PART 6

“Then tell me what you do know.”

He looked toward the tunnel.

“Mark isn’t the person in control.”

My skin prickled.

“Who is?”

“That’s what Emily was trying to find out.”

He handed me a sealed envelope.

My name was written across the front.

SARAH.

My hands shook as I opened it.

Inside was a single page.

My sister’s handwriting.

Sarah,

If you’re reading this, Noah reached you.

That means I failed to protect him myself.

I’m sorry.

Please don’t trust Mark.

But don’t assume everyone around him is his enemy either.

There is someone inside the police department helping him.

That’s why I couldn’t report everything normally.

The evidence is hidden where we used to play as children.

You will know the place.

The blue envelope contains the key.

Find the evidence before they do.

And Sarah…

If Mark tells you I’m dead, don’t believe him.

I lowered the letter.

My hands were shaking.

“The place where we used to play?”

Mr. Foster looked at me.

“You know where she means?”

I nodded slowly.

There was only one place.

The old lake house.

When we were children, Emily and I used to spend every summer there with our parents.

We had built a tiny wooden fort behind the property.

We buried things there.

Secret notes.

Photographs.

Childhood treasures.

But the lake house had been sold years ago.

Or so I thought.

I looked at Noah.

“Where’s the blue envelope?”

He pointed toward the wall.

“Behind the clock.”

Mr. Foster frowned.

“The clock?”

I walked over.

There was an old battery-powered clock hanging above the shelf.

I removed it.

Behind it was a narrow compartment.

Inside was a blue envelope.

I pulled it out.

The envelope was sealed.

My name was written across it.

But before I could open it, my phone rang.

Unknown number.

I answered without speaking.

For several seconds, there was silence.

Then a woman’s voice whispered:

“Sarah.”

I knew that voice.

My knees nearly gave out.

“Emily?”

“Listen carefully.”

My sister was crying.

“I don’t have much time.”

“Where are you?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Are you alive?”

“Yes.”

I closed my eyes.

CONTINUE FOR NEXT PART….