Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN WHO NEVER DIEDNobody spoke for nearly a minute.
Shawn stared at his father.
“Who is Evelyn?”
Don didn't answer.
“Dad.”
Nothing.
“Who is she?”
Maria finally spoke.
“Your father's first wife.”
Shawn's eyes widened.
“What?”
Don closed his eyes.
“She was called Evelyn Hart.”
Shawn slowly shook his head.
“My father was married before Mom?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Three years.”
“What happened to her?”
Don opened his eyes.
“She disappeared.”
“Kane said she was supposed to die.”
His father flinched.
Shawn stepped closer.
“Did you kill her?”
“No.”
“Then what happened?”
Don's face twisted with shame.
“She knew what we were doing.”
“What were you doing?”
Maria answered.
“Money laundering.”
Shawn stared.
His parents had spent his entire childhood pretending to live an ordinary life.
His father had worked at a factory.
His mother had taught at an elementary school.
But behind their walls was an underground room.
Bank records.
Secret files.
Photographs.
And Kane.
“You were criminals?”
Don shook his head.
“We were trying to get out.”
“Out of what?”
“Kane's organization.”
Maria continued.
“Your grandfather had been involved first.”
Shawn looked at the photographs.
“What did he do?”
“Investments.”
“That doesn't explain all this.”
Don swallowed.
“He helped Kane move money through legitimate companies.”
“And then?”
“He discovered Kane was killing people.”
Shawn froze.
“Killing?”
Don nodded.
“Witnesses. Partners. People who wanted out.”
“And Evelyn?”
“She found the records.”
Shawn stared at him.
“What did she do?”
“She tried to expose him.”
“What happened?”
Don looked down.
“Kane found her.”
“And?”
“I don't know.”
“You don't know?”
“She disappeared.”
Shawn's anger grew.
“You let her disappear.”
“I thought she was dead.”
Then a sound came from upstairs.
A floorboard creaked.
Everyone froze.
Brenda whispered:
“He's back.”
Shawn looked at the monitor.
The screen remained black.
“Where is Kane?”
No answer.
Then Maria said:
“There are two ways out of this basement.”
Shawn turned.
“What?”
“One leads outside.”
“And the other?”
Maria looked toward the secret passage.
“To the old road.”
Shawn frowned.
“What old road?”
“Your grandfather built a tunnel to the forest.”
Shawn's eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“In case he needed to escape.”
Brenda suddenly stepped toward them.
“We need to go.”
“No.”
“Shawn.”
“You know something else.”
“I know everything.”
“Then start talking.”
She stared at him.
“Your money wasn't stolen.”
“What?”
“It was transferred.”
“By who?”
“By me.”
Shawn froze.
“You?”
Brenda's face crumpled.
“Kane threatened me. He forced me to redirect every payment.”
“For three years?”
“Yes.”
“You could have told me.”
“He had photographs.”
“What photographs?”
She looked at Maria.
Their mother began crying.
Shawn's stomach tightened.
“What did he have?”
Brenda whispered:
“Pictures of you.”
Silence.
“When you were younger.”
Shawn felt his blood run cold.
“What kind of pictures?”
“The kind that would make people believe you were working for him.”
Shawn shook his head.
“That's impossible.”
“He forged evidence.”
“Why?”
“To keep you quiet.”
A loud crash came from upstairs.
Someone had broken through the front door.
Brenda grabbed Shawn's arm.
“Now.”
They moved toward the hidden tunnel.
Don called after them.
“Wait!”
Shawn looked back.
His father was gripping the bars.
“Take this.”
He pulled a small brass key from inside his sleeve.
Shawn caught it.
“What does it open?”
Don looked terrified.
“Evelyn's box.”
“Where?”
“Train station.”
“Which station?”
“North Ridge.”
Brenda stopped.
“Dad, North Ridge was closed twenty years ago.”
Don nodded.
“That is where you're wrong.”
Another crash.
Kane's voice echoed through the basement.
“Shawn!”
He was descending the stairs.
Shawn turned toward the tunnel.
They ran.
Behind them, the cellar gate exploded open.
May you like
Kane shouted:
“Don't let them reach the station!”
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