Page 267 of Taken Away

This time, Aubrey saw it.

“Anne Langford,” Sara said.

Aubrey stilled.

“My mother?”

“Yes.”

Bennett looked toward the hallway.

“Come on. Let’s see what’s going on.”

Sara started to say something.

Then stopped.

Bennett led Aubrey down the hallway.

At the conference room door, he knocked once.

No answer.

He reached for the handle.

Then Anne’s voice stopped him.

Not polished. Not the voice Aubrey knew.

This voice was lower. Frayed.

Broken around the edges.

Inside, Burke's voice remained calm.

"Tell me what happened after that."

Inside, Anne gave a quiet, broken sob.

Bennett froze.

His hand hovered inches from the knob.

Aubrey stopped beside him.

When Anne finally spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I got pregnant."

"Harold Blackwood was Aubrey's father."

FIFTY-THREE

Sheriff’s Department

Conference Room

The words didn't just land in the hallway; they detonated.