Chapter 6 - The Brother Behind the Smile

Back at Ashford Hall, Nathan grabbed my father's shoulder.

"Why didn't you call me about Mia?"

"Because the threat said to keep you out of it," Dad replied. "And after that recording, we couldn't know what you were involved in."

The words hurt Nathan almost visibly.

"You think I'd do this? To Evie?"

I wished the bandages could hide the answer in my eyes. I wasn't sure what I believed anymore.

Owen crossed his arms. "This is insane. You're taking the word of someone who spent last night in the hospital on strong pain medication."

"Don't talk about her like she's not here," Nathan said.

His brother's smile returned, thinner now. "I'm trying to save you from a public disaster."

Celeste marched toward us, her heels striking marble. "Our lawyers can deal with this privately. We are not destroying this family in front of our friends."

"Evie was hurt," Nathan said. "Mia is missing. The family can survive bad publicity."

I touched his sleeve. "The man who ran out. I saw him by the conservatory."

Nathan looked toward the doors. "That's Caleb Dunn. Head of venue security. Owen hired him."

Owen's eyes flicked toward the side hall.

"He came recommended," he said.

"By whom?"

"A colleague."

I recognized the tiny movement he made before telling another lie: he rubbed the inside of his left wrist with his thumb. Yesterday, I'd clawed at my attacker's wrist in the dark.

Tessa pushed a small chair toward me. "Please sit. Your dressing is bleeding through."

I shook my head. "The bouquet."

"What about it?" Nathan asked.

I moved aside two white orchids with my stiff fingers. Tessa had wired a small plastic sleeve beneath the ribbon, following my instructions that morning. Inside was a memory card from the conservatory's backup camera, which Mia had copied before she vanished.

Owen stared at it.

"Where did you get that?" he demanded.

"Interesting question," I said. "I didn't tell you what it was."

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His phone vibrated. He looked down and went absolutely still.

Over his shoulder, I saw the beginning of the message: SHE GOT THE CARD. GET THE GIRL MOVING.