Chapter 11 - THE BODY AT PIER 19
“That’s impossible.”
Thomas stared at Monroe.
“We just left Martin at the vault.”
Monroe nodded.
“Alive.”
“He was being treated.”
“Yes.”
“Then how is there a body at Pier 19?”
Monroe’s expression hardened.
“That’s what we’re going to find out.”
Evelyn immediately stood.
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
Monroe’s answer was immediate.
Evelyn stared at her.
“Do not start telling me where I’m allowed to go.”
“You have a six-year-old daughter standing beside you.”
Evelyn stopped.
Monroe softened slightly.
“Stay with her.”
Julian stepped forward.
“I’ll go.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“Why?”
“If the body isn’t Martin, someone wants us to believe it is.”
Thomas nodded.
“And if it is Martin…”
He looked down.
“Then someone got to him after we left.”
Monroe took out her radio.
“Thomas comes with me.”
Julian followed.
Samuel remained.
Evelyn did not like it.
She did not trust anyone anymore.
Not Samuel.
Not Eleanor.
Not Peter.
Not even the dead.
Lily looked exhausted.
Evelyn crouched.
“You need sleep.”
Lily shook her head.
“No.”
“You’ve had a very long night.”
“So did you.”
Evelyn smiled sadly.
“Yes.”
Lily looked toward the door.
“Is Grandpa Peter bad?”
Evelyn’s heart tightened.
“I don’t know.”
“Did he love you?”
That question hurt more.
“Yes.”
She knew that much.
Whatever his real name was.
Whatever he had done before Evelyn was born.
Peter had loved her.
She remembered him working double shifts to pay for her braces.
Standing in the rain at her high school graduation because the covered seats were full.
Driving four hours when her college roommate called to say Evelyn had pneumonia.
Sitting in the hospital waiting room all night when Lily was born.
Love did not erase lies.
But lies did not necessarily erase love either.
“I think he loved me very much.”
Lily thought about that.
“Then why did he leave?”
Evelyn looked at her.
“Sometimes people convince themselves leaving is protecting someone.”
“Like Uncle Samuel?”
Samuel flinched.
Evelyn almost smiled.
“Yes.”
“Like Eleanor?”
Evelyn hesitated.
“Maybe.”
Lily frowned.
“That’s still stupid.”
Samuel looked away to hide a smile.
Evelyn kissed Lily’s forehead.
“You’re going to bed.”
“I’m not tired.”
She yawned immediately.
Evelyn raised an eyebrow.
Lily sighed.
“Fine.”
Marissa prepared the bedroom.
Evelyn tucked Lily under the blankets.
Lily grabbed her hand.
“Don’t leave.”
“I won’t.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
Evelyn stayed beside her.
Within minutes, Lily was asleep.
Samuel stood quietly in the doorway.
Evelyn joined him in the living room.
“Tell me everything.”
Samuel looked confused.
“About what?”
“Peter.”
“Michael.”
Evelyn’s face tightened.
“His name was Peter to me.”
Samuel nodded.
“Peter.”
“What happened eight years ago?”
Samuel sat down.
Evelyn remained standing.
“Peter called me.”
“When?”
“Two days before his supposed heart attack.”
“What did he say?”
“That someone had found you.”
“Who?”
“He didn’t know.”
“Eleanor?”
“No.”
“He specifically said it wasn’t Eleanor.”
Evelyn frowned.
“How did he know?”
“He had been watching her.”
Evelyn stared.
“My father was watching Eleanor?”
“For years.”
“Why?”
Samuel looked toward the bedroom.
“To make sure she never came near you.”
Evelyn thought back.
Eight years ago.
She had begun volunteering for the Whitmore Foundation.
Eleanor had been strangely interested in her.
Always asking questions.
Where Evelyn grew up.
Who her parents were.
Whether she had siblings.
Evelyn had assumed Eleanor was simply being polite.
She had been investigating her.
“What happened after Eleanor recognized me?”
Samuel sighed.
“Peter panicked.”
“Why?”
“He believed Eleanor would eventually tell Thomas.”
“And?”
“Thomas knew Martin.”
Evelyn understood.
“And Martin knew Peter was Michael.”
“Yes.”
“So the whole identity could unravel.”
“Yes.”
“Why fake his death?”
“Because Peter received a photograph.”
Evelyn froze.
“What photograph?”
Samuel took out his phone.
He opened an old image.
A photograph of Evelyn.
Eight years younger.
Walking toward her apartment.
On the back of the original photograph, someone had written a message.
WE FOUND SARAH’S GIRL.
Evelyn felt cold.
“Who sent it?”
“We never knew.”
“What did Peter do?”
“He disappeared.”
“And you helped him.”
“Yes.”
“You faked his death.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Samuel looked ashamed.
“There was an unidentified body at the county morgue.”
Evelyn stared.
“You used someone else’s body?”
“Yes.”
“That person had a family.”
“We didn’t know who he was.”
“That doesn’t make it okay.”
“No.”
Samuel looked down.
“It doesn’t.”
Evelyn sat across from him.
“Where has Peter been?”
“Different places.”
“You knew?”
“Not always.”
“How often did you speak?”
“Maybe once a year.”
Evelyn laughed bitterly.
“So while I mourned him, you got annual updates.”
Samuel said nothing.
“Did he know about Lily?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes filled.
“Did he know when she was born?”
“Yes.”
“Did he see pictures?”
Samuel hesitated.
Evelyn stood.
“You sent him pictures of my daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Without telling me?”
“Yes.”
Evelyn turned away.
Her hands shook.
She wanted to scream.
Instead she whispered.
“You all stole so much from me.”
Samuel closed his eyes.
“I know.”
“No.”
Evelyn turned.
“You stole choices.”
“You stole goodbyes.”
“You stole the right to decide who I trusted.”
Samuel nodded.
“You’re right.”
Evelyn looked toward the bedroom.
“And now my daughter is paying for secrets created before I was born.”
Samuel whispered.
“I’m sorry.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“I’m done accepting apologies without consequences.”
Samuel looked up.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Tell the truth.”
“All of it.”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
“Who is Project Harbor really for?”
Samuel froze.
Evelyn noticed.
“There.”
“What?”
“That face.”
Samuel looked away.
“You know.”
“I know part of it.”
“Tell me.”
Samuel exhaled.
“Project Harbor isn’t just liquidation.”
“What is it?”
“It transfers ownership.”
“To who?”
Samuel hesitated.
“Evelyn.”
She stared.
“What?”
“The original plan Eleanor drafted eight years ago was designed to transfer the surviving Carter assets back to Sarah’s heir.”
Evelyn frowned.
“That makes no sense.”
“Why?”
“Eleanor told me she was selling everything without knowing I existed.”
Samuel shook his head.
“She lied.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Of course.
“Why?”
“I think she was trying to protect the transfer.”
“From Vanessa?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Samuel looked toward the door.
“Someone inside the foundation.”
Evelyn felt cold.
“Who?”
Before Samuel could answer, the lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then went out.
Evelyn stood immediately.
“Lily.”
She ran toward the bedroom.
The emergency lights came on.
Red.
She opened the door.
Lily was asleep.
Safe.
Evelyn exhaled.
Then Samuel shouted.
“Evelyn!”
She ran back.
The suite door was open.
Marissa was gone.
Samuel stood beside the table.
The laptop was missing.
Evelyn froze.
“Sarah’s recordings.”
“Gone.”
Evelyn ran into the hallway.
Empty.
She saw the stairwell door closing.
“HEY!”
She ran.
Samuel followed.
Evelyn shoved open the stairwell door.
Footsteps below.
Fast.
She ran downward.
Thirteen.
Twelve.
Eleven.
A shadow moved.
“STOP!”
The person kept running.
Evelyn followed.
Floor ten.
Nine.
The person slipped.
The laptop hit the stairs.
Evelyn caught up.
She grabbed the woman’s jacket.
Marissa screamed.
They both fell against the railing.
Samuel arrived.
“Stop!”
Evelyn pinned Marissa against the wall.
“Why?”
Marissa struggled.
“Get off me!”
“Why did you take the laptop?”
“I was told to!”
“By who?”
“I can’t tell you!”
Evelyn tightened her grip.
“You stayed alone with my daughter.”
“I didn’t hurt her!”
“WHO TOLD YOU?”
Marissa started crying.
“Eleanor!”
Evelyn froze.
Samuel stared.
“Eleanor told you to steal Sarah’s recordings?”
“Yes!”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“What were you supposed to do with them?”
“Take them downstairs.”
“To who?”
Marissa shook her head.
“I don’t know his name.”
Evelyn’s stomach tightened.
“What does he look like?”
“Older.”
“Be specific.”
“Gray hair.”
“Anything else?”
Marissa swallowed.
“He walks with a cane.”
Samuel went pale.
Evelyn noticed.
“Who?”
Samuel did not answer.
“Who walks with a cane?”
Samuel whispered.
“Walter.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“Walter Whitmore is dead.”
Samuel shook his head.
“I attended his funeral.”
“So did I.”
“Closed casket?”
Samuel slowly nodded.
Evelyn almost laughed.
Of course.
Another closed casket.
Another dead man.
Another lie.
Then her phone rang.
Unknown number.
Evelyn answered.
“Hello?”
An old man spoke.
His voice was calm.
Polished.
Cold.
“Hello, Evelyn.”
She stopped breathing.
Samuel stared at her.
“Who is this?”
The man laughed softly.
“You’ve had quite an evening.”
Evelyn’s blood went cold.
“Walter?”
A pause.
May you like
Then the man answered.
“I’ve been waiting thirty-four years to hear you say my name.”
