Chapter 248
Chapter 248
Eileen's POV
My palms were slick with sweat.
I pressed them against my jeans, trying to steady my breathing. The warehouse smelled like dust and old wood. Shadows stretched across the concrete floor from the late afternoon sun filtering through grimy windows.
"Silas..." I whispered. "What if she doesn't come?"
He was checking the recording device hidden behind a stack of crates. His movements were calm, methodical. Everything I wasn't right now.
"She will." He didn't look at me. "Evelyn told her there was evidence in a recorder. Even if it's a lie, Emilia can't risk it."
I took a shaky breath. "But we don't even know what's actually on that recorder. If she asks—"
"Then you stay vague." Now he turned to me. His gray-blue eyes were steady. "You just need to make her believe we have enough proof."
His hand found mine. Squeezed once.
I wanted to say something. Thank you. I'm scared. I love you.
Instead I just squeezed back.
Moby poked his head out of my jacket pocket. His tiny tentacles waved toward the door.
Someone was coming.
Silas pulled me behind a tall shelf. I could feel the heat of his body against my back. His hand stayed on my waist.
My heart was hammering so loud I was sure she'd hear it.
---
The warehouse door creaked open.
I held my breath.
Emilia's silhouette appeared in the doorway. She looked around—left, right, behind her. Then she moved fast toward the storage area.
I watched through the gap between boxes.
Her hands were shaking. I could see it even from here. Her breathing was quick, shallow.
She found the box labeled "Evelyn Goode." Ripped it open.
Empty.
The color drained from her face.
"No..." Her voice cracked. "That's impossible... Marcus said..."
I stepped out from the shadows.
"Looking for something, Aunt Emilia?"
---
She spun around. For a second—just a second—pure terror flashed across her face.
Then she forced a smile. It looked painful.
"Eileen?" Her voice was too high. "What are you doing here?"
I walked closer. Slow steps. "Grandfather said you went to take care of him today." I glanced at the empty box. "Funny place to do that."
"I... I just wanted to sort through some old things..."
"Really?" I looked at the box again. "You were looking for Evelyn's things?"
Her eyes darted away. "No... no, I wasn't..."
Liar.
I could feel Silas behind me now. Not close enough to be seen, but close enough that I knew he was there.
I reached into my pocket.
Pulled out a small wooden box.
"Were you looking for... this?"
---
Emilia's pupils dilated. Her whole body went rigid.
She stared at the box like it was a snake.
"What... what is that?"
"I found it this morning." I kept my voice even. Calm. "Evelyn was smart. She hid the backup somewhere else."
Emilia's breathing got faster. "What's... what's inside?"
I didn't open it. Just held it. Watched her.
"You know better than I do, don't you?" I tilted my head. "After all... Evelyn recorded everything you said."
"I..." She took a step back. "I don't know what you're talking about..."
"That day at the sawmill." I moved closer. "Evelyn said the recorder had evidence."
Another step.
"You smashed it. Right there in front of everyone."
Emilia's face went white. "Eileen... you have to believe me... Evelyn was lying..."
I gripped the box tighter. "Then I'll open this right now. We can listen together."
"NO!"
She lunged for it.
---
I jerked back. The box pressed against my chest.
"Why not?" I kept my voice cold. "If there's nothing incriminating in here—"
Emilia realized her mistake. She tried to pull herself together. Failed.
"I just... there's no point listening to a criminal's lies..."
"A criminal?" I laughed. It sounded harsh even to my own ears. "But Evelyn said the real criminal... is you."
Emilia's knees buckled. She caught herself on a crate.
Her carefully maintained composure was cracking. I could see it happening in real time.
"Evelyn said..." I paused. Let the silence stretch. "Before she died, she tried so hard to tell me. About my mother."
Emilia's eyes went unfocused.
"Serena... that was an accident... it really was just an accident..."
My heart stopped.
Then started again, too fast.
Holy shit. It really was about Mom.
But I couldn't show surprise. Couldn't let her know I'd been guessing.
"An accident?" I forced myself to sound like I already knew. "You call that an accident?"
"I was so scared..." Emilia slid down to sit on the floor. "I didn't know what to do..."
"Scared of what?" I crouched down. Got on her level. "Scared people would find out what you did to my mother?"
---
She was breaking. I could see it.
Her hands covered her face. "I just wanted the formula... I didn't mean to hurt her... the Council promised... if I just got the formula..."
The Council.
My blood went cold.
"So what did you do to her?" I kept pushing. Had to keep pushing. "What did you do to my mother?"
Emilia was crying now. Real tears. "I... I can't say... if I tell you..."
Footsteps.
Heavy. Deliberate.
Silas stepped out of the shadows.
Emilia saw him. Her eyes went huge.
"No... please... don't..."
I gripped the box so hard my knuckles went white.
"Then tell me." My voice didn't sound like mine anymore. "Tell me what you did to Serena Goode in that laboratory."