Chapter 6 - The Truth About Ethan Cole
Claire's house became their temporary refuge.
For two days, they studied the evidence.
Piece by piece, the conspiracy became clearer.
Marcus Vale had spent decades controlling construction projects through intimidation.
Thomas Whitmore had discovered him.
David Cole had investigated him.
Both men had been silenced.
Lincoln's father had participated.
Lincoln himself had spent years trying to undo the damage.
Jessica had been coerced.
And Ethan had inherited his father's unfinished investigation.
But one question remained.
Why had Marcus suddenly targeted Nora?
Claire answered.
“Because the final evidence was never in Alder House.”
Nora looked up.
“What?”
“Your father split it into two parts.”
Ethan frowned.
“Where is the second?”
Claire looked at Nora.
“Inside something you own.”
Nora thought.
“I don't know.”
“Think.”
Nora remembered her childhood.
Her father's workshop.
His drafting table.
An old wooden ruler.
A brass compass.
A restoration journal.
She suddenly stood.
“My mother's piano.”
They drove back to Seattle under heavy rain.
The piano had belonged to Nora's mother.
It sat in storage because Nora had never had room for it in her apartment.
They arrived at the warehouse.
Nora unlocked the room.
The piano looked untouched.
Ethan examined the frame.
“Something's hidden here.”
Nora removed the keyboard panel.
A narrow compartment appeared.
Inside was a second flash drive.
Her father's final evidence.
Ethan inserted it into his laptop.
Video footage appeared.
Thomas Whitmore.
Older.
Tired.
Speaking directly into a camera.
“If you're watching this, then Marcus has failed to erase the truth.”
Nora covered her mouth.
Her father's voice.
After nineteen years.
“I know my death may be arranged.”
Ethan looked at Nora.
She was shaking.
Her father continued.
“David trusted his son.”
Nora looked at Ethan.
“Ethan will be stubborn. He will distrust people. He will believe facts are safer than feelings.”
Ethan looked away.
Thomas smiled faintly.
“But if he meets my daughter, he must learn that sometimes trust is not proven by evidence.”
Nora began crying.
Her father continued.
“Trust is chosen.”
The video ended.
Silence.
Then Ethan whispered:
“He knew.”
“He knew we'd meet?”
“Apparently.”
Nora looked at him.
“Did you know?”
“No.”
“You recognized my name.”
“Yes.”
“You investigated my family.”
“Yes.”
“But when you met me, did you already know who I was?”
“Yes.”
The honesty mattered.
More than she expected.
Nora walked closer.
“Why did you stay?”
Ethan swallowed.
“Because the first night you texted me, you were broken.”
“That doesn't explain it.”
“You made jokes while you were crying.”
She smiled faintly.
“I do that.”
“I know.”
“And?”
“And I realized I cared.”
Her breath caught.
“This is a terrible time to say that.”
“I know.”
“I'm still technically recovering from finding out my boyfriend didn't cheat on me.”
“You are allowed to be confused.”
“And you are a stranger.”
“Not anymore.”
She looked at him.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then a car alarm sounded outside.
Ethan immediately turned toward the window.
May you like
A black SUV had stopped near the entrance.
Marcus had found them.
