Chapter 12 - The Chapel Trap
The old Vale chapel had not hosted a service in twenty years.
It stood at the edge of the Bedford property beneath enormous sycamore trees.
Stained-glass windows had cracked with age.
The bell no longer worked.
The roof leaked.
But the altar remained.
Ironically, it was where Celeste had originally planned to stage the legal Friday marriage.
Now it would host something else.
Brooks refused to send Evelyn inside.
They compromised.
Evelyn would remain in an armored vehicle one hundred yards away.
Naomi would enter.
Adrian would be nearby.
Tactical officers surrounded the property.
At 9:58 a.m., Naomi walked toward the chapel.
Alone.
Celeste called.
“Where is Evelyn?”
“Close.”
“I said bring her.”
“You don’t give orders as well as you think.”
“Naomi.”
“You wanted answers.”
“I brought answers.”
Silence.
“Come inside.”
Naomi entered.
The chapel was empty.
Dust floated through beams of morning light.
At the altar sat a laptop.
Its screen came alive.
Celeste appeared.
Not physically present.
Video call.
Naomi almost smiled.
“Smart.”
Celeste’s face looked different without makeup.
Tired.
Hard.
Less polished.
“Where is Evelyn?”
“Where is Rachel?”
Celeste angled the camera.
Rachel appeared behind her.
Still tied.
Alive.
A bruise marked her temple.
Naomi’s jaw tightened.
“Untie her.”
“Bring Evelyn.”
“No.”
Celeste’s eyes narrowed.
“Then Rachel dies.”
“No.”
“You think I won’t?”
“I think you need her.”
“For what?”
“To get Evelyn here.”
Celeste said nothing.
Naomi continued.
“If you kill Rachel, you lose the leverage.”
Celeste smiled faintly.
“I can hurt her without killing her.”
Rachel closed her eyes.
Naomi kept her face still.
“Arthur Crane is alive.”
Celeste froze.
There.
Naomi continued.
“Evelyn told us.”
“Where is he?”
“Federal witness protection.”
“You’re lying.”
“No.”
“Where?”
“She doesn’t know.”
Celeste’s face twisted.
“She knows.”
“She knew fifteen years ago.”
“You expect me to believe she lost him?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s how witness protection works.”
Celeste stared.
Naomi continued.
“Your father went to Evelyn because Marcus stole forty-eight million dollars.”
Celeste’s expression changed.
“He told me.”
“Marcus told you enough.”
“He told me Evelyn framed my father.”
“No.”
“She allowed him to take the blame.”
“Yes.”
Celeste blinked.
Naomi would not protect Evelyn from her own choices.
“She did.”
Celeste’s anger sharpened.
“So I was right.”
“Partly.”
“Partly?”
“She didn’t frame him.”
“She failed to clear him.”
“Same thing.”
“No.”
Naomi’s voice remained steady.
“It isn’t.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“No.”
Naomi stepped closer to the laptop.
“It would be easy for me to lie to you.”
Celeste went silent.
Naomi continued.
“Evelyn protected Vale Meridian.”
“She protected Adrian.”
“And in doing that, she let your father carry a crime he didn’t commit.”
“Yes.”
“She was wrong.”
Celeste’s eyes filled.
Not staged tears.
Naomi could tell now.
These came slower.
“She ruined us.”
“Marcus ruined you.”
“Evelyn helped.”
“Yes.”
Celeste stared at the screen.
Naomi continued.
“But the man who stole the money found you five years ago and turned your anger toward the woman who could expose him.”
Celeste’s face changed.
“Marcus told me the truth.”
“He told you his version.”
“He admitted stealing money.”
“Did he tell you Theodore ordered the evidence destroyed?”
Silence.
“Did he tell you Theodore tried to have your father killed?”
Celeste stopped breathing for a second.
Naomi saw it.
“What?”
“Theodore.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Samuel Reed confirmed it.”
Celeste stared.
Naomi continued.
“Your father disappeared because Theodore threatened him.”
“Marcus said Evelyn arranged it.”
“She arranged protection.”
“You’re lying.”
“You know I’m not.”
Celeste stood suddenly.
The camera shook.
Rachel watched her.
Celeste paced.
Naomi pressed.
“Why did Marcus tell you to get close to Adrian?”
“To get access.”
“To what?”
“The trust.”
“Why?”
“So I could recover what my father was owed.”
Naomi almost pitied her.
Almost.
“Marcus was going to give you money?”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Thirty million.”
Naomi laughed softly.
Celeste’s face hardened.
“What?”
“Your father was blamed for forty-eight million he didn’t steal.”
“Marcus offered you thirty.”
“And you thought that meant justice?”
Celeste stared.
Naomi continued.
“He was paying you less than he stole.”
“So you would help him keep the rest.”
Celeste looked shaken.
Naomi pushed harder.
“He didn’t recruit you because he respected your father.”
“He recruited you because you were useful.”
“Stop.”
“Camille too.”
“Stop.”
“Where is she?”
Celeste’s face changed.
Naomi saw fear.
“Where is Camille?”
“Safe.”
“Is she?”
“Shut up.”
“Marcus used both of you.”
“Shut up.”
“Where is your sister?”
Celeste stepped toward the camera.
“Do not talk about her.”
“Then show her to me.”
Celeste froze.
Naomi knew.
Something had happened to Camille.
“Show me Camille.”
Celeste ended the video call.
The laptop screen went black.
Naomi touched the earpiece hidden beneath her hair.
“Brooks.”
The detective answered.
“We heard.”
“Trace?”
“Signal bounced.”
“Rachel?”
“Image analysis working.”
Naomi looked around the chapel.
Something felt wrong.
Too empty.
Too easy.
Then she heard movement behind the altar.
A door.
Naomi turned.
Camille Crane stepped out.
Same face as Celeste.
Different eyes.
Blood on her sleeve.
Naomi backed away.
Camille raised both hands.
“I’m not armed.”
Brooks spoke urgently through Naomi’s earpiece.
“Naomi, move toward the door.”
Camille shook her head.
“If police come in, Rachel dies.”
Naomi stayed.
“Where is she?”
“With Celeste.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why are you here?”
Camille looked terrified.
“To stop my sister.”
Naomi stared.
“Your sister tried to kill Evelyn.”
“I know.”
“You helped her.”
“I know.”
“You planted evidence in my room.”
Camille’s face tightened.
“Yes.”
“You helped kidnap Samuel.”
“Yes.”
“You helped Voss escape.”
“No.”
Naomi frowned.
Camille continued.
“That was Mercer.”
“What happened to your arm?”
Camille looked down.
“Marcus.”
Naomi’s eyes narrowed.
“When?”
“Last night.”
“Why?”
“Because I found out what they planned to do to Celeste.”
“What?”
Camille’s eyes filled.
“They were never going to let her marry Adrian.”
Naomi had already suspected.
Camille continued.
“The legal ceremony was fake.”
Naomi went still.
“What?”
“The marriage license wasn’t valid.”
“But they filed it.”
“With forged records.”
“Why?”
“To make Celeste believe she would gain access to the trust.”
Naomi understood.
Marcus had needed Celeste motivated.
“What was the real plan?”
Camille swallowed.
“Once Evelyn was declared incompetent, Marcus would challenge the trust.”
“And?”
“Celeste would take the blame for the drugging.”
Naomi stared.
“And you?”
Camille laughed bitterly.
“I was supposed to disappear.”
“With Celeste?”
“No.”
Camille looked at her.
“Without her.”
Naomi felt cold.
“They planned to kill Celeste.”
Camille nodded.
“When?”
“After the wedding.”
“Who?”
“Voss.”
Naomi thought of the pillow attack.
Celeste had panicked because she discovered she was disposable.
“Did Celeste know?”
“She found out yesterday.”
“That’s why she attacked Evelyn?”
“Yes.”
“She thought if Evelyn died, the trust rights would activate before Marcus could betray her.”
“Yes.”
Naomi exhaled.
Every murder attempt was another person scrambling to get ahead of betrayal.
Camille stepped closer.
“Celeste has Rachel because she thinks Evelyn can find our father.”
“Can she?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you believe Arthur is alive?”
Camille’s face broke.
“I don’t know what to believe anymore.”
Naomi lowered her voice.
“Help us find Rachel.”
Camille hesitated.
“You’ll arrest me.”
“Yes.”
Camille laughed.
Naomi continued.
“But Rachel lives.”
“And maybe Celeste does too.”
Camille looked away.
“She won’t listen to me.”
“Then give me something she will listen to.”
“What?”
“The truth.”
Camille stared.
Naomi continued.
“What does Celeste not know?”
Camille’s expression changed.
One secret.
A final weapon.
“What?”
Naomi asked.
Camille whispered.
“Arthur contacted me.”
Naomi froze.
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
“Where?”
“Through a private message.”
“What did he say?”
Camille began crying.
“He said he knew what Marcus was doing.”
“He told me to take Celeste and run.”
“Did you answer?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“He sent proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“That Theodore ordered his murder.”
Naomi’s pulse accelerated.
“Do you still have it?”
Camille nodded.
“Where?”
“In a safety deposit box.”
“Which bank?”
Camille shook her head.
“Not until Rachel is safe.”
Naomi stepped closer.
“Camille.”
She looked at her.
“If your father contacted you, he may be watching.”
Camille stared.
“What?”
“He knew Marcus found you.”
“He knew about Celeste.”
“He warned you.”
Naomi’s thoughts accelerated.
“What if Arthur isn’t only alive?”
“What if he came back?”
Camille’s face emptied.
Then the chapel bell rang.
One enormous metallic strike.
Impossible.
The rope had been cut twenty years earlier.
Naomi turned.
A man stood in the rear gallery.
Gray hair.
Thin face.
Dark coat.
He looked down at Camille.
She stopped breathing.
“Dad?”
The man’s eyes filled.
“Hello, sweetheart.”
Arthur Crane had come home.
May you like
And somewhere miles away, Celeste was still holding Rachel hostage without knowing the father she had spent fifteen years avenging was alive.
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