Chapter 9: The Woman Behind the Lie
Aaron couldn't breathe.
His mother stood behind Emma with the gun held against her shoulder.
Evelyn Blake looked older than she had that morning.
Older than she had yesterday.
As if eleven years of secrets had finally found a way onto her face.
"Mom?""
She stared at the screen.
"I'm sorry.""
Emma was crying.
"Tell him.""
Evelyn shook her head.
"Not yet.""
Aaron's voice rose.
"Put the gun down.""
"Don't tell me what to do.""
"Mom.""
"You don't understand.""
"I understand that you're holding my wife at gunpoint.""
"She's alive because of me.""
Emma looked at Aaron.
"No.""
Evelyn's face tightened.
"Emma.""
"You didn't save me.""
Emma's voice shook.
"You trapped me.""
Aaron stared between them.
Marcus stepped into view.
"This is becoming emotional.""
Aaron looked at him.
"Let Lily go.""
"Not until we finish.""
"Finish what?""
Marcus smiled.
"The truth.""
Aaron glanced at Sullivan.
She was beside him, listening to the call.
She mouthed:
*Keep him talking.*
Aaron nodded.
"Fine.""
He looked back at Marcus.
"Tell me.""
Marcus leaned against the wall.
"Your father stole millions.""
"No.""
"Yes.""
"He exposed them.""
"Eventually.""
"What happened eleven years ago?""
Marcus's smile disappeared.
"James tried to run.""
Evelyn spoke.
"He wanted to go to the authorities.""
Aaron looked at his mother.
"And you stopped him.""
She closed her eyes.
"I was scared.""
"So you helped them fake his death?""
"I thought it would save you.""
Aaron's voice cracked.
"You let me bury a stranger.""
"I know.""
"You watched me grieve.""
"I know.""
"You told me my father died loving me.""
Evelyn began to cry.
"He did.""
"Then why?""
"Because they said they would kill you.""
Aaron stared at her.
"Who?""
She looked toward Marcus.
He answered.
"The foundation.""
Aaron looked at Sullivan.
She immediately started searching records.
Marcus continued.
"They had people everywhere. Banks. Hospitals.
Schools. Police.""
Aaron's eyes narrowed.
"Detective Reed.""
Marcus smiled.
"Now you're getting somewhere.""
Sullivan's face hardened.
Aaron felt the pieces connect.
"Reed was involved.""
"Reed was one of them.""
"Then why is he investigating me?""
"Because you're the easiest suspect.""
Aaron looked at Lily.
She was crying quietly.
"Dad.""
"I'm here.""
"I remember.""
Aaron's heart stopped.
"Remember what?""
"The motel.""
Marcus moved toward her.
"Don't.""
Lily flinched.
Aaron's voice hardened.
"Get away from my daughter.""
Marcus ignored him.
Lily continued.
"I remember Grandpa.""
Evelyn lowered the gun slightly.
Marcus turned.
"What did she say?""
"I remember Grandpa.""
Aaron's chest tightened.
"What did Grandpa do?""
Lily looked directly into the camera.
"He told me to hide.""
"From who?""
She pointed behind the camera.
"From Grandma.""
Evelyn froze.
Marcus stared at her.
Aaron's eyes widened.
"What?""
Lily's voice trembled.
"Grandma came into the room.""
Evelyn whispered, "Lily—"
"She had blood on her hands.""
Silence.
Aaron looked at his mother.
"No.""
Evelyn's gun dropped an inch.
"That isn't what happened.""
Lily shook her head.
"Grandpa told me not to come out.""
Aaron's voice was barely audible.
"Mom.""
Evelyn looked at him.
"Your father wasn't supposed to survive.""
Aaron felt sick.
"What did you do?""
She began crying.
"I didn't kill him.""
Marcus snapped:
"Enough.""
He grabbed Lily's shoulder.
Aaron's anger exploded.
"Take your hand off her!""
Sullivan leaned toward the phone.
"Marcus, listen to me.""
He looked at the screen.
"Detective Sullivan.""
"You have a child.""
"I know.""
"You also have multiple witnesses.""
Marcus laughed.
"Do I?""
Sullivan's voice remained calm.
"We know about Operation Lantern.""
Marcus's expression changed.
"We know about the foundation.""
Silence.
"We know Reed is involved.""
Marcus stopped smiling.
"And we know you have been moving money through the Blake family accounts.""
Marcus looked toward Evelyn.
"You told them?""
Evelyn shook her head.
"I didn't.""
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
Sullivan continued.
"And we know about Room 17.""
Marcus looked at Lily.
She was staring at him.
"What did she see, Marcus?""
He said nothing.
Aaron leaned closer.
"She saw you.""
Marcus's jaw tightened.
"She saw your father.""
"Alive.""
"Yes.""
"Why was he alive?""
Marcus stared at him.
"Because he had evidence.""
"What evidence?""
"The ledger.""
Aaron frowned.
"What ledger?""
Marcus laughed bitterly.
"The one everyone has been killing for.""
Evelyn suddenly said, "Don't.""
Marcus turned.
"Why not?""
"Because he doesn't need to know.""
Aaron's voice rose.
"Tell me.""
Marcus shook his head.
"Your father hid the ledger before he disappeared.""
"Where?""
Marcus smiled.
"With you.""
Aaron froze.
"What?""
"James trusted one person.""
Marcus glanced at Evelyn.
"Not his wife.""
Then at Emma.
"Not her.""
Then at Aaron.
"You.""
Aaron stared.
"I don't have any ledger.""
"You've had it for eleven years.""
"Where?""
Marcus laughed.
"Think.""
Aaron searched his memory.
His father's belongings.
The funeral.
The house.
The boxes his mother had kept.
Nothing.
Then a memory struck him.
His father had given him a small wooden box the week before he died.
Aaron had been eighteen.
He'd forgotten about it because his mother had taken it after the funeral.
Inside had been a brass compass.
His father had said:
Keep this. One day you'll need to know which way home is.
Aaron's breath caught.
"The compass.""
Marcus's face changed.
"What did you say?""
Aaron stared at the screen.
"The compass my father gave me.""
Evelyn whispered:
"No.""
Marcus lunged toward the camera.
"Where is it?""
Aaron didn't answer.
Sullivan understood.
"Mr. Blake.""
Aaron turned.
"My mother has it.""
Evelyn's face went white.
The call suddenly shook.
Marcus shouted something off-camera.
A gunshot exploded.
The screen went black.
Aaron screamed:
"LILY!""
No answer.
Sullivan grabbed his shoulder.
"Listen to me.""
Aaron pulled away.
"My daughter—"
"We're going.""
"Where?""
Sullivan stared at the frozen phone.
Then at Evelyn's last known location.
"I know where the compass is.""
Aaron looked at her.
"How?""
"Because I found your mother's old evidence file.""
She opened a photograph on her phone.
It showed Evelyn standing outside a storage facility.
Behind her was a unit number.
*214.*
Sullivan looked at Aaron.
"Your mother has been storing something there for eleven years.""
Aaron's heart pounded.
"Then that's where we're going.""
They reached the storage facility twelve minutes later.
Unit 214 was locked.
Sullivan cut the lock.
The door rolled upward.
Inside were dozens of boxes.
Old clothes.
Photographs.
Documents.
Aaron's childhood.
His father's belongings.
He searched frantically.
"Where is it?""
Sullivan opened boxes.
"Look for anything labeled personal.""
Aaron found an old wooden chest.
His hands shook as he opened it.
Inside lay the brass compass.
He picked it up.
Nothing happened.
Then he noticed a seam along the bottom.
He pressed it.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside was a tiny memory card.
And a handwritten note.
Aaron unfolded it.
The handwriting was his father's.
*Aaron—if you're reading this, the person who told you I died is the person who knows where Lily is.*
Aaron stared at the final line.
*And your mother is not the mastermind.*
His phone rang.
A different voice answered before he could speak.
Detective Reed.
"Mr. Blake.""
Aaron went cold.
"Where's Lily?""
Reed sighed.
"You're looking in the wrong place.""
"Where is she?""
"At Brookhaven Elementary.""
Aaron's blood froze.
"What?""
Reed continued.
"Look under the school.""
The call ended.
Aaron stared at Sullivan.
She was already moving.
"The school has an old storm shelter.""
Aaron followed.
As they drove, Aaron looked at the memory card in his palm.
He finally understood.
The school hadn't been chosen because Lily attended there.
May you like
It had been chosen because something beneath it had been hidden for eleven years.
And someone had been waiting for Aaron to find it.
