Chapter 18 - The Missing Page
Ruth explained that Ada had given her the ledger page shortly before her death.
She had been instructed to hide it until someone reopened the house to help victims of property fraud. When Ruth heard about Hale House, she believed the time had come.
The missing page completed Ada’s message:
REMEMBER THE NORTH WALL. TRUST THE WOMAN WHO LOST EVERYTHING. NEVER TRUST THE ONE WHO RETURNS WITH NOTHING.
Nora looked toward the telephone.
Celeste had already disconnected.
Beneath the sentence, Ada listed account numbers and the initials E.V. The numbers matched dormant trust accounts established for owners who had successfully challenged fraudulent deeds.
Leah discovered that the remaining money had recently been transferred.
The authorization came from Hale House’s own network.
Only six people had administrator access: Nora, Leah, the accountant, and three senior volunteers.
Security logs showed that someone entered the building at 1:17 a.m. on the night the blue folder appeared.
The access card belonged to Elise Hart, a volunteer who had worked at Hale House since opening day.
Elise helped organize workshops, prepared coffee for visitors, and comforted frightened clients before legal consultations.
She had access to the north wall because she cataloged Ada’s books.
When Nora called her, Elise’s number had been disconnected.
Her apartment was empty.
A neighbor said she had left carrying one suitcase an hour earlier.
Inside a kitchen drawer, detectives found two passports.
One identified her as Elise Hart.
The other identified her as Elise Voss.
Nora stared at the surname.
Elias Voss had placed his own daughter inside Hale House.
A search of the apartment revealed photographs of every volunteer, detailed diagrams of the building, and copies of Ruth’s disputed deed.
However, one photograph did not belong with the others.
It showed Elise standing beside Benjamin at the cabin.
Written on the back were the words:
SHE THINKS SHE IS HIS DAUGHTER.
That evening, Nora received a message from Elise.
I DID NOT STEAL THE MONEY. YOUR MOTHER DID.
A location followed.
May you like
Elise wanted to meet alone.
The location was the cemetery where Ada Hale was buried.
