Chapter 10 - The Name of the DeadStone barely slept.
Samuel Mercer.
His father.
Dead eight years.
Or missing, depending on which story he believed.
The impostor refused to speak.
He was taken to a secure room while the riders searched for Clara.
Then Noah found something.
Inside his father's old map, beneath the red X, was another marking.
A symbol.
A black crow.
Daniel recognized it.
“That was your father's signature.”
Stone looked at him.
“My father knew you?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Years.”
Stone's voice hardened.
“You worked with him.”
“Yes.”
“And he trusted you.”
“Yes.”
“Did you betray him?”
Daniel looked away.
“I almost did.”
Stone clenched his fists.
“Almost isn't an answer.”
Daniel sighed.
“Samuel discovered what Elias was planning.”
“What?”
“To control the sheriff's office.”
Stone understood.
“The ledger.”
Daniel nodded.
“But Samuel found something worse.”
“What?”
“He discovered Isabel was secretly helping the people Elias wanted destroyed.”
Stone stared.
“His own wife?”
“She wanted out.”
“Why?”
“Because Elias had become obsessed with power.”
Daniel continued.
“Samuel planned to help her disappear.”
“And Clara?”
“Clara was the leverage.”
Stone looked toward Mara.
She sat silently.
Finally she spoke.
“Samuel wasn't killed by Elias.”
Stone turned.
“He was killed by someone he trusted.”
“Who?”
Mara began crying.
“Me.”
Silence.
Stone stopped breathing.
“You?”
“I didn't shoot him.”
“What did you do?”
“I told someone where he was.”
“Who?”
Mara looked at Daniel.
Daniel closed his eyes.
“You told me.”
Stone stared between them.
“So both of you betrayed my father.”
Mara shook her head.
“I thought I was saving my children.”
“You got him killed.”
“I know.”
Stone turned away.
For the first time, the room felt too small.
A rider entered.
“Stone.”
“What?”
“We found the real Rook.”
“Alive?”
“Barely conscious.”
Stone rushed downstairs.
Rook opened his eyes.
“The girl.”
“What?”
“I saw her.”
“Where?”
“Bus station.”
Stone’s heart sank.
“When?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
Rook grabbed his wrist.
“She was with a woman.”
“Who?”
Rook swallowed.
“White gloves.”
Stone turned to Jax.
“Get every rider to the bus station.”
They arrived too late.
The platform was empty.
But a security camera had captured Clara.
She was holding hands with the woman.
Then Clara stopped.
She looked directly into the camera.
And did something strange.
She lifted her finger to her lips.
Silence.
Then she mouthed two words.
BLUE BOX.
Stone watched the footage again.
And again.
Then he noticed something.
Clara wasn't afraid.
She was signaling.
She wanted him to follow.
Stone looked at the screen.
“She wants us to find her.”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“But why?”
Stone zoomed in on the background.
A bus destination sign.
He read it.
“Voss Estate.”
Then the screen flickered.
Another frame appeared.
The woman in white gloves was no longer holding Clara's hand.
She was holding a gun.
Pointed at someone behind the camera.
May you like
Stone whispered:
“It's a trap.”
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