Hannah stepped toward the staircase.
“Don’t,” I whispered.
Aaron’s shadow appeared across the wall.
“Rachel, listen carefully.”
I stared at the stairs.
“Stay where you are.”
He stopped.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then he said something that made my blood run cold.
“You found Owen.”
I gripped my son’s hand.
“You knew he was alive.”
Aaron sighed.
“Rachel, this isn’t what it looks like.”
I almost laughed.
“Five years, Aaron.”
My voice shook.
“Five years you watched me grieve.”
He didn’t answer.
“You signed the report.”
“I know.”
“You told me my husband and children were dead.”
His voice lowered.
“I was trying to keep everyone alive.”
Owen began trembling beside me.
I looked down.
He whispered, “Don’t believe him.”
Aaron stepped onto the basement stairs.
“Rachel, you need to understand. If you leave with that notebook, people are going to get hurt.”
I stared at the papers in my hand.
