Chapter Seven The Letter That Changed Everything
The church echoed with the sound of breaking glass.
Audrey instinctively dropped to the floor as Father Michael shoved her behind a wooden pew.
The sealed envelope slid across the polished aisle.
A shadow rushed toward it.
"No!" Father Michael shouted.
The stranger bent down—
But Audrey lunged first.
Her fingertips caught the envelope just as the figure reached for it.
The woman wore a black hoodie and a baseball cap pulled low over her face.
Only her pale blue eyes were visible.
For one brief second, Audrey froze.
Those eyes...
She had seen them before.
Years ago.
Before she could remember where, the woman shoved Father Michael aside and sprinted toward a side exit.
The heavy church door slammed shut.
By the time Audrey reached it, the parking lot was empty.
Only tire marks remained.
Father Michael leaned against a pew, holding his shoulder.
"I'm fine," he insisted.
"You need a doctor."
"No."
He looked directly at the envelope.
"Open it."
Audrey's hands trembled as she carefully broke the wax seal.
Inside was a folded letter.
And a small silver key.
At the top of the page, written in Sienna's unmistakable handwriting, were the words:
If you're reading this, I'm probably gone.
Audrey covered her mouth.
Tears blurred the ink.
"Audrey..."
"If anything happens to me, don't blame yourself."
"Someone has been threatening me for months."
"They want Julian to believe you're dangerous."
"If I disappear, the truth is hidden in Locker 214 at Union Station."
"Only trust people who never stopped asking questions."
"Please forgive me."
"I should have told Julian everything."
"I was too afraid."
"—Sienna."
Father Michael slowly lowered the letter.
"This changes everything."
Audrey whispered,
"Julian never saw this."
"He wasn't supposed to."
"Who kept it from him?"
Father Michael stared toward the dark doorway.
May you like
"I think..."
"...the same person who just tried to steal it."
