Chapter 6 – "Three Days of Silence—Then I Uncovered a 20-Year Arson Spree"
The days blurred together.
Evie stayed at the shelter, helping with chores, watching the other women come and go. Some left after a few days, moving on to more permanent housing. Others stayed for weeks, months, their faces growing more haggard as time went on.
She didn't hear from her parents. Not a phone call, not a text, not even a message through a lawyer.
The silence was deafening.
Miriam seemed to sense that Evie was struggling. She'd check in on her every few days, offering simple advice: "Eat something, even if you're not hungry." "Get some fresh air, even if you don't want to." "Don't let the silence eat you alive."
But the silence was already eating her alive.
She lay awake at night, going over the possibilities in her head. Someone had locked her in. Someone had set the fire. Someone had used her mother's ring as a red herring.
But who?
Her father? Richard Vance was a cold man, capable of ruthless business decisions, but was he capable of killing his own daughter?
Her mother? Claire Vance was vain and selfish, but she'd never shown any signs of violence.
Unless...
Unless there was something Evie didn't know. Something about the family's secrets. Something that had made her parents so desperate they'd be willing to do anything to protect themselves.
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She needed answers.
One night, she made a decision.
