Chapter 15
The morning air was crisp and clean as David loaded the last of their belongings into the trunk of his sedan. The valley had changed overnight; the oppressive cloud of fear that had choked the community for years was finally lifting, replaced by the chaotic energy of federal investigators and independent journalists moving in to pick apart the remnants of the conspiracy.
Clara sat quietly in the passenger seat, wearing a soft gray beanie that covered her shaved head. She looked out the window at the distant peak of Blackwood forest, her expression pensive but calm. The terror of the scissors was gone, replaced by the quiet resilience of a survivor.
David slid into the driver's seat, closing the door with a satisfying thud. He started the engine, listening to the smooth, steady hum of the motor.
"Ready to go home, sweetie?" he asked, offering her a reassuring smile.
"Ready," Clara replied softly, offering a faint, genuine smile of her own.
As David pulled out onto the main highway, heading away from Saint Jude Academy toward a fresh start in a new city, his phone buzzed on the center console. He glanced down at the screen, expecting a notification from his editor about the front-page Sunday spread detailing the fall of Mayor Henderson.
Instead, the screen displayed a simple, encrypted text message from an unknown sender with no phone number attached.
The mayor was just a pawn, Mr. Miller. Enjoy your Sunday morning.
May you like
David’s hands tightened on the steering wheel as a cold shiver ran down his spine. He looked over at Clara, who was already dozing off peacefully against the passenger headrest, completely exhausted from her ordeal.
He didn't wake her. Instead, David pressed down on the accelerator, steering their car into the bright morning light. The story of Saint Jude Academy was over, but the greater war for truth had only just begun.
