“Sarah knew that if there was any way she could rescue her son if he was still somehow alive, she would need to fake her own death,” Adam said. “Since we don’t have any money to hire a private investigator or any friends in high ces that could help us investigate, it’s been a difficult road. We’ve had to rely on our own cleverness.”
“We’ve narrowed the ce down to the Windsor’s apple orchard,” Sarah said, her mouth in a tight, angry line. “That’s where all the Windsor’s secrets are buried. That orchard is where my son is…dead or alive.” She put a shaking hand to her mouth and began to cry again.
Adam put aforting arm around his sister. “We know that without money or power, we have no chance in hell at trying to overthrow the Windsor family. Our biggest fear is that if we make it known that we are poking around for evidence, it will be destroyed.”
“Because that’s what the Windsor’s are best at,” Sarah snapped. “Destroying evidence.”
“That’s why we don’t want to go to the police again,” Adam said. “Especially because they’ve never helped her before.”
I nodded, agreeing with him.
I gazed at Sarah. The older woman seemed like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. I couldn’t imagine carrying the burden that she had for five long years. She looked physically and mentally exhausted.
Ava was stewing with anger beside me. I could tell by how tightly her arms were crossed and the way that her whole body was tensed. “I can’t
0.00%
10 55
288 Vouchers
believe this,” she said in a low, dangerous voice. “I personally promise that I will make sure that Chloe is put behind bars for all the horrible things that she has done.”
These words seemed to give Adam and Sarah hope. They gazed at Ava like she was their savior.
But I shifted in my seat, and my stomach filled with nerves. I really hoped that Ava didn’t just make a promise that she couldn’t keep.
“You can trust us,” Alexander said. His words just made my body even more tense. “I can personally assure you that the evidence won’t disappear this time.”
Apprehension flowed down my spine. What if Alexander and Ava had just made promises that we couldn’t fulfill? How much more heartbroken would Sarah and Adam be then?
*Author*
“Now, honey, you need to eat something if you’re going to get better,” a motherly nurse said to Kelly. She was setting down a hospital tray with a side sd, steamed broli with cheese sprinkled on top, mashed potatoes with gravy, and meatloaf covered in sauce. “I’ll be the first one to admit that hospital food isn’t the best, but I bribed the cooks in the kitchen to make you a good meal just so that you’ll eat it.” Then, she set down an orange cup of jello with a wink.
But Kelly crossed her arms and turned away from the food. Ever since she heard Chloe was still alive, and even worse in the same hospital as her, she’s refused to eat or drink anything. She wouldn’t say a word to anyone either. Her body was full of anxiety, just waiting for Chloe to find her and finish her off.
The motherly nurse sighed. “At least drink some water for me, sweetie,” she said.
36.80%
1055
288 Vouchers
Even though Kelly’s throat was parched, she refused.
On the opposite side of the hospital, Chloe was just waking up. As soon as she opened her eyes to discover that she was injured in a hospital bed, she began to scream in rage.
“When I find that crazy bitch Kelly, I’m going to kill her for doing this to me!” she screamed, her voice echoing in the room. “I won’t let her get away with this!”
Her mother was sitting by her side, holding her hand. She attempted to calm her daughter down and quiet her. She had been released from jail on bail this morning. Madeline was terrified that someone would hear Chloe’s threats and then both of them would be thrown into jail.
Chloe eventually calmed down enough to ask where Ethan was. “Why isn’t he by my bedside?” she demanded.
Her mother squeezed her hand. “He was just here, but he had to leave right before you woke up,” she lied.
This seemed to pacify Chloe for now.
10.55