Melissa stepped backward.
"A federal investigator?"
Evelyn didn't answer immediately.
She had spent months pretending to be invisible.
Now the disguise was beginning to collapse.
Finally, she said:
"I was assigned to investigate corruption connected to this courthouse."
Melissa stared.
"You've been undercover?"
"Yes."
"As a janitor?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Evelyn looked toward the darkened corridor.
"Because nobody watches the person who cleans the rooms."
Melissa slowly covered her mouth.
Everything suddenly made sense.
The questions.
The notebook.
The strange hours.
The way Evelyn always seemed to know which doors were unlocked.
The way certain employees became nervous whenever she entered a room.
But one question remained.
"Then why did you let me treat you like that?"
Evelyn looked at her.
"Because you weren't the first person to underestimate me."
Melissa lowered her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
"We can discuss that later."
A metallic crash echoed from the floor below.
Everyone froze.
The security officer whispered:
"Someone's in the archive."
Evelyn immediately moved toward the stairs.
Harrison caught her arm.
"Wait."
"If they're removing evidence, we don't have time."
"We don't know how many people are down there."
"Neither do they."
She pulled her arm free.
Then she looked at Dalton.
He was still standing in the hallway.
Watching her.
"You knew this was coming."
Dalton shook his head.
"I knew someone would try something."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
Evelyn stepped closer.
"Victor, I've been watching you for six months."
His eyes hardened.
"Then you know I didn't organize this."
"I know you're involved."
"That's different."
"How?"
Dalton lowered his voice.
"Because sometimes the person pulling the strings isn't the person you think."
Evelyn studied him.
"Who is it?"
He didn't answer.
Instead, he looked toward Melissa.
She noticed.
"Why are you looking at me?"
Dalton's expression became unreadable.
Evelyn turned toward Melissa.
"Step away from him."
Melissa obeyed.
Dalton suddenly reached inside his jacket.
The security officer drew his weapon.
"Hands where I can see them!"
Dalton froze.
"I'm reaching for my phone."
"Slowly."
He removed his phone and placed it on the floor.
Evelyn looked at the screen.
A message had just appeared.
Dalton read it.
His expression changed.
Evelyn saw it.
"What did you receive?"
"Nothing."
She picked up the phone.
Dalton didn't stop her.
The message contained only three words:
SHE KNOWS EVERYTHING.
Below it was an image.
Evelyn stared at the photograph.
Her entire body went still.
Harrison noticed.
"What is it?"
She didn't answer.
The photograph showed a woman standing outside a courthouse.
The image was dated twelve years earlier.
The woman looked younger.
But there was no mistaking her.
It was Evelyn.
Standing beside another woman.
A woman Melissa didn't recognize.
But Harrison did.
His face drained of color.
"No."
Evelyn looked at him.
"You know her?"
Harrison nodded slowly.
"Everyone in this courthouse used to know her."
"Who is she?"
Harrison stared at the photograph.
Then he whispered:
"Sarah Mercer."
Melissa looked confused.
"Who was Sarah Mercer?"
Evelyn finally spoke.
"My sister."
Silence.
Dalton looked away.
Evelyn's eyes remained fixed on the photograph.
"She disappeared twelve years ago."
Harrison swallowed.
"She was presumed dead."
"Presumed."
Evelyn emphasized the word.
Melissa looked between them.
"You mean she might still be alive?"
Evelyn zoomed in on the photograph.
There was something in the background.
A sign.
A location.
A date.
Her eyes widened.
"This wasn't taken twelve years ago."
Harrison stepped closer.
"What?"
"Look at the newspaper."
She pointed to a folded newspaper visible behind Sarah.
The date was clear.
Three months ago.
Harrison's face went pale.
"That's impossible."
"No."
Evelyn looked toward the dark stairwell.
"It's not impossible."
Her voice became very quiet.
"It means someone found my sister."
Another crash came from downstairs.
This time, it was followed by a man's scream.
The security officer immediately ran toward the stairs.
Evelyn followed.
Harrison shouted after her.
"Evelyn!"
She stopped briefly.
He looked at her.
"Be careful."
She nodded.
Then she disappeared into the darkness.
Melissa remained beside Harrison.
She whispered:
"Judge..."
"What?"
"Who is Sarah Mercer?"
Harrison looked at her.
"A prosecutor."
Melissa waited.
"She was investigating the largest corruption case this courthouse had ever seen."
"And then?"
"She disappeared."
Melissa's face tightened.
"Was she killed?"
Harrison didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Meanwhile, Evelyn reached the basement.
The emergency lights flickered overhead.
The archive door was open.
A trail of scattered documents led down the corridor.
She moved silently.
Then she heard footsteps.
Someone was running.
Evelyn followed.
At the end of the corridor, a figure turned the corner.
"Stop!"
The person didn't.
Evelyn sprinted after them.
They reached the western exit.
The door slammed shut.
Evelyn pushed it open.
Cold night air hit her face.
But the person was already gone.
She looked down.
Something lay on the pavement.
A small envelope.
Her name was written across it.
EVELYN MERCER
Her hands trembled slightly as she picked it up.
Inside was a photograph.
This time, it wasn't Sarah.
It was Evelyn herself.
Wearing the janitor uniform.
Taken that morning.
On the back were six words:
WE KNOW WHY YOU CAME HERE.
Evelyn stared at the message.
Then another line appeared beneath it.
Written in black ink.
AND WE KNOW WHERE SARAH IS.
Evelyn's breath caught.
For twelve years, she had believed she was investigating her sister's disappearance.
Now she understood the truth.
Someone had been investigating her.
And whoever had taken Sarah wasn't trying to keep Evelyn away from the courthouse anymore.
They were inviting her deeper.
Evelyn stood alone behind the courthouse, staring at the photograph in her hands.
For twelve years, she had trained herself not to expect miracles.
She had learned to accept unanswered questions.
She had learned to live with the possibility that her sister was dead.
But now someone had sent her proof that Sarah might still be alive.
Her fingers tightened around the photograph.
The image showed Sarah standing outside a small roadside café.
She looked older.
Thinner.
Her hair was shorter.
But it was unmistakably her.
Evelyn turned the photograph over.
There was an address written on the back.
47 Willow Street.
Below it were four words:
Come alone. Midnight.
Evelyn immediately knew it was a trap.
The question was whether it was a trap she could afford to ignore.
Behind her, the basement door opened.
Judge Harrison stepped outside.
"Evelyn."
She quickly folded the photograph.
"Are you all right?"
"Fine."
"You don't look fine."
"I found something."
Harrison approached.
"What?"
She handed him the photograph.
He stared at it.
His face changed instantly.
"Sarah."
"Yes."
"Where did you get this?"
"Someone left it for me."
"When?"
"Just now."
Harrison read the message.