Chapter 11 - EvelynThe underground chamber became chaos.
Police chased Eleanor through the upper corridors.
Daniel was shouting directions.
Margaret was staring at the photograph.
Sarah couldn't move.
Evelyn.
A twin.
Alive.
Somewhere in the mansion.
She looked at Leo.
“You have a sister.”
The baby blinked up at her.
Sarah's eyes filled with tears.
“How could I not know?”
Margaret shook her head.
“Your mother was trying to protect both children.”
“Where is she?”
“We don't know.”
A loud crash came from above.
Then another.
The lights flickered.
Detective Cole returned.
“Eleanor locked herself in the west tower.”
“Can you get her?”
“She cut the power.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“I know another way.”
Sarah grabbed his arm.
“Where is Evelyn?”
Daniel looked at her.
“I don't know.”
“You knew there were two babies.”
“I was eighteen.”
“You've known this entire time.”
“I knew there was another child.”
“Where?”
Daniel lowered his head.
“My mother took her.”
“Where?”
He whispered:
“To the Vale estate.”
Sarah froze.
“Richard's estate?”
“He had one outside the city.”
“Does she still live there?”
Daniel didn't answer.
Sarah grabbed his shirt.
“Tell me.”
“I don't know.”
Detective Cole stepped between them.
“I do.”
Everyone turned.
Cole pulled out his phone.
“There is a woman living there.”
“Who?”
“Evelyn Vale.”
Sarah stared.
“She would be eleven.”
Cole shook his head.
“Twenty-three.”
Sarah's face drained.
“Twenty-three?”
“She wasn't Leo's twin.”
Silence.
Cole looked at Margaret.
“Eleanor had another secret.”
Margaret whispered:
“What secret?”
Cole showed them a record.
Birth dates.
Deaths.
Name changes.
Transfers.
One line was circled.
Evelyn Walker.
Born: 23 years ago.
Sarah stared.
“Then Leo…”
Cole nodded.
“Leo is not Evelyn's twin.”
Sarah felt confused.
“Who is she?”
Cole's answer destroyed the last stable piece of reality.
“She is your sister.”
“My…”
“Your father's first child.”
Sarah sat down.
Margaret covered her mouth.
Daniel looked toward the ceiling.
“Eleanor kept her to control Richard.”
Sarah thought about the photograph.
A baby.
Her mother.
Richard.
Eleanor.
She suddenly understood.
“This isn't about Leo.”
Cole nodded.
“Not entirely.”
“It's about the family line.”
“Yes.”
“Why is Leo important?”
Cole hesitated.
“Because your mother left something to him.”
“What?”
“We don't know.”
Sarah stared at the tiny key in Leo's hand.
“Then we find out.”
Suddenly Daniel ran.
“Where are you going?”
“The west tower.”
“Why?”
“Eleanor won't surrender.”
He stopped at the doorway.
“She'll burn the house before she lets you find the final file.”
Sarah followed.
The tower door was on fire.
Smoke filled the corridor.
“Mom!”
Eleanor's voice came from behind the flames.
“Sarah!”
Sarah covered her mouth.
Eleanor shouted:
“You want the truth?”
Sarah yelled back:
“Yes!”
“Then come get it.”
A pause.
“And bring the baby.”
Daniel looked at Sarah.
“Don't.”
Eleanor laughed.
“You know what happens if she opens the file without Leo.”
Sarah stared.
“What happens?”
Eleanor's voice became almost cheerful.
“The recording plays.”
“What recording?”
“The one your mother made the night she died.”
Sarah's blood froze.
Eleanor continued:
“And it names the man who ordered her death.”
The flames rose higher.
Sarah whispered:
“Who?”
Eleanor answered.
“Your father.”
Richard Vale.
But Daniel suddenly shouted:
“She's lying!”
Sarah turned toward him.
May you like
And for the first time…
she wasn't sure whom to believe.
