“Mom.
Six.”
I stared at them.
Bluebird.
Seventeen.
Six.
“The sixth step.”
We knelt beside it.
At first, nothing appeared unusual.
Then Hannah brushed dirt away from the side.
There was a small brass plate.
It had been painted over.
I scraped the paint with my car key.
A tiny engraving emerged.
E + G.
6/17.
My eyes filled.
“He remembered.”
The plate was attached to a removable block beneath the step.
Inside was a waterproof metal container.
Hannah carefully pulled it free.
My hands shook so badly I could barely open the lid.
Inside were a small digital recorder, a memory card, two photographs, and a sealed envelope.
The envelope was addressed to me.
Emily,
If you’ve found this, then my first letter reached you.
I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.
I thought I could protect everyone by keeping quiet.
The recorder contains evidence against Miles Carter and Daniel Rourke.
