CHAPTER 6: THE RUINED MAN'S SHADOW
CHAPTER 6: THE RUINED MAN'S SHADOW
The phone rang at midnight, the harsh vibration vibrating against the nightstand.
I answered it before it could wake Maisie. A voice rough with alcohol, desperation, and defeat filled the line.
My father.
“I know what the girl found in the frame, Evelyn,” he whispered.
I gripped the receiver, my knuckles turning white.
“Stay away from my daughter,” I said.
He let out a bitter, hollow laugh that rattled through the speaker.
“That key opens a private safety deposit box at First National,” he revealed.
“There are bearer bonds inside, enough to clear my court debts,” he continued.
“Enough to restore my name in this town,” he added.
“They belong to me, Evelyn,” he demanded.
I stood up, walking to the window to look out at the dark, silent street.
“They belong to the grandchild you pushed into the dirt,” I countered.
“If you come near this house or my child, I will have the detectives lock you away for good,” I warned.
“You wouldn't do that to your own blood,” he threatened.
May you like
“Watch me,” I whispered.
And I hung up the phone.
