Chapter 8 - Paige Had Been Lying for Thirteen YearsPaige Briggs Crane opened her front door and immediately knew Carter had discovered something.
She looked at Mina.
Then Daniel.
Then the envelope in Carter’s hand.
Her face changed.
“You found Dad’s box.”
Carter went still.
“You knew.”
Paige closed her eyes.
Daniel stared at his wife.
“Knew what?”
“Not everything.”
Carter entered.
Paige didn't stop him.
Their daughter Claire was at school.
Good.
This conversation did not belong near an eight-year-old.
“What did Dad tell you?”
Carter asked.
Paige sat on the sofa.
“Three weeks before he died, he asked me whether Daniel ever mentioned his father's files.”
Daniel frowned.
“You didn't tell me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Dad told me not to.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Your family really enjoys that sentence.”
Carter didn't disagree.
“What else?”
Paige looked at Carter.
“Dad asked whether I knew Tessa Mercer.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
Sloane, standing near the doorway, froze.
Paige looked at her.
“I'm sorry.”
“For what?”
“I met your sister.”
“When?”
“Thirteen years ago.”
Sloane stared.
A year after Lucas died.
A year after Tessa disappeared.
“Where?”
“Washington.”
Paige had been twenty.
A college student.
Elias asked her to take a train to Washington and deliver an envelope to a woman.
He did not tell her who.
Tessa arrived.
“She knew my name.”
Sloane’s eyes filled.
“What did she say?”
Paige looked ashamed.
“She asked about you.”
“What did you tell her?”
“That you were finishing high school.”
“Anything else?”
“She asked if Mom was okay.”
Sloane turned away.
Paige continued.
“I gave her the envelope.”
“What was inside?”
“I don't know.”
“Did you tell anyone?”
“Yes.”
Carter felt cold.
“Who?”
Paige looked at Daniel.
His face changed before she answered.
“Richard Crane.”
Daniel’s father.
Daniel stood.
“You knew my father then?”
Paige nodded.
“I was dating Daniel.”
Carter froze.
“You told us you met a year later.”
Daniel stared at his wife.
Paige began crying.
“We lied.”
Carter's anger rose.
“Why?”
“Because my dad hated Richard.”
“Good reason, apparently.”
Daniel sat slowly.
Paige explained she met Daniel at a university event months before Lucas died.
They dated quietly because Elias disliked the Crane family.
Richard learned Paige was going to Washington.
He offered to drive her to the station.
She casually mentioned she was delivering something for her father.
“Did you tell him Tessa’s name?”
“No.”
“Then how did he know?”
“He followed me.”
Sloane whispered:
“Oh my God.”
Richard Crane saw Paige meet Tessa.
He told Marshall.
Tessa’s location was compromised.
Federal protection moved her again.
“Did you know what you caused?”
“Not then.”
“When did you learn?”
“A year later.”
“From Dad?”
“Yes.”
“What did he do?”
“He screamed at me.”
Carter could imagine.
“You kept dating Daniel.”
Paige looked at her husband.
“I loved him.”
Daniel's voice was quiet.
“I didn't know my father followed you.”
Paige nodded.
“I believe you.”
Carter wasn't sure he did yet.
“Why lie about when you met?”
“Richard told us if Elias knew we were together before Lucas died, he would blame Daniel for leaking information.”
“Was he wrong?”
Daniel stood.
“Yes.”
“Prove it.”
Daniel looked hurt.
Carter didn't care.
“What did your father know about Lucas?”
“Almost nothing from me.”
“Almost?”
“I knew Paige had a brother in police.”
“That’s it?”
“I saw Lucas once.”
“When?”
Daniel hesitated.
“The night he died.”
Silence.
Paige stared at him.
“You never told me that.”
“I was with my father.”
Carter’s entire body tightened.
“Where?”
“At a parking garage near City Hall.”
“What happened?”
“My father met Marshall.”
Carter stepped closer.
“You saw Marshall on the night Lucas died.”
“Yes.”
“Why stay silent?”
“I was twenty-four and terrified.”
“Did you hear anything?”
“Marshall said, ‘The cop has the ledger.’”
Carter’s jaw tightened.
“Then?”
“My father said, ‘Take the girl, not the cop.’”
Sloane stared.
Daniel looked sick.
“I thought they were talking about an arrest.”
“You believed that?”
“I wanted to.”
“What happened next?”
“Marshall left.”
“With who?”
“Evan Rourke was driving.”
Evan.
The same man still serving Marshall.
“Did your father leave?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
“Did you follow?”
“No.”
Carter paced.
Daniel had possessed key evidence for fourteen years.
“Why are you telling me now?”
“Because my father died.”
“Five years ago.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
Daniel looked at Paige.
“Because when Elias died, someone broke into my father’s old storage unit.”
“What was taken?”
“Copies of the ledger.”
“Who?”
“I assumed Marshall.”
“And that scared you enough?”
“No.”
Daniel swallowed.
“They left a photograph.”
He retrieved it from a safe.
Carter stared.
Claire.
Daniel and Paige's daughter.
Walking out of school.
On the back:
FAMILY SECRETS SHOULD STAY IN THE FAMILY.
Paige began crying.
Carter understood.
Marshall was still using children as leverage.
Just as he once used Carter against Elias.
Sloane looked at Paige.
“You let my sister disappear because you were scared.”
Paige nodded.
“Yes.”
“You let Carter believe Lucas died accidentally.”
“Yes.”
“You let Daniel protect his father.”
“Yes.”
Paige wiped her face.
“I am sorry.”
Sloane’s expression hardened.
“I don't know what to do with that yet.”
Fair.
Then Mina received a call.
Federal agents had finished reviewing Elias’s bank box.
One document was missing from inventory.
An empty envelope labeled:
ORIGINAL CRANE LEDGER — TESSA HOLDS COPY.
Carter looked at Sloane.
Tessa still possessed the strongest evidence.
Which meant whoever wanted the past buried didn't only need the motorcycle anymore.
They needed her.
Then Sloane’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered before Carter could stop her.
Silence.
Then a woman whispered:
“Sloane?”
Sloane stopped breathing.
Her face collapsed.
“Tessa?”
Fourteen years disappeared from her voice.
“Sloane, listen to me.”
Sloane covered her mouth.
Her sister was alive.
And terrified.
“Do not tell anyone where I am.”
Sloane looked around the room.
Too late.
Tessa continued:
“Marshall found my daughter.”
Sloane went white.
“And if Carter doesn't stop digging…”
May you like
Her voice broke.
“…he's going to make me choose which family survives.”
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