Chapter 5 - The Christmas Morning Lie
Christmas morning arrived under a blanket of snow.
For the first time in years, Ethan went home.
His mother cried when she saw him.
His sister hugged him.
His nephew ran toward him.
But Ethan barely noticed.
He was holding the silver key Hannah had found.
His mother saw it.
Her smile disappeared.
“Where did you get that?”
Ethan looked at her.
“Hannah Mercer.”
His mother sat down.
“Why is her name in this?”
“You know her?”
“No.”
“Don't lie to me.”
His mother looked toward the Christmas tree.
Then she whispered:
“Her mother came to me.”
Ethan's heart pounded.
“When?”
“After Claire died.”
“What did she want?”
“She said Claire's death wasn't an accident.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Your father threatened her.”
Ethan's voice cracked.
“What did he threaten?”
“Her family.”
His mother looked at him.
“Your father was involved in something dangerous.”
“What?”
“I don't know.”
“You do know.”
She began crying.
“I knew enough to be afraid.”
Ethan sat beside her.
“Mom.”
She looked at him.
“Your father wasn't trying to save the company.”
“What was he doing?”
“He was hiding what the company had become.”
Ethan stared.
Whitmore Confections had always been presented as an innocent family business.
Candy.
Chocolate.
Holiday gifts.
But beneath it was something else.
His mother handed him an old photograph.
His father stood beside several men.
One of them was Victor Hale.
Another was a doctor.
And the third—
Ethan recognized him.
Dr. Marcus Vane.
The physician who had signed Claire's death certificate.
Ethan stood.
“Where is Vane?”
His mother shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Daniel called.
“We found him.”
Ethan answered.
“Where?”
“Atlanta.”
“Send me the address.”
“There is a problem.”
“What?”
“Someone got there first.”
Ethan's stomach dropped.
“Is he alive?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
“But?”
“He says he's been waiting for you.”
Ethan stared out the window.
“I'm coming.”
At that moment, his phone received a photo.
Hannah.
Standing outside her apartment.
With Ellie.
Someone had photographed them from across the street.
Underneath was one sentence.
Leave the past alone, or the baby pays for it.
Ethan's entire expression changed.
He called Hannah.
She answered immediately.
“Hello?”
“Lock your door.”
“What?”
“Do it now.”
She heard the fear in his voice.
“Ethan?”
“Lock the door, Hannah.”
She did.
Then she whispered:
“Someone is outside.”
Ethan stood.
“Do not open it.”
A knock came.
Three slow knocks.
Hannah held Ellie against her chest.
The knocking stopped.
Then a man's voice came through the door.
“Merry Christmas, Hannah.”
She froze.
Ethan heard it through the phone.
He called Daniel.
“Get to her now.”
May you like
Then Ethan grabbed his coat.
For the first time in four years, he ran toward something instead of away from it.
