Chapter 4 - RONAN FOUND THE EMPTY MUSIC BOX
At 7:45 the next morning, Ronan was waiting in Evelyn’s room.
Sadie knew immediately something was wrong.
He held the faded wristband she normally wore over the falcon tattoo.
She had forgotten it at home.
His eyes moved to the exposed mark.
“Show me.”
Sadie kept her hand down.
“No.”
The old Sadie would never have said that to Ronan Cain.
The hungry Sadie.
The woman with glued shoes and one packet of noodles.
But Declan’s video had changed something.
Ronan stepped closer.
“My mother exposed that mark yesterday.”
“I know.”
“What does it mean?”
“I don’t know everything yet.”
“Wrong answer.”
“Still the answer.”
His expression hardened.
Then Evelyn struck the arm of her wheelchair.
Once.
Twice.
Ronan looked at her.
She signed rapidly.
Sadie understood.
Ronan did not.
He turned toward Sadie.
“What did she say?”
“She said stop intimidating me.”
His mother slapped the arm again.
Sadie corrected:
“She said stop acting like your father.”
That one landed.
Ronan’s face changed.
Good.
Then he noticed the military coin protruding from Sadie’s bag.
She had brought it because she planned to show Evelyn.
Ronan took one look.
“Where did you get that?”
Sadie grabbed it first.
“Declan.”
Silence.
Absolute.
Ronan’s hand stopped halfway toward her.
“My brother?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Four years ago.”
“You knew him.”
“Yes.”
“Before he died.”
Sadie looked at Evelyn.
The old woman’s hands shook.
“Maybe.”
Ronan went still.
“What does that mean?”
“I need to verify something.”
“You need to answer me.”
“No.”
The word came before fear.
His bodyguard near the door actually shifted.
Ronan stared.
Sadie continued:
“Your family has spent four years treating your mother like she cannot understand a room she understands perfectly.”
His jaw tightened.
“Marsh diagnosed her.”
“Marsh also knew Declan.”
Ronan froze.
“How?”
Sadie pulled out the photograph.
Three young men.
Falcon pins.
Ronan stared at it.
“I haven’t seen this in twenty years.”
“What was Night Falcon?”
His face changed.
“How do you know that name?”
“Declan.”
Ronan’s voice dropped.
“What did he tell you?”
“Not enough.”
That was true.
Then Ronan said:
“I had your apartment searched.”
Sadie’s blood turned to ice.
“What?”
“For threats.”
“You searched my home?”
“No one touched your daughter.”
“That is not the point.”
Her voice rose.
Evelyn watched them.
Ronan said:
“We found a loose floorboard.”
Sadie’s stomach dropped.
“The music box was gone.”
She had brought it.
It sat inside her bag.
Ronan knew.
His eyes lowered.
“You have something Declan left.”
Sadie stepped backward.
Ronan did not follow.
That mattered.
Then Evelyn’s hands moved.
Sadie translated automatically.
Tell him.
She looked at Evelyn.
Are you sure?
Yes.
Sadie pulled out the music box.
Ronan looked as though she had placed his brother’s coffin on the table.
She opened the false bottom.
Empty.
The flash drive was missing.
Sadie stopped breathing.
“No.”
She had put it there after watching the video.
She knew she had.
Ronan’s expression changed.
“Who had access to your bag?”
Sadie thought.
Kitchen staff.
Security.
June.
Wesley.
Then Evelyn began signing violently.
Sadie turned.
The old woman repeated one name.
MARSH.
Then another.
Not doctor.
Brother.
Ronan stared at Sadie.
“What?”
She swallowed.
“Your mother says Edwin Marsh isn’t just your doctor.”
Ronan went pale.
May you like
Evelyn signed the final sentence.
He is your father’s son.
