Chapter 5 - The Last Gathering at Langford House
The following night, the Langford estate was almost silent.
The luxury party was gone.
No music.
No guests.
No champagne.
At eight o’clock, Celeste arrived.
Audra followed her.
Roland Voss came behind them.
Two men wearing medical uniforms entered last.
They expected Maren.
Instead, Everett stood alone beside the fireplace.
Celeste looked around.
“Where is she?”
“Safe.”
Roland placed the folder on the desk.
“You authorized us to transport her.”
“Did I?”
Roland opened the papers.
Then froze.
The signature page was blank.
“What?”
He rubbed the paper.
Nothing.
“That’s impossible.”
Everett looked at Celeste’s handbag.
“Your bag is heated.”
Celeste’s face changed.
“The ink disappeared.”
Audra stepped backward.
“This is ridiculous.”
Everett walked toward them.
“No.”
His voice remained calm.
“A misunderstanding is forgetting dinner plans.”
He pointed to the folder.
“This is conspiracy.”
The library doors opened.
Sloane entered.
Two investigators followed.
Behind them came Blake Mercer and Dr. Ellison.
Celeste stared at the supposed medical workers.
The two men reached into their jackets.
Not for medical equipment.
For identification.
Investigators.
Celeste finally understood.
Everett turned toward the large screen above the fireplace.
“You wanted to talk about Maren’s mental state.”
The screen came alive.
Audra appeared in the nursery.
The room became silent.
Everyone watched her open the window.
Everyone watched her remove Bennett’s blanket.
Then Maren appeared.
Her voice filled the library.
“He needs medicine!”
Celeste’s recorded voice answered.
“You are not emotionally stable.”
Audra began crying.
“Turn it off.”
Everett continued playing it.
They watched Maren fall against the cabinet.
They watched her being forced into the linen room.
Then came the second recording.
Roland appeared on screen.
Celeste spoke about the false psychological report.
Guardianship.
The trust.
The plan.
When it ended, nobody moved.
Celeste rushed toward the screen.
“Turn that off!”
An investigator stepped between them.
Audra looked at Everett.
“Mom said Maren was taking you away from us.”
Everett stared at his sister.
“She said you would forget us.”
Audra’s voice broke.
“She said that money belonged to the Langfords.”
Everett’s expression did not change.
“Maren is a Langford.”
Audra shook her head.
“You know what I mean.”
“No.”
Everett stepped closer.
“I don’t.”
Then he pointed upstairs.
“My wife was locked in a room.”
His voice became colder.
“My newborn son was left beside an open window while he was sick.”
He looked at Celeste.
“You did that.”
Celeste lifted her chin.
“Everything I did was for your future.”
“You endangered Bennett for money.”
“I protected the Langford name.”
May you like
Everett almost looked sad.
“A name that requires cruelty to survive deserves to disappear.”
