Chapter 12 - THE MESSAGE IN THE WALL
Rebecca and Evelyn searched the warehouse records.
The building had officially been destroyed by fire.
But the property beneath it remained legally owned by a dormant Hart entity.
They went there at dawn.
The warehouse was nothing but a fenced lot.
Rebecca walked through the broken gate.
At the far end was a section of brick wall that had survived the fire.
Something was carved into it.
The same three letters.
R H M.
Rebecca touched them.
A hidden panel opened.
Inside was another recording.
Thomas's voice.
“If Rebecca finds this, then Grandma's plan worked.”
Rebecca closed her eyes.
Thomas continued.
“The person behind the Hartwell operation is not someone you expect.”
Static interrupted the recording.
Then his voice returned.
“I trusted the wrong person.”
Rebecca leaned closer.
“I thought Dad was the center of it.”
A pause.
“He wasn't.”
Rebecca looked at Evelyn.
Thomas continued.
“The person who knew the most was someone who had access to every family document.”
Rebecca whispered.
“Mom.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Listen.”
Thomas continued.
“I never blamed Margaret.”
Rebecca exhaled.
Then Thomas said:
“I blamed Claire.”
Rebecca froze.
The recording ended.
Claire stood behind them.
She had followed them.
Rebecca turned.
“You lied.”
Claire shook her head.
“I was protecting you.”
“You knew Thomas was alive.”
“Yes.”
“You knew he was investigating.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because he told me not to.”
Rebecca stared at her.
“Where is he?”
Claire began crying.
“I don't know.”
“You're lying again.”
“No.”
Claire took out her phone.
She showed Rebecca an old message.
From Thomas.
Do not trust anyone in the Hart house.
Rebecca looked up.
“Why would he send that to you?”
Claire whispered.
“Because I was the only one he thought would listen.”
Rebecca looked at her sister.
For the first time, she realized Claire might not have been the villain.
She might have been another prisoner.
Then Claire's phone vibrated.
A new message appeared.
One sentence.
You should not have found the wall.
Claire dropped the phone.
May you like
Rebecca stared at the screen.
Someone was still watching them.
