CHAPTER 15: MARGARET’S CONFESSION
Ethan called his mother.
She answered on the first ring.
“I was waiting for you,” Margaret said.
Her voice sounded tired.
“Were you at Halcyon Field the night Claire died?”
Silence.
Ava watched her father carefully.
“Mom?”
“Yes.”
The word broke something inside him.
“Why?”
“Claire called me. She said she had found Samuel.”
“You knew he was alive?”
“I knew he might be.”
“For eighteen years?”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
Margaret began to cry.
“Samuel was not the only person hiding beneath that stadium.”
Ethan gripped the phone.
“Who else was there?”
“Evelyn Hart.”
Dr. Ward stepped closer.
“That is impossible. Evelyn died in the laboratory fire.”
“No,” Margaret said through the speaker. “Another woman died in her place.”
Eleanor closed her eyes.
Conrad looked stunned.
Margaret continued.
“Claire found Evelyn inside locker 927. She had spent years protecting the Northstar survivors.”
“Did Evelyn kill Claire?”
“No. Claire left the stadium alive.”
Ethan’s heart stopped.
“What are you saying?”
“The crash was staged.”
Ava looked up.
“Mommy didn’t die?”
Margaret heard her.
“Oh, Ava…”
Ethan could barely hold the phone.
“We identified her body.”
“You identified her wedding ring.”
“What happened to Claire?”
“I don’t know. Samuel took her away before the Vales arrived.”
Ethan looked at Conrad.
The billionaire appeared genuinely confused.
Margaret lowered her voice.
“I was going to tell you after the cabin was attacked. But they were listening.”
“Who?”
A sudden crash came through the phone.
Margaret gasped.
“Mom!”
A man’s voice spoke in the background.
“Tell Ethan to bring the key.”
Then the line went dead.
Ethan called again.
No answer.
He turned toward the hotel exit.
Harris blocked him.
“You are still under arrest.”
Bianca stepped beside Ethan.
“Then arrest me too.”
Conrad joined them.
“And me.”
Dozens of guests raised their phones.
Harris looked around and realized the world was watching.
Ethan pushed past him.
Ava stayed close.
As they crossed the hotel entrance, Ethan saw his car parked at the curb.
A black box rested on the hood.
Inside was Margaret’s broken music box.
The numbers 9-27-18 had been carved into its wooden base.
May you like
Beneath them were four new words:
HALCYON FIELD. COME BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
