Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75793 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75793 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
I keep reading and realize it’s some sort of medical report. I flip the page because I’m not sure what I’m looking at and I guess it’s from when Dad gave blood because I recognize the logo of the blood bank. I flip to another page, this one more destroyed than the other, and this report is printed on different paper. It looks like it’s from an urgent care in Texas and it has my mother’s name on it. Her name before. Claire Carlisle-Bent. From the year I can just make out, she would have been sixteen years old and, on this sheet, someone circled Type A several times in red Sharpie. Whoever it was must have written something else on there because I can see the top of the red but can’t make out even a single letter because the rest of the page is gone.
A phone rings. It takes me a minute to recognize the ringtone. It’s the phone Silas gave me until we replace mine, which has been missing since the night of the Gala. The ringing is coming from the hallway, and I remember I’d left it in my coat pocket when I’d gotten here so I straighten to get it. By the time I get there, I miss the call and notice the text messages that must have come in when Silas and I were upstairs. I set the papers down on the table next to the door where a decorative bowl holds a second set of house keys inside. I open the text message and I don’t recognize the number because I don’t know anyone’s number anymore. Who does? When I needed to call or text anyone, I’d just scroll to the name in my contacts and hit the call button.
It doesn’t take me long to figure out who sent it, though. I recognize the vitriol in Ethan’s words.
Still think he’s better than me? Guessing you didn’t know about his field trip.
I click into the first of a series of photos. It’s of the back of an SUV like the one Hamish and Silas drive. Like ones so many people drive. But Silas’s face is visible as he makes a turn, and I recognize the road he’s turning onto.
My heartbeat accelerates as I keep scrolling, watching Silas drive into the parking lot of The Sinistral. It’s evening. Silas parks his SUV and walks inside, and even though the photo is blurry, I can make out the determined look on his face. The next one is from inside the lobby. Silas leaving. This one captures the date and time displayed on the digital clock on the reception desk.
It's from tonight. From when I was with Nigella and Silas was supposedly catching up on work.
I look out the window beside the door into the dark night, confused. He lied to me. Silas lied to me about working.
The phone rings and I jump. I look down at the display and see it’s Mr. Higgins. I swipe to answer.
“Hello?”
“Ophelia, is that you?”
“Uh. Yeah.” I realize the time and wonder why he’d be calling me now. “Is everything all right?”
“It is. I’m sorry to call so late but we need to talk. Are you still in Boston?”
“Yes. Why?”
“Can you meet me? There’s been a development, and I want you to know from me before it’s all over the news. Where are you?”
I blink, shake my head. “What development?”
“Your father has retracted his confession. He’s brought forth new evidence.”
“What?”
“Where are you?”
I look down at the keys in the small bowl. There’s a fob to an Audi, one I remember Nigella mentioning was available for our use should we need it.
“I’ll meet you in town,” I say, needing to get out of the house before Hamish gets here. “Do you know The Grande?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I can be there in twenty minutes.”
“Perfect. See you there.”
I grab the keys in the bowl along with my coat and hurry to the kitchen. I’m sure Hamish will be here soon and doubly sure he won’t let me leave, especially after what happened the last time. I slide my arms into my coat as I open the door that leads to the garage. An automatic light goes on when I do, and I see the Audi parked there. I push the button to raise the garage door and get into the driver’s seat. I start the engine. The gas tank is full, thank you Nigella, so I drive out of the garage and off the property heading toward downtown.
I pass one SUV at the intersection and turn my face away when I recognize Hamish behind the wheel. He must not see me, though, because when the light turns, he heads toward the house.
The side roads are a little slippery with the recent snow, but the main road is fine. When I arrive at The Grande, I find it busy, like the last time I was here more than a year ago. When Silas rescued me from that man. The night Ethan had asked me to marry him and hadn’t taken no for an answer.