CHAPTER 18: THE LETTER FROM EVELYN

Amelia opened the letter at the hospital.

She sat beside Theo while Mara, Noah, and Detective Grant waited nearby.

My dearest Amelia,

If you are reading this, I failed to return to you.

Amelia stopped and wiped her eyes.

She continued.

The Whitmore Mill fire was not an accident. Julian Whitmore discovered that his family company was transporting illegal chemicals through city-owned buildings.

Thomas Reed helped me gather evidence.

William Carter promised to protect us.

Instead, he warned the people we were investigating.

Amelia looked toward Ethan.

He lowered his head.

The letter continued.

Do not blame Ethan for the fire. He was young, frightened, and deceived by his father. Ethan returned to the elevator twice. William stopped him both times.

But if Ethan becomes like his father, do not stay because you remember the boy he used to be.

Amelia’s hands trembled.

Her mother had written a warning about the man she would one day marry.

The final paragraph had been damaged by water.

Only part remained readable.

Gabriel Morales is not his real name. Thomas discovered his identity. If Noah ever finds this letter, tell him that his father—

The sentence ended where the paper had burned.

Noah stared at the missing words.

“My father what?”

No one answered.

Detective Grant examined the bank records.

Payments had been sent from Whitmore Security to William Carter for eight years.

The most recent payment was made three days before the gala.

The description read:

ELEVATOR CONSULTATION.

Amelia looked at Ethan.

“Your father helped plan it.”

“I don’t know.”

“The evidence is here.”

“It proves he was paid. It doesn’t prove why.”

Noah found another document.

It was a hospital transfer authorization.

The patient’s name had been blacked out.

The date was eight years earlier, two days after the mill fire.

The receiving facility was a private rehabilitation center owned by Whitmore Properties.

The diagnosis read:

FEMALE SURVIVOR. SEVERE BURNS. MEMORY LOSS.

Amelia could barely speak.

“My mother survived.”

Mara looked at the facility name.

May you like

MY SISTER THREW A HOT SKILLET AT MY 4-YEAR-OLD—THEN MY MOTHER’S TEXT EXP...

The next part began before I had time to understand the last one.Hospital social worker Denise reads Helen's message and immediate...

MY MOTHER THREW MY SIX-WEEK-OLD BABY TOWARD THE FIRE—THEN MY QUIET FATHE...

At my backyard baby shower, my mother lifted my six-week-old daughter and said, "You gave birth before your sister... you betrayed...

I FOUND MY EX SLEEPING AT THE AIRPORT WITH TWINS WHO HAD MY EYES—THEN A...

I Found My Ex, Who Vanished 6 Years Ago, Sleeping at JFK With 2 Kids Who Had My Eyes. Then I Heard My Mother Say, “Their Mother Sh...

The building had closed six months ago.

The same month William Carter disappeared.