“Richard Hale, you are under arrest.”
“For what?”
“Obstruction, evidence tampering, and assault, for a start.”
My father twisted his head toward me.
“Claire, listen. The drive contains a file Rosie never understood. If it opens, people will come for you.”
“What file?”
“The one marked LAST.”
The smoke alarm began shrieking.
Daniel handcuffed him while I opened windows.
My father shouted over the alarm.
“Do not open that folder!”
I looked at the laptop.
The drive was still connected.
The folder marked LAST waited at the bottom of the screen.
I clicked it.
Inside was a single audio recording.
My father closed his eyes.
The recording began with static.
Then Rosie’s voice.
“I’m ready.”
A man answered.
Not Ben.
Not my father.
The voice was old, rough, and strangely familiar.
“Say your full name.”
“Rosalind Evelyn Hale.”
“And state why you contacted me.”
“Because my mother is alive.”
