Chapter 27 - THE CALL
That night, Julian stayed at my house.
Noah slept upstairs.
I sat at the kitchen table with my mother's letter.
"I don't understand," I whispered.
Julian sat across from me.
"We need to assume someone is watching us."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"That's the problem."
My phone rang.
Arthur Bell.
I answered.
"Where is my mother?"
His voice was calm.
"Safe."
"Where?"
"I can't tell you."
"Then why call?"
"Because you need to understand something."
"What?"
"The box wasn't meant for you."
I looked toward the hallway.
"It was meant for Noah."
"Why?"
"Because your grandfather trusted children more than adults."
I almost laughed.
"That's ridiculous."
"No."
Arthur paused.
"He knew adults could be bought."
"And children?"
"Children don't understand the value of what they carry."
I stood.
"What is inside the box?"
"Evidence."
"Of what?"
"Of the first betrayal."
I frowned.
"What betrayal?"
"The one that started your family's destruction."
I heard a noise upstairs.
I turned.
"Noah?"
Silence.
I ran upstairs.
His bedroom door was open.
His bed was empty.
My heart stopped.
"NOAH!"
Julian rushed behind me.
The window was open.
And on Noah's pillow was a folded piece of paper.
May you like
I opened it.
YOU WERE WARNED.
