They moved into the living room, the antique credenza sitting elegantly against the wall, another stunning testament to a bygone era. It was solid, with a rich, dark wood finish, and had the kind of craftsmanship that made it feel like it had stories to tell. She sure hoped so. Anticipation hiccupped through her pulse as she knelt down and began pulling out drawers, the others pulling them out too.
Tesla jumped down from his perch on the back of the couch and apparently decided this was a game for him. He leapt into one of the open drawers, his tail flicking playfully as he explored his new hideout. Harper smiled, even as her mind raced with the possibility of what they might find.
Dale was going through the top compartments, carefully pulling out old linens and knick-knacks that had been stashed away for years. Sadie was focused on the bottom drawers, methodically checking each one. Harper’s heart pounded as she ran her fingers along the insides of the drawers, feeling for anything out of place, any secret compartment or hidden spaces that she sometimes found when refurbishing antiques.
They worked in silence, the air thick with a mix of hope and frustration as drawer after drawer turned up empty. She glanced at Cas, who shrugged, a slight frown on his face.
“Nothing so far,” he said, sounding as disappointed as she felt.
Harper sighed, the brief spark of hope beginning to dim. “Maybe it was just a long shot. I mean, who knows if Andrew even cared enough to keep them?”
Just as she was about to give up, Tesla, who had been nosing around one of the lower drawers, suddenly jumped out, knocking it over. The drawer fell sideways, clattering against the floor with a hollow thud.
“Tesla!” Sadie scolded, though she couldn’t hide her amusement at the cat’s antics.
Harper bent down to fix the drawer, but as she did, something caught her eye. There, taped to the underside of the drawer, was a yellowed envelope, edges frayed from years of being hidden away. Her heart skipped a beat.
“Guys, look,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper as she carefully peeled the envelope from the drawer’s underside. It was old, the paper brittle under her touch. She turned it over, and her breath caught when she saw the name scrawled on it.
Mary
Chapter Eighteen
Sadie gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “Oh my God, Harper, is that—”
Harper nodded, carefully opening the envelope. Inside were the missing pages, neatly folded and tucked away as if waiting to be found. Her hands shook slightly as she pulled them out, the ink faded but still legible. She glanced at Cas, who gave her a reassuring nod, and then she began to read out loud.
“July 2, 1937. Andrew knows about P and me. He confronted me today, his eyes filled with worry and anger. He said he’s seen the men watching our house, following us when we meet in secret. He knows who they are—Nevil Anderson’s men. Andrew says Nevil’s threats are real, that we’re not just dealing with idle warnings. Nevil has too much at stake, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his family’s name and the bank they own, untarnished.
P tried to calm me tonight, said we could run, disappear somewhere they’d never find us. But how could we live like that, always looking over our shoulders? And what if they found us anyway? Nevil is ruthless. He’s already proven that. Andrew says we need to lay low, to be careful. But I’m terrified. I feel trapped, like the walls are closing in. Every time I look at P, I see the fear in his eyes, hidden behind his brave smile.
Andrew warned me not to tell anyone, said we need to handle this quietly. He promised to find a way to protect us, but I can see the doubt in his eyes. I’ve never seen my brother look so lost, so unsure of what to do. And now, knowing that Nevil’s men are watching us, every moment feels like a ticking clock. Ican’t lose P. I can’t let Nevil win. But what choice do we have when he holds all the power?
Harper’s grip tightening on the fragile pages as she finished reading the first one. She glanced up at the others, her stomach knotted. “Poor Mary.”
“I know.” Sadie blinked, wiping away a tear. “Keep reading.”
“July 5, 1937. It’s worse than I thought. Andrew says Nevil has already bribed people, paid off anyone who might have spoken out about seeing P and me together. He’s making sure that if anything happens, no one will question it. Andrew begged me to stay away from P, just until he can figure out a plan, but I can’t. I can’t turn my back on the only person who makes me feel like this life is worth living.
P’s voice trembled today. He said he felt like something bad was coming, that the air was too thick with threats we couldn’t see but could feel in every shadow. He’s scared, and I am too, but we both tried to put on brave faces for each other. I know he’s lying to me, pretending it’ll all work out when deep down, we both know it might not. I’m starting to wonder if we’ll ever find our way out of this mess.
Andrew thinks Nevil might act soon, and I can’t help but feel like we’re running out of time. I’m writing all of this down because I need someone, someday, to know the truth. Nevil Anderson isn’t a man of idle threats. He’s a snake with venom that spreads through this town, poisoning everything it touches. And now he’s after us. And P is his own grandson. God help us.
Harper swallowed, wiping her face, and clearing her throat. “That’s despicable.”
Cas was by her side now, his hand steady on the small of her back, giving her the courage she needed to read the next page. Harper instinctively knew it would be the toughest one.
“July 12, 1937. I can’t unsee it. The argument, the shouting, P trying to stand his ground against Nevil and his goons. It was chaos—everyone yelling, accusations flying. Nevil kept saying that P was a disgrace, that he was ruining everything the family had built. I watched from the shadows, hiding in that dark corner where I thought I’d be safe, but my heart felt like it was about to beat out of my chest.
And then it happened. Nevil punched P so hard that he stumbled back, his eyes wide with shock. I thought it would end there, that they’d just yell some more, but no. P lost his balance, his foot slipping on the edge of the old rug. I saw him fall, and before I could even think to scream, his head struck the corner of one of the statues. The sound of it—a sickening thud—I’ll never forget. He didn’t move after that, just lay there, lifeless. The whole room went dead quiet.
I wanted to scream, to rush out and hold him, but I couldn’t. I clamped my hand over my mouth so hard I thought I’d break my own jaw, just to keep that scream from coming out. I couldn’t let them know I was there, couldn’t let Nevil see me. All I could do was watch, my tears burning hot trails down my cheeks, my whole body shaking so hard I thought I’d give myself away.
That’s when the others started to panic. There were whispers and shouts, the men from the three families—Nevil’s, the Collinses, and the Everetts. They were frantic, trying to figure out what to do. Nevil kept saying they had to clean it up, that no one could know what happened. They decided right there, with P’s body still warm on the floor, that they’d set a fireto cover it up. My P wasn’t even gone for more than a minute before they were already planning how to erase him.
But what they didn’t realize, or maybe didn’t care to remember, was that there were people in the basement that night. A separate meeting, people trying to organize for the church’s fundraiser. Innocent souls who had no idea the danger lurking above them. Nevil didn’t care. None of them did. All they saw was a solution to their problem—a fire to consume the evidence, to burn away the truth that P had died because of their cruelty.
I stayed hidden until they all left, until the fire was already crackling, and the smoke filled the air. My heart was breaking, not just for P but for everyone down there, trapped because of Nevil’s desperate need to protect his family’s reputation. I knew I had to help as many of the others as I could get out before the flames made it impossible. But I also knew I had to remember every detail. They think the fire will hide their sins, but I won’t let them forget. I will find a way to make sure the truth is told, even if it’s the last thing I ever do.
