Chapter 16 - The Second Trip to Raven FallsPolice told Claire she wasn’t going.
Claire went anyway.
Not alone.
Mercer organized the operation.
Federal agents joined after evidence suggested interstate fraud and multiple murders.
Maya remained behind under protection.
Michael was kept in custody.
Monica disappeared into federal supervision.
Claire wore a wire beneath a borrowed hiking jacket.
Her ribs still hurt.
Her stitches pulled whenever she frowned.
Yet at 10:42 the next morning, she stepped onto the Raven Falls trail.
The weather looked almost identical.
Bright sun.
Clear sky.
Beautiful enough to make what happened two days earlier feel unreal.
Claire hated the waterfall now.
Every distant roar tightened her chest.
Mercer’s voice came through her earpiece.
“We’re with you.”
Claire didn’t answer.
Ethan had instructed her to come alone.
Police teams stayed far enough back to remain unseen.
The climb took nearly two hours.
Claire reached the summit.
Her breathing stopped.
Same rocks.
Same mist.
Same place where she had closed her eyes.
Ethan stood near the waterfall.
Ava beside him.
Her hands weren’t tied.
Claire almost ran toward her.
“Mom.”
“Ava.”
Ethan raised one hand.
“Stop.”
Claire stopped.
Ava looked exhausted but uninjured.
Ethan looked terrible.
Unshaven.
Eyes bloodshot.
Dark hiking jacket again.
Almost the same clothing.
It made Claire feel trapped inside a replay.
“Let her go.”
Ethan looked at Ava.
“Walk to your mother.”
Ava hesitated.
Then ran.
Claire wrapped both arms around her.
Pain tore through her ribs.
She didn’t care.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“No.”
Ava looked back at Ethan.
“He protected me.”
Claire stiffened.
“What?”
Ethan’s eyes moved toward the trees.
“He’s here.”
Thomas.
Claire heard Mercer through her earpiece.
“No visual.”
She kept her face neutral.
“Why bring us here?”
Ethan reached into his jacket.
Claire tensed.
He removed a small notebook.
“The ledger.”
Claire stared.
“You had it?”
“My father thinks Monica has the only copy.”
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
“Something you’re good at.”
Pain crossed Ethan’s face.
Good.
Claire wanted him hurt.
“I’m giving it to you.”
“Why?”
“Because it ends him.”
“Police will end both of you.”
“I know.”
That answer surprised her.
Ethan looked toward Ava.
“She shouldn’t be part of this.”
Claire nearly exploded.
“You made her part of this.”
“I know.”
“Why did you push me?”
Ethan looked directly at her.
The sound of the falls filled the silence.
“Because I was a coward.”
Claire waited.
“My father said he would kill Ava if I didn’t.”
“So you killed me instead.”
“I thought I did.”
“You watched me fall.”
His eyes lowered.
“Yes.”
“You didn’t jump.”
“No.”
“You didn’t call for help.”
“No.”
Claire stepped closer.
“Then don’t tell yourself you saved my daughter.”
Ethan’s face tightened.
“I don’t.”
Claire wanted to hate him cleanly.
Completely.
The truth complicated nothing.
He had made the choice.
Whatever Thomas threatened, Ethan had put his hands on Claire and pushed.
Mercer whispered through the wire.
“Movement northwest.”
Ethan heard something.
He turned.
A rifle shot cracked.
Rock exploded beside him.
Ava screamed.
Claire pulled her daughter down.
Another shot.
Ethan ran toward them.
“Behind the rocks!”
They crawled behind a granite formation.
Claire heard agents shouting in the distance.
Thomas fired again.
Ethan looked toward Claire.
“He’ll keep shooting until he gets the ledger.”
Claire stared.
“Then give it to him.”
Ethan shook his head.
“If he gets it, everyone connected disappears.”
Ava shouted, “Burn it!”
Ethan almost smiled.
“It’s copied.”
Of course.
A shadow moved above them.
Thomas.
Older man.
Gray hair.
Rifle.
Ethan stepped into view.
“Dad!”
Thomas aimed.
“You chose her.”
Ethan stood still.
“No.”
“You always were weak.”
“You made me weak.”
Thomas laughed.
“I made you rich.”
Claire could hear police closing in.
Thomas saw her.
His expression changed.
“So this is Claire.”
She hated the familiarity in his voice.
He had known about her for years.
Thomas shifted the rifle toward her.
Ethan moved instantly.
He lunged.
The gun fired.
Ethan fell.
Ava screamed.
Agents stormed the ridge.
Thomas ran toward the water.
Mercer chased him.
Claire crawled toward Ethan.
Blood spread across his jacket.
He looked at her.
“Claire…”
She pressed her hands against the wound despite everything.
“Don’t talk.”
He laughed weakly.
“You still save people.”
“Shut up.”
“Backpack.”
“What?”
“Your backpack.”
Claire stared.
“The one from that day.”
“What about it?”
Ethan coughed.
“There’s something inside.”
“Where?”
“Storage locker.”
“Why does it matter?”
His eyes found hers.
“Because the photograph isn’t the only evidence.”
Claire leaned closer.
“What evidence?”
Ethan whispered:
May you like
“The names of every woman my father ever killed.”
Then his eyes closed.
Related Stories
