
Perrin whispered:
“Who is Uncle Richard?”
I looked toward the door.
Before I could answer, the lights came on.
A man stood in the doorway.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Smiling.
“Your uncle.”
Perrin screamed.
Richard raised a gun.
May you like
“Now we can finally talk.”
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