Chapter 8 - The Castle on the Ashes
Betsy nearly dropped the phone.
“Arthur?”
Darwin watched her.
Daniel activated speaker.
The voice repeated.
“Hello, Elizabeth.”
Then Betsy understood.
Recording.
Arthur continued.
“If Daniel has played this for you, then things have gone worse than I hoped.”
Daniel looked embarrassed.
“I forgot this was scheduled.”
“You forgot my dead husband scheduled a phone call?”
“Arthur liked theatrics.”
“That sounds like him.”
The recording contained coordinates.
Arthur had created a second evidence cache.
More importantly, he had anticipated betrayal.
He named Marcus Bell.
Darwin looked stunned.
Arthur had investigated everyone around Daniel.
Marcus had contacted Samuel Vale years earlier.
Arthur never proved whether Marcus was an informant or double agent.
“Then Marcus might not be betraying us,” Betsy said.
Darwin nodded.
“He might have been feeding Arthur information.”
The trade demand suddenly looked different.
Silas may have kidnapped Marcus because Marcus had turned against him.
The coordinates led to Arthur’s old fishing cabin.
Betsy had not visited since his death.
Inside, beneath a floorboard, they found documents.
One contained a handwritten confession from Samuel Vale.
Another contained account ledgers.
Enough to connect Silas to murders, extortion, and financial crimes.
Darwin wanted to turn everything over immediately.
Daniel disagreed.
“Silas has people inside law enforcement.”
Betsy listened to the brothers argue.
Then she said, “We need someone neither side owns.”
“Who?”
Betsy smiled.
“Someone who hates everybody equally.”
She called Evelyn Grant.
A retired federal prosecutor and Oak Haven regular.
Evelyn had eaten scrambled eggs at Betsy’s counter every Sunday for eleven years.
She arrived three hours later.
She reviewed the evidence.
“This could bury Vale.”
“Could?”
“We need authentication.”
Daniel raised his hand.
“I’m authentication.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“You’re also legally dead.”
“Technical problem.”
“Large technical problem.”
They developed a plan.
Daniel would give a formal statement.
Evidence would be duplicated.
Multiple agencies and journalists would receive sealed copies if anything happened.
For the first time, Silas could not solve the problem by killing one person.
Betsy felt hope.
Then Evelyn asked about her marriage.
Betsy looked at Darwin.
“Not technically completed.”
Darwin cleared his throat.
“Engaged.”
“For security.”
Evelyn looked between them.
“Of course.”
Betsy hated that everyone made the same face.
That night, she and Darwin remained at the diner after everyone left.
He sat in the rear booth.
She brought pie.
“Apple.”
“My favorite.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“You always order it.”
He smiled.
“You notice things.”
“I’m a waitress.”
“Owner.”
“Both.”
Silence settled.
Darwin touched her ring.
“Once this is over, you can take that off.”
Betsy looked at him.
“You want me to?”
He hesitated.
“No.”
That single word changed the room.
Betsy sat opposite him.
“This was supposed to be pretend.”
“I know.”
“Temporary.”
“I know.”
“Strategic.”
“I know.”
“You’re very irritating.”
“I know.”
She smiled.
Then Darwin reached across the table.
He did not take her hand.
He waited.
Betsy placed hers in his.
His thumb moved gently across her knuckles.
No fireworks.
No dramatic declarations.
Just warmth.
After three years of widowhood, that frightened Betsy more than gunfire.
“I loved Arthur,” she said.
“I know.”
“I still do.”
“I know.”
“You’re not replacing him.”
“I wouldn’t try.”
Her eyes filled.
That was the right answer.
She leaned forward.
Darwin met her halfway.
Their kiss was quiet.
Brief.
Real.
Then the diner lights died.
Betsy sighed against his mouth.
“You have terrible timing.”
“That wasn’t me.”
Outside, engines surrounded Oak Haven.
Darwin stood.
Black vehicles blocked both exits.
A loudspeaker crackled.
Silas Vale’s voice filled the parking lot.
“Send Elizabeth King outside.”
Darwin reached for his weapon.
Betsy grabbed his hand.
Then someone knocked from inside the kitchen.
Three slow knocks.
The basement door opened.
May you like
Marcus Bell stepped out covered in blood.
And behind him stood the man everyone thought Marcus had betrayed...
