Chapter 10 - THE UNCLE WHO BETRAYED HIS SISTER
Thomas Bennett had been the one who told me where my mother was.
He had helped investigators locate Rosehaven.
And now documents showed he had signed the original authorization used to hold her there.
I felt betrayed all over again.
"Why would he do that?" I whispered.
Mom sat beside me.
Her expression was devastated.
"Thomas was in debt."
Roman stood across the table, reviewing the documents.
"Whitlock offered to pay his creditors?"
Mom nodded.
"And he threatened Thomas's family."
I shook my head.
"That doesn't excuse what he did."
"No," Mom replied. "It doesn't."
Detective Hart interviewed Thomas the following morning.
He admitted helping Whitlock arrange the false identity documents.
He claimed he had believed Evelyn would be released after a short period.
But when he discovered the confinement was continuing, he became frightened.
For years, he'd lived with the knowledge that his sister was alive.
He had never told me.
I sat across from him during a supervised meeting.
He looked older than I remembered.
"Claire."
I didn't answer.
His eyes filled.
"I never wanted this."
"But you helped it happen."
He lowered his head.
"I know."
"Mom cried for six years. I buried an empty coffin. And you knew."
Tears rolled down his face.
"I was afraid."
"So was she."
The words hung between us.
I stood.
"I'm not ready to forgive you."
Thomas nodded.
"I understand."
As I turned toward the door, he whispered, "Your mother never stopped asking about you."
I paused.
He continued.
"Every time I visited, she asked whether you were happy."
I closed my eyes.
Then walked away.
Outside, Roman waited beside his car.
He didn't ask me to explain.
He simply opened the passenger door.
I looked at him.
"Do you ever get tired of helping me?"
He smiled faintly.
"Not once."
I laughed through tears.
"You're a strange man, Roman Gallagher."
"So I've been told."
We drove through Manhattan in silence.
Then Roman spoke.
"Claire, there's something I need to tell you."
I turned.
"What?"
"The first night you called me baby..."
I groaned.
"Please don't remind me."
He smiled.
"I asked you to say it again because nobody had spoken to me without fear in years."
My heart softened.
"You were teasing me."
"At first."
"And afterward?"
His expression grew serious.
"Afterward, I couldn't stop thinking about you."
I swallowed.
"Roman..."
He looked at me.
"I'm falling in love with you."
For several seconds, I couldn't breathe.
Then my phone rang.
Detective Hart.
I answered.
"Claire, we have an emergency."
My stomach dropped.
"What happened?"
"Arthur Whitlock has disappeared."
I gripped the phone.
May you like
Olivia continued.
"And we've found evidence he plans to leave the country with the last remaining Silver Rose funds."
