Silas stepped backward.
“That’s impossible.”
Callahan continued.
“Authorities in Kentucky are examining your family’s former property.”
Beatrice suddenly interrupted.
“Silas, you promised nobody would ever find those papers!”
The room went silent.
Silas turned toward her.
“Mother, stop!”
But she was already panicking.
“You said everything had been taken care of!”
Callahan looked between them.
“Mrs. Thorne, you’ll need to come with us as well.”
Silas tried to protest.
Then he glanced at me.
For the first time, there was no confidence in his eyes.
Only fear.
“Eleanor,” he whispered.
I watched him quietly.
“You should never have underestimated Clara,” I said. “Or me.”
***
The investigation moved quickly.
At the Kentucky property, authorities recovered Clara’s personal belongings and financial documents concealed in an old storage area.
Additional findings led investigators to an isolated section of the property, where forensic specialists uncovered evidence connected to her disappearance.
