Dale nodded. “Roger that,” he said, before dialing the sheriff.
Sadie wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug. “You did it, Harper. You found the missing piece.”
She clung to Sadie. They had the truth now, and she knew that Mary’s voice would finally be heard. As they stood together in the quiet living room, Harper felt a renewed sense of purpose. The secrets that had haunted their family for so long were finally out in the open, and she was ready to make sure that justice was served. They owed it to Mary and her lost love, to ensure that Nevil Anderson’s actions were exposed for all to see.
She just hoped no one else got hurt in the process.
Chapter Nineteen
Cas and his brother stood when they heard a vehicle pull into the driveway. Harper and Sadie were seated at the kitchen table, their expressions a mix of determination and anxiety. Harper clutched the diary pages tightly in her hand, her knuckles white against the aged paper. He knew how much this meant to her and Sadie. They were all standing on the brink of a revelation that could change everything, but it also meant walking into dangerous territory.
Gabe stepped through the front door when Dale opened it, his expression serious as he took off his hat and nodded to them. “All right, let’s get to it,” he said, his voice carrying the weight of his role as both their friend and the sheriff.
“Okay,” Dale said. “The girls are in the kitchen.”
His brother led the way and Cas followed the sheriff, who set his hat on the counter and took a seat, glancing at the pages laid out in front of Harper. “So, this is what you’ve got.”
She nodded, pushing the diary pages across the table to Gabe. “These are the missing pages we found in Uncle Andrew’s credenza. They detail everything—P’s murder, Nevil Anderson’s involvement, and how the prominent families covered it all up with the fire, which killed two more people.”
Cas sat down next to her and reached for her hand under the table.
Gabe’s brow furrowed as he read through Mary’s words, his jaw tightening with each line. “This is damning evidence,” he said finally, looking up at them. “It confirms a lot of what we suspected, but it also makes this more dangerous. You’re dealing with people who’ve been protecting these secrets for almost acentury. They’ve already shown they’re willing to go to great lengths to keep them buried.”
He nodded, his mind racing with possibilities. “What’s our best move here, Gabe? We need to make sure this sees the light of day, but we can’t ignore the risks.”
The sheriff leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he considered the options. “First, we secure this evidence. I’ll take these pages and the other documents you’ve found and get them locked up at the station, but I’m also going to reach out to some contacts outside of Harland County. If we keep this within the local system, there’s too much room for interference. We need oversight from higher up—state or federal level—to make sure this gets the proper attention.”
Dale nodded, his expression grim. “And what about us? Nevil Anderson still has descendants and connections in town. If whomever has been leaving the threats gets wind of what we’re doing, it could be a big problem.”
Gabe sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “We’ll need to be careful. I can’t offer full-time protection, but I can have patrols keep an eye on things, and I’ll make sure you’re all on a watch list for potential threats. We also need to be strategic about how we release this information. If we go public too quickly, we risk losing control of the narrative.”
“We have the protection part covered,” Cas said, speaking up for the first time. “And Carter is doing a deep dive on all three founding families, including their financials.”
It was only a matter of time before he got his first update from Mac.
“We’ve come this far, Gabe. We can’t let them win,” Harper said, her voice steady but edged with fear. “Mary deserves better than that. And so do all the people who died because of what they did.”
The sheriff nodded, his expression softening. “I hear you, Harper. We’re going to do this right. But I need you to be prepared for pushback. These families have money, lawyers, and the means to make this difficult. It won’t be as simple as just exposing the truth and having everyone believe it.”
As if on cue, a knock sounded at the back door, and Cas turned to see Mac entering with a thick folder in his hands. He gave a nod to Gabe and then turned to the group, his face serious. “Just got our first batch of research from Carter. He’s been digging through old records and some surveillance data. Thought you’d want to hear what he’s found.”
Mac dropped the folder on the table, flipping it open to reveal a series of documents and photographs. “Carter found a connection between Nevil’s family and some shady dealings in town that go back decades. Financial records, hidden transactions, all tying back to the same families mentioned in the diary. It’s clear they’ve been using their influence to manipulate more than just the fire, they’ve got their hands in a lot of things around here.”
Jesus, that wasn’t good. He exchanged a look with his brother, noting the same sentiment in his eyes.
Gabe flipped through the documents, his gaze scanning the information quickly. “This is exactly what we needed. Proof that their corruption goes beyond just the cover-up. It’s a pattern of behavior.”
Mac nodded. “Carter’s still digging, but it looks like there’s enough here to establish a clear motive for the threats against Harper and anyone else who gets close to the truth. We’ve also got a few surveillance clips from around town showing some of George Anderson’s known associates near Harper’s apartment recently. Nothing directly incriminating, but it’s enough to suggest they’re keeping tabs.”
“George Anderson owns Harland Community Bank, right?” Harper asked.
“Correct,” Mac answered. “He’s one of Nevil’s three great-grandchildren.”
Harper’s face tightened, her grip on Cas’s hand tightening as well.
He squeezed back. “So, they’re watching us. They know we’re getting close.”
Mac nodded. “And they’re not happy about it. But this also means we’ve got leverage. If they know we’re not backing down, they might start to make mistakes. Desperation makes people sloppy.”
