Page 104 of Veil of Silence

The instinct came quickly and fiercely. March outside. Put the report in front of him. Demand his real name and ask what he had done with her brother.

But Christian wouldn’t be alone. Her parents would be with him.

Mom would see the results. She’d watch the son she believed had returned disappear for a second time.

Which was exactly what Nora had tried to avoid.

Dad would demand answers Christian might not be willing to give.

Her sisters . . . she should tell them. But they’d be crushed also. She just needed more time to figure this out.

Besides, if the boy outside had pushed Nora down the stairs, what might he do when cornered?

She couldn’t risk it. Not yet.

Nora needed to determine whether the results could be verified. Most of all, she needed to speak with Austin.

She’d prayed for wisdom about Christian from the beginning. She’d asked God to show her the truth. And now the truth was in her hands—but it required her to be the bearer of devastating knowledge. It required her to be the one who broke her family apart again.

She wondered if this was what she’d actually been praying for.

As long as Christian didn’t know that she knew, nothing had to change, at least for now.

He would have no reason to run. No reason to hurt anyone.

At least that was what Nora told herself.

Movement outside drew her attention back to the window.

Mom began gathering the food from the folding table while Christian rose from his chair. Dad reached for the hose near the barn.

They were packing up.

Nora pulled her phone from her back pocket and opened the camera. Her hands shook badly enough that the first photograph blurred.

She took another, then one of the page containing the conclusion and another showing the laboratory information at the top.

The back door opened, and voices entered the kitchen.

Nora froze.

She had to get out of here.

Chapter

Forty-One

Nora returned the pages to their original order and slid them into the envelope. Had the flap faced upward or down? Had the laboratory address been closest to the mattress or the bed frame?

She couldn’t remember.

Nora closed her eyes and pictured the moment she had pulled it free.

Address up. Flap toward the wall.

Quickly, she positioned the envelope beneath the mattress, leaving the same small white corner visible.

The voices downstairs became louder.