Chapter 13 - The Seventh WitnessThe revelation destroyed Claire.
She finally told Ethan the truth.
Her family had another child.
A girl named Lily.
Lily disappeared when she was nine.
Daniel Vale claimed she died.
There was never a body.
Claire never believed him.
Years later, she found Lily's name in the Blue Trust records.
Not as a victim.
As a witness.
“She saw something,” Claire said.
“What?”
“The first murder.”
“Whose?”
“Daniel's.”
Ethan stared.
“Daniel was murdered?”
Claire nodded.
“The man everyone thought died of a heart attack was actually poisoned.”
“And the killer was?”
Claire looked at Natalie.
Natalie shook her head.
“Don't.”
Ethan's voice became cold.
“Who?”
Claire whispered:
“Lily.”
Silence.
“She was nine years old.”
“I know.”
“Why would she kill him?”
“She didn't.”
Claire's voice broke.
“She saw who did.”
Ethan understood.
The seventh witness was still alive.
Somewhere.
And the entire conspiracy had been built around finding her.
“Where is she?”
“I don't know.”
“You've known for five years.”
“I knew only one thing.”
“What?”
“That she changed her name.”
“To what?”
Claire looked at Natalie.
“Natalie knows.”
Ethan turned.
Natalie looked down.
“I met Lily once.”
“When?”
“After Daniel died.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Lily gave me a message.”
“What message?”
Natalie whispered:
Do not let Claire find me.
Ethan stared.
“Why?”
“Because Lily believed Claire would kill her.”
Claire stepped backward.
“No.”
Natalie looked at her.
“She was terrified of you.”
“That isn't true.”
“She said you were the person who made everything happen.”
Claire began shaking.
Ethan felt as though the floor had disappeared.
“Claire?”
His wife covered her face.
“I didn't kill Lily.”
“Then what happened?”
Claire looked up.
“She found the Blue Trust.”
“And?”
“She discovered the real identity of the mastermind.”
“Who?”
Claire's lips trembled.
Then she said:
“Daniel Mercer.”
Ethan's stomach dropped.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“He wasn't working with Daniel Vale.”
“He was using him.”
Ethan stared at the woman he loved.
“All these years…”
“Your father built the network.”
“And the Vales?”
“They became his partners.”
“And Lily?”
“She knew.”
“And you?”
“I tried to expose him.”
Ethan's voice shook.
“You knew my father was responsible.”
“Yes.”
“You knew he was responsible for my mother's death.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
A silence followed.
Then Sophie spoke.
“Daddy?”
Ethan turned.
Sophie held the blue key.
“I remember where Lily is.”
Everyone froze.
“Where?”
Sophie pointed toward the mansion.
“The room behind Mommy's painting.”
Ethan looked at Claire.
Claire whispered:
“No.”
Sophie continued:
“She told me to wait until the blue box opened.”
The mansion shook with a distant explosion.
Smoke rose from the east wing.
Someone had set the house on fire.
And on the wall behind Claire's old portrait, a hidden door opened.
Inside was a woman.
Older.
Pale.
Alive.
She looked at Sophie.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“I'm Lily.”
