Chapter 17 - THE OLD HOUSE
Evan did not go alone.
He called police, then drove ahead anyway.
Claire followed in another car despite every order he gave her.
"You don't get to be stupid without me anymore," she said over the phone.
The old Bennett house stood dark at the end of the road.
Martin sat at the old dining table.
Helen was tied to a chair beside him.
A pistol rested near Martin's hand.
"You brought police."
"Of course I did."
Martin smiled.
"Robert would have lied about that."
"I'm not Robert."
Martin's smile faded.
"No. That was always the problem."
"You killed Mara."
Martin shrugged.
"I scared her. She lost control."
Helen shouted, "You hit her car."
Martin looked at her.
"Still rewriting your part, Helen?"
Evan saw Helen flinch.
Martin continued.
"She had nine minutes."
"This is about you."
"Nothing in families is only about one person."
Martin picked up the gun.
"Robert hid my theft because he was ashamed of his affair. Helen hid Mara's evidence because she hated her. Claire took money because she felt overlooked."
He pointed the gun at Evan.
"Everybody helped."
"Helping a lie survive doesn't make everyone equally guilty."
Martin's expression hardened.
"That is a comforting distinction."
"It's also the law."
A floorboard creaked behind Martin.
Claire appeared in the doorway.
"Drop it."
Martin spun.
The gun fired into the ceiling.
Helen screamed.
Evan slammed Martin against the table.
Claire kicked the gun away.
Police poured through the front and back doors seconds later.
Martin was pinned to the floor.
"You think this ends with me?"
"No."
Then he looked at Helen.
"It ends when we stop lying for each other."
May you like
Martin's face changed.
Because for the first time, he understood Evan was willing to destroy the Bennett name to save what was left of the Bennett family.
