December 18, 2024 • 26 mins
On a cold Christmas Eve in the idyllic mountain town of Cedar Hollow, the prominent Porter family gathers for the holiday—only to face an unthinkable tragedy. When Evelyn Porter, the wealthy and controlling matriarch, is found dead in her mansion, Detective Jack Rourke is called in to investigate. As Rourke digs into the Porter family’s lives, he uncovers a web of dark secrets, bitter betrayals, and unresolved grudges that run deeper than anyone suspected. Each of Evelyn’s children—loyal Thomas, estranged Laura, and troubled Daniel—had reasons to resent her, and each harbors secrets that could have deadly consequences.As the investigation unfolds, Rourke finds a mysterious letter and clues pointing to Evelyn’s shadowed past—a past that included dangerous alliances and betrayal. With chilling evidence of a legacy haunted by deceit, Rourke pieces together the events that led to her death, realizing that her killer may be closer than he ever imagined. In a story where family bonds are both powerful and toxic, Silent Snow: The Christmas Eve Mystery is a suspenseful holiday thriller that shows that some secrets refuse to stay buried—even under the snow.
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Episode two, The Bitter Truth One, The Shadows of the Past.
The Porter mansion held its secrets like a tomb, each
hallway heavy with history and silence, as if the very
walls were listening. Detective Jack Rourke could feel it, that
prickling awareness that came with places where death had left
its mark. He had seen his share of tragedies, murders
driven by greed, jealousy, desperation, but this one felt different.
(00:24):
It had an intimacy to it, something both brutal and calculated.
Someone had wanted Evelyn Porter dead, and they'd wanted it
to send a message. Rourke walked the length of the study,
his fingers trailing over the edges of Evelyn's desk, noting
the odd sense of order in the room For someone
who had died in violence.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
The scene was unnervingly calm.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
The bookshelves were in perfect alignment, each volume ordered by
color and size, with no stray papers or belongings left
out of place. Evelyn's desk held a single fountain pen
and a leather bound notebook, neatly arranged beside a half
empty glass of wine. He turned to Michael, the family's
longtime groundskeeper, who lingered near the door, his face pale,
hands ringing nervously. Roorke could see the weight of years
(01:05):
in the lines on Michael's face, the way his shoulders slumped,
as if bearing some silent burden. Michael, Rourke said his voice,
Even you were the one who found her, correct? Michael nodded,
his voice barely more than a whisper. Yes, Sir, I
was checking the grounds, as I do every night. But
when I saw the light still on in the study,
I thought. I thought maybe Missus Porter had left it
(01:27):
on by mistake. She didn't like wasting electricity. His voice
cracked slightly. When I came in, I found her like that.
Rourke watched him carefully, and did you touch anything, move
anything in the room before the family arrived. Michael shook
his head emphatically. No, Sir, I didn't want to disturb anything.
(01:48):
Just called them down, That's all good. Rourke nodded. Did
Evelyn have any visitors recently, anyone she might have had
issues with or who seemed out of place? But Michael hesitated,
glancing toward the hallway, as if fearing that Evelyn herself
might reappear and reprimand him for speaking out of turn.
Missus Porter. She wasn't a woman who took kindly to strangers.
(02:09):
But there was someone. Yes, a man who came by
a few days ago looked troubled. Rourke raised an eyebrow.
Troubled in what way? Michael fidgeted, his eyes darting to
the floor. He had a look about him, wore a
dark coat, hat pulled low. Didn't introduce himself. I asked
if he had business, and he said he was in
(02:30):
an old friend.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Of missus Porter's.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
She saw him, but after he left, she seemed off, unsettled.
Rourke's gaze sharpened. Did you catch his name? Michael shook
his head, no, sir, I didn't ask, but I think
he left her something. Saw her go into her study
after he'd gone, and she had a letter. I think
don't know what it was, but she locked herself up
in here after that didn't come out for the rest
(02:52):
of the day. Rourke filed this away, his mind already
piecing together new possibilities. An old friend, a letter, and Evelyn,
who had always seemed so composed, had been rattled by
this stranger. Thank you, Michael, he said, his tone softening slightly.
That will be all for now. Michael left the room,
leaving Rourk alone with his thoughts. He turned back to
(03:13):
Evelyn's desk, eyeing the leather bound notebook that lay there,
pristine and untouched. Something about it drew him in a hunch,
or perhaps just curiosity. He flipped it open, careful not
to smudge the pages. The first few entries were mundane
lists of appointments, notes about the family business. But as
he skimmed through, something caught his eye. A single line
(03:34):
scribbled hastily in Evelyn's otherwise neat handwriting, the past is
catching up. Can't let it touch the children?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Not now.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Rourke's pulse quickened. Evelyn had been hiding something, something she'd
felt was close to being exposed, and now that hidden
past had come to light in the most brutal way possible.
He closed the notebook, his mind racing. There was something
in this family's history, some wound or secret that had festered,
waiting to be uncovered, and now with Evelyn gone, it
(04:01):
would come to the surface, whether the family was ready
for it or not. Two, the unseen Enemy. Rourke continued
his investigation, moving through the grand, echoing halls of the
Porter mansion. The house felt like a mausoleum, now, each
step reverberating off the cold marble floors, each shadow seeming
to hold a piece of the past. The Porter's lives
(04:22):
had been played out here under Evelyn's watchful eye, and
now those secrets were laid bare. In the silence, he
called the siblings back in, gathering them in the study
where Evelyn had died. Thomas, Laura, and Daniel took their
places around the room, their expressions tense, eyes flicking toward
one another with mistrust. It was a gathering of family,
but the warmth of that word was nowhere to be found. Instead,
(04:44):
each of them seemed poised on edge like chest pieces,
waiting to be moved. Rourke began with Thomas, his gaze steady,
mister Porter, I understand you've been handling the family business
in recent years. Has your mother's absence affected it in
any way? Thomas jaw tightened. It's no secret that the
business has struggled my mother. She wasn't exactly supportive. She
(05:05):
wanted results, and when they didn't come fast enough, she
distanced herself. Distanced herself, Rourke repeated, meaning she withdrew financial support. Yes,
Thomas admitted, his tone cold. She believed in tough love.
You could say, if we couldn't make the business profitable
on our own, then maybe it wasn't worth saving. That
(05:26):
was her way, Laura snorted, crossing her arms. She never
cared about the business, Thomas. All she cared about was control.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
You know that.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Thomas shot her a glare, but Rourke held up a hand,
stopping the argument before it could escalate. What about you,
miss Porter, This book of yours, the true story of
Cedar Hollow is it? Did your mother object to it?
Laura's expression hardened. Object she did more than that. She
tried to stop it all together, threatened me with lawsuits,
told me I'd disgrace the family, ruin her reputation, as
(05:58):
if her reputation was something worth protect. So you continued
with it despite her warnings. Yes, Laura said, her gaze unflinching.
I wanted people to know the truth about her, about
all of it. And what truth is that? Rourke pressed
his gaze narrowing. Laura hesitated, glancing at Thomas and Daniel
(06:18):
as if weighing her words. The truth is she was
hiding something, something dark. I don't know all the details,
but I found hints old letters, records. She was connected
to people, people who could do things, dangerous things. The
tension in the room thickened, each sibling watching the other
with a mixture of suspicion and dread. Rourke could feel it,
(06:40):
the weight of secrets unspoken, the fear of what might
be revealed. He turned to Daniel, who had been silent
until now, his gaze fixed on the floor. And you,
mister Porter, your mother's decision to cut you off financially,
how did that affect you? Daniel's head snapped up, his
eyes flashing with anger. How do you think it affected me?
She left me with nothing, wanted me to learn some
(07:01):
kind of lesson, I suppose, But all it taught me
was that she didn't care, not about any of us,
only about her control. Roorke studied him, noting the bitterness
in his tone, the anger that simmered just beneath the surface.
You sound resentful, wouldn't you be? Daniel shot back, his
voice rising. She played with our lives like we were
(07:22):
pieces on a board, and now now she's gone and
were left with the mess she created. Rourke nodded, slowly,
taking in their words, their faces, the tension that thickened
the air. He could feel it, the tangled web of resentment, fear,
and betrayal that bound them all together. Evelyn had wielded
power over her children like a weapon, and now, with
(07:43):
her death, that weapon was pointed back at them. He
took a step back, his gaze shifting from one sibling
to the next. Thank you all for your cooperation. This
investigation will continue, and I'll need each of you to
remain available for further questioning. Thomas, Laura, and Daniel filed
out of the study one by one, leaving Rourk alone
once more. He turned to the desk, to the notebook
(08:05):
that held Evelyn's final thoughts, and a chill ran down
his spine. There was something here, something buried deep. Evelyn
had feared it, whatever it was, enough to die with
that fear in her heart, and now Rourke was determined
to uncover it, no matter what dark truths lay beneath
the surface. Segment three Family Skeletons. The Porter mansion was
(08:27):
quiet in a way that seemed unnatural, almost haunted. As
Detective Rourke sifted through the clues that had come to light,
The air inside the mansion felt heavy, dense with secrets
and memories, as if the past itself clung to every corner,
every shadow. The more he learned, the more he realized
that Evelyn's influence over her children had left wounds that
(08:48):
had festered, turning into something dark and corrosive. Roorke sat
alone in the study, reviewing his notes, turning each new
piece of information over in his mind. Evelyn had wielded
control over her children like a puppeteer, and each of
them bore the marks of her manipulation. But the question
lingered which one of them had broken free of her
(09:08):
strings in the most brutal way. He knew it was
time to dig deeper into their pasts. Each sibling had
their own version of the truth, their own reasons for
hating Evelyn, and perhaps even for wanting her dead. The
truth about Thomas. Rourke called Thomas back into the study,
his gaze fixed on the eldest Porters sibling. Thomas sat
across from him, his face drawn and tight, his shoulders
(09:31):
hunched as if he carried the weight of the entire
mansion on his back. Rourke could tell that Thomas was
used to shouldering burdens, that he had been conditioned to endure.
Mister Porter, Rourke began. You mentioned that your mother withdrew
financial support from the family business.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
I'd like you to elaborate on that.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Thomas's jaw clenched, his hands gripping the armrest of his chair.
She didn't just withdraw support, she sabotaged it.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
I don't know why.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Maybe she thought I wasn't good enough, or maybe she
she just wanted to see if I'd fail. Rourke raised
an eyebrow. Sabotaged. Can you explain that? Thomas sighed a
bitter smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. She
would cut funding at critical times, pull resources just when
we needed them most. She wanted me to succeed, but
on her terms, always her terms. When I tried to
(10:18):
expand the business, she refused, said I was too ambitious,
that I needed to focus on realistic goals. Rourke nodded,
scribbling notes as Thomas spoke. So she kept you under
her control, even though you were supposed to be in charge. Yes,
Thomas's voice was tight, strained. I tried to make it work,
I really did, but every time I took a step forward,
(10:40):
she'd find a way to push me two steps back.
I think she liked knowing she had that power over me?
And how did that make you feel? Roorke's tone was calm,
but his gaze was sharp, watching every twitch of Thomas's expression.
How do you think it made me feel? Thomas snapped,
his voice breaking I I resented her. I resented the
(11:02):
way she treated us all like pawns in her game.
She didn't care about the business, about the legacy. All
she cared about was her control. Rourke watched him for
a moment, then nodded, his gaze softening slightly. Did you
ever confront her about it? Tell her how you felt?
Thomas's face darkened, a shadow passing over his features.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
I tried.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Once we had words, she laughed it off like it
was some kind of joke, said I was being dramatic,
that I didn't know what I was talking about. His
voice grew quiet, almost a whisper. I think that was
the moment I realized she would never see me as
anything more than a pawn, and it made me hate her.
Roorke's pen paused mid sentence, the words hanging in the
(11:44):
air like a confession.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Hate.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
It was a strong word, but the look in Thomas's
eyes told him.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
It was more than that.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
It was a wound, old and deep that had never healed.
Thank you, mister Porter, Rourke said, finally, you can go now.
Thomas left the room, his steps heavy, and Rourke could
sense the weight of years pressing down on him, the
burden of Evelyn's expectations. Her control had left a mark
on Thomas, a mark that might have pushed him to
do the unthinkable.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Laura's double life.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Next, Rourke called Laura into the study. She entered with
her usual air of defiance, her chin held high, eyes
sharp and cold. Roke could see the tension in her posture,
the way her fingers curled into fists as she took
her seat. She was a woman who had fought for
her independence, who had clawed her way free of her
mother's grasp, and yet she had returned to Cedar Hollow,
to this very house, as if some invisible thread still
(12:35):
bound her here. Miss porter Rourke began his tone steady.
I'd like to know more about your memoir. The true
story of Cedar Hollow is that right. Laura's gaze hardened,
her lips pressing into a thin line. That's right, And
before you ask, it wasn't a tell all or some
cheap gossip piece.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
It was.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
It was the truth about my mother, about the family,
about the things she did. What kind of things, Rourke pressed.
Laura hesitated, glancing away. My mother she had connections, friends
in high places, people who could make things happen. I
found letters, documents, proof that she was involved in things,
illegal things, deals that kept the family wealthy, but at
(13:17):
a cost. She did things that no one should ever.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Have to do. Rourke's gaze sharpened.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
And you were planning to expose these things in your book?
Laura nodded, her face tight with anger. Yes, I was
tired of living in her shadow, of pretending that she
was some kind of saint. She ruined people, detective people
who crossed her, people who got.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
In her way.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
I wasn't gonna let her get away with it. Did
she know you planned to publish the book? Yes, And
she threatened me, said she'd destroy me if I ever tried.
That's why I left, why I stayed away for so long.
Laura's voice grew soft, almost vulnerable. But the truth, the
truth had to come out. People needed to know who
she really was. Rourke watched her, his mind working through
(14:00):
the implications. Evelyn had been ruthless controlling and manipulative, and Laura,
in her own way, had been determined to break free.
But had that desperation for freedom turned to something darker?
Did you ever think about ending it? Rourke asked quietly,
his gaze never leaving hers, About freeing yourself from her
control once and for all. Laura's eyes widened, a flicker
(14:23):
of something raw flashing across her face. I I thought
about it, of course I did, but murder, No, that's
not who I am. Rourke nodded, jotting down his final notes.
Thank you, miss Porter, you can go now. As she
left the room, Rourke could feel the weight of her words,
the anger and bitterness that had shaped her. Evelyn had
(14:44):
cast a long shadow, one that had smothered Laura's independence,
leaving her with scars that ran deep Daniel's debt. Finally,
Rourke called in Daniel. He entered the study with a
swagger that felt forced, his gaze shifting nervously as he
took his seat. There was a desperation in his eyes,
a rawness that hinted at the turmoil simmering beneath the surface.
(15:04):
Mister Porter, Rourke began his voice, calm but firm. I
understand you've had some financial troubles recently. Daniel flinched, his gaze,
dropping to the floor. I don't know what you're talking about.
Rourke raised an eyebrow. I think you do. I've heard rumors,
mister Porter, gambling debts, unpaid loans, people who are waiting
for their money. Daniel's hands clenched, his jaw tightening. Look,
(15:27):
I had some issues, but it's under control. None of
that has anything to do with my mother, doesn't it.
Rourke pressed, She cut you off, left you without resources.
You were desperate and she had the means to help you,
but instead she left you stranded. That must have been hard.
Daniel's face twisted in bitterness.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Hard. It was hell.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
She was my mother and she left me with nothing,
all because I didn't live up to her her perfect standards.
His voice broke, and for a moment he looked almost vulnerable.
Do you know what it's like to be rejected by
your own mother, to be told you're worthless? Roorke's gaze
softened slightly. So you resented her, Daniel laughed, bitterly resented her.
(16:10):
I hated her. She treated me like dirt, like I
was disposable. She could have helped me, She could have
done so much, but she didn't. And did that hatred
ever make you think about getting rid of her? Roorke's
voice was soft, but his gaze was unyielding. Daniel's face
went pale, his hands shaking.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
No, I didn't, I wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
She was she was my mother, no matter what I couldn't.
Rourke watched him, the silence stretching between them, thick with
unspoken words. He could see the guilt, the shame, the resentment,
all the emotions that had built up over years of
neglect and disappointment. Thank you, mister Porter, he said, Finally,
that'll be all. Daniel left the room, his steps unsteady,
(16:57):
and Rourke felt the weight of the Porter family's pain
settled over him. Each of them had a reason, a motive,
a darkness that Evelyn's control had planted and nurtured, and
now that darkness had borne fruit in the most terrible way.
Alone in the study once more, Rourke reviewed his notes,
his mind racing Each sibling had something to gain from
Evelyn's death, something that would free them from the control
(17:19):
she had held over their lives. But which one of
them had taken that final irrevocable step. As he closed
his notebook, he knew one thing for certain. The truth
was buried here, somewhere within the walls of this mansion,
and he would uncover it, no matter how deep he
had to dig four uncovering the letter. As the mansion
(17:40):
settled back into an uneasy silence, Detective Rourke paced the
length of the study, his mind turning over each new revelation.
The siblings had given him pieces of the story, hints
of the resentment, bitterness, and buried anger that lay beneath
their calm exteriors, But there was still something missing, a
final piece that would pull all the fragments together. He
returned to Evelyn's desk, his gaze lingering on the items
(18:03):
she had left behind. The leather bound notebook had provided
a glimpse into her mind, a record of her thoughts
and fears, but something about her death. The marks on
her wrists, the unsettling note clutched in her hand suggested
a level of intimacy, a personal vendetta. He knew that
Evelyn had kept a close eye on everyone in her life,
monitoring her children's every move, their mistakes, their flaws. But
(18:25):
who had been watching her He moved to the bookshelves
behind her desk, methodically searching for anything out of place,
any hint of a hidden compartment or concealed document. Evelyn
was meticulous. Everything in her study was ordered with a
kind of precise, cold elegance. But as he reached the
end of the shelf, his fingers brushed against something odd,
a small lever embedded within the dark wood. Curiosity piqued.
(18:48):
Rourke pulled the lever gently, and the bookshelf swung open,
revealing a narrow hidden compartment. Inside, carefully folded and sealed
with red wax, was a letter. Rourke's pulse quickened as
he took it out, noting the unfamiliar handwriting on the front.
It was addressed simply to Evelyn. He opened the letter,
unfolding the crisp paper with care. The writing inside was delicate, precise,
(19:11):
yet every word seemed to pulse with an underlying malice.
It read, Evelyn, you have taken what does not belong
to you, and now the time has come to make
it right. The past cannot stay buried forever. Christmas eve
is coming. The signature was just an initial, a single
letter scrawled hastily in ink, Rourke felt a chill as
he read the letter again, the words echoing in his mind,
(19:33):
the past cannot stay buried. Someone from Evelyn's history had returned,
someone with a score to settle. But who was em
and what had Evelyn taken that she was now paying for.
He searched the compartment further, finding a small, tarnished silver locket,
its chain broken. Inside the locket was a photograph, old
and faded, of a young woman with haunting eyes and
a hard, determined expression. Roorke stared at the photograph, his
(19:57):
mind racing with questions. The woman in the picture was
on unfamiliar, but there was something about her gaze, something
that hinted at a life marked by loss and betrayal.
Whoever this woman was, she was connected to Evelyn in
some deep and significant way, and Rourke sensed that her
story was at the heart of this entire mystery. Evelyn
had built her life on control, on manipulation, and on secrets,
(20:18):
but someone, it seemed, had finally unearthed one of those secrets,
and now it had led to her death. Rourke confronts
the siblings. Rourke knew he couldn't let this revelation sit.
He called the siblings back to the study, watching their
faces closely as they gathered once more, their expressions ranging from.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Wary to outright hostile.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
They were tired, frayed, each of them holding onto their
own story, their own version of what had led them here.
Once they were seated, Roorke held up the letter, watching
their reactions carefully. Do any of you recognize this? He asked,
his tone even Thomas's brow furrowed as he leaned forward,
squinting at the letter. No, he replied, slowly, I've never
(20:57):
seen that before, eyes narrowed and her lips pressed into
a thin line.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
What does it say?
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Rourke read the letter aloud, watching as Laura's face turned pale,
her expression shifting from irritation to something that looked like fear.
It sounds like a threat, she whispered, almost to herself.
Rourke nodded. A threat from someone who knew your mother well,
someone with a grudge that goes back years, maybe decades.
The letter was signed with the initial M. Does that
(21:26):
mean anything to any of you? The siblings exchanged glances,
but none of them spoke. Roorke could see the flickers
of uncertainty in their faces, the subtle looks that suggested
they were each holding back, concealing something. Laura shifted in
her seat, breaking the silence. There were stories, she said,
her voice hesitant, Stories that mother, that she'd wronged people,
(21:49):
that she'd done things to keep the family powerful. Thomas
shot her a sharp look. Laura, that's enough. No it isn't,
She snapped, her voice, rising, don't you see, Thomas, this
letter proves it. Someone came back for her, someone who
knew what she'd done. Rourke leaned forward, pressing her, what
exactly are these stories?
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Miss porter?
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Laura hesitated, glancing toward her brothers as if seeking their approval,
then finally spoke. I found letters, old ones hidden away
in her things. They hinted at at deals she'd made,
alliances she'd forged with people who could make problems disappear.
There was one name that kept coming up, though I
never found out who it was.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
What name? Rourke's gaze sharpened. Marcus.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Laura's voice was barely a whisper. I don't know who
he was, but the letters mentioned him. It was as
if he and mother had some kind of arrangement. I
think he helped her covered things up when they went wrong.
Roorke's mind raced as he processed this new information. Marcus,
it could very well be the m who had written
the letter, the person who had finally come back to
(22:57):
collect on whatever debt Evelyn had incurred all those years ago.
Why didn't you tell me this before? Rourke asked, his
gaze piercing. Laura looked down, her hands twisting in her lap.
Because I thought it was just rumors, and if mother
was hiding something, I didn't want to be the one.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
To expose it.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
She looked up, her expression defiant. But maybe she deserved it.
Maybe this is what happens when you live a life
like hers. Thomas let out a bitter laugh. So that's it,
then you think she deserved it. His voice was harsh,
but there was a note of pain behind his anger.
Our mother may have been controlling, yes, but she didn't
deserve to die like this, didn't she? Laura shot back,
(23:38):
her voice cold. How many people did she destroy, Thomas?
How many lives did she ruin to keep us safe,
to keep the family reputation intact? Rourke could see the
divide between them widening, the cracks in their family loyalty
splitting open like a wound. Each of them held a
piece of the truth, and each of them, in their
own way, had contributed to the tangled web that had
(23:59):
ensnared Evelyn. He held up the photograph from the locket,
letting it hang in the air for a moment before speaking,
Do any of you recognize this woman? Daniel leaned forward,
squinting at the faded image, his brow furrowing. No, but
she looks familiar. There's something about her. Thomas shook his head.
I've never seen her before, but if she's connected to
(24:20):
this Marcus, then maybe she was part of whatever deal
mother had with him. Rourke considered this, piecing together the
fragments of information. Evelyn had made deals, dangerous alliances to
protect her family, to maintain her power, but in the end,
it seemed those alliances had turned on her, the sins
of the past rising to exact a final, bloody toll,
(24:41):
the final revelation. As Rourke left the siblings to their
simmering resentment, he took the letter and the photograph to
his temporary quarters in the guest room. He studied the
image closely, his mind working through every possibility. The woman's
face was haunting, almost familiar, as if he'd seen it
somewhere before then it struck him he had seen that
face in the eyes of one of the siblings, the
(25:03):
high cheek bones, the intensity of the gaze. There was
something unmistakably similar. Laura, he realized, bore a striking resemblance
to the woman in the photograph. It wasn't exact, but
there was enough of a similarity that he couldn't dismiss it.
The woman was likely a relative, someone connected to Evelyn's past,
someone whose life had been marked by her actions. And
if Laura was connected to this woman by blood, then
(25:25):
she too was part of the story Evelyn had tried.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
So hard to bury.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Rourke's pulse quickened as he began to see the shape
of the truth. Evelyn had made enemies, and now, in
her death, those enemies had returned to claim what they
believed was rightfully theirs. But the question remained which of
the siblings had finally decided to bring Evelyn's past crashing
down upon her. As he closed his eyes, one thought lingered.
(25:50):
He was close, closer than he'd ever been to the truth,
and he knew that once he uncovered it, there would
be no turning back. This has been a quiet pleased production.
Head over to quiet, Please dot A I to hear
what matters
Episode two, The Bitter Truth One, The Shadows of the Past.
The Porter mansion held its secrets like a tomb, each
hallway heavy with history and silence, as if the very
walls were listening. Detective Jack Rourke could feel it, that
prickling awareness that came with places where death had left
its mark. He had seen his share of tragedies, murders
driven by greed, jealousy, desperation, but this one felt different.
(00:24):
It had an intimacy to it, something both brutal and calculated.
Someone had wanted Evelyn Porter dead, and they'd wanted it
to send a message. Rourke walked the length of the study,
his fingers trailing over the edges of Evelyn's desk, noting
the odd sense of order in the room For someone
who had died in violence.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
The scene was unnervingly calm.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
The bookshelves were in perfect alignment, each volume ordered by
color and size, with no stray papers or belongings left
out of place. Evelyn's desk held a single fountain pen
and a leather bound notebook, neatly arranged beside a half
empty glass of wine. He turned to Michael, the family's
longtime groundskeeper, who lingered near the door, his face pale,
hands ringing nervously. Roorke could see the weight of years
(01:05):
in the lines on Michael's face, the way his shoulders slumped,
as if bearing some silent burden. Michael, Rourke said his voice,
Even you were the one who found her, correct? Michael nodded,
his voice barely more than a whisper. Yes, Sir, I
was checking the grounds, as I do every night. But
when I saw the light still on in the study,
I thought. I thought maybe Missus Porter had left it
(01:27):
on by mistake. She didn't like wasting electricity. His voice
cracked slightly. When I came in, I found her like that.
Rourke watched him carefully, and did you touch anything, move
anything in the room before the family arrived. Michael shook
his head emphatically. No, Sir, I didn't want to disturb anything.
(01:48):
Just called them down, That's all good. Rourke nodded. Did
Evelyn have any visitors recently, anyone she might have had
issues with or who seemed out of place? But Michael hesitated,
glancing toward the hallway, as if fearing that Evelyn herself
might reappear and reprimand him for speaking out of turn.
Missus Porter. She wasn't a woman who took kindly to strangers.
(02:09):
But there was someone. Yes, a man who came by
a few days ago looked troubled. Rourke raised an eyebrow.
Troubled in what way? Michael fidgeted, his eyes darting to
the floor. He had a look about him, wore a
dark coat, hat pulled low. Didn't introduce himself. I asked
if he had business, and he said he was in
(02:30):
an old friend.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Of missus Porter's.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
She saw him, but after he left, she seemed off, unsettled.
Rourke's gaze sharpened. Did you catch his name? Michael shook
his head, no, sir, I didn't ask, but I think
he left her something. Saw her go into her study
after he'd gone, and she had a letter. I think
don't know what it was, but she locked herself up
in here after that didn't come out for the rest
(02:52):
of the day. Rourke filed this away, his mind already
piecing together new possibilities. An old friend, a letter, and Evelyn,
who had always seemed so composed, had been rattled by
this stranger. Thank you, Michael, he said, his tone softening slightly.
That will be all for now. Michael left the room,
leaving Rourk alone with his thoughts. He turned back to
(03:13):
Evelyn's desk, eyeing the leather bound notebook that lay there,
pristine and untouched. Something about it drew him in a hunch,
or perhaps just curiosity. He flipped it open, careful not
to smudge the pages. The first few entries were mundane
lists of appointments, notes about the family business. But as
he skimmed through, something caught his eye. A single line
(03:34):
scribbled hastily in Evelyn's otherwise neat handwriting, the past is
catching up. Can't let it touch the children?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Not now.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Rourke's pulse quickened. Evelyn had been hiding something, something she'd
felt was close to being exposed, and now that hidden
past had come to light in the most brutal way possible.
He closed the notebook, his mind racing. There was something
in this family's history, some wound or secret that had festered,
waiting to be uncovered, and now with Evelyn gone, it
(04:01):
would come to the surface, whether the family was ready
for it or not. Two, the unseen Enemy. Rourke continued
his investigation, moving through the grand, echoing halls of the
Porter mansion. The house felt like a mausoleum, now, each
step reverberating off the cold marble floors, each shadow seeming
to hold a piece of the past. The Porter's lives
(04:22):
had been played out here under Evelyn's watchful eye, and
now those secrets were laid bare. In the silence, he
called the siblings back in, gathering them in the study
where Evelyn had died. Thomas, Laura, and Daniel took their
places around the room, their expressions tense, eyes flicking toward
one another with mistrust. It was a gathering of family,
but the warmth of that word was nowhere to be found. Instead,
(04:44):
each of them seemed poised on edge like chest pieces,
waiting to be moved. Rourke began with Thomas, his gaze steady,
mister Porter, I understand you've been handling the family business
in recent years. Has your mother's absence affected it in
any way? Thomas jaw tightened. It's no secret that the
business has struggled my mother. She wasn't exactly supportive. She
(05:05):
wanted results, and when they didn't come fast enough, she
distanced herself. Distanced herself, Rourke repeated, meaning she withdrew financial support. Yes,
Thomas admitted, his tone cold. She believed in tough love.
You could say, if we couldn't make the business profitable
on our own, then maybe it wasn't worth saving. That
(05:26):
was her way, Laura snorted, crossing her arms. She never
cared about the business, Thomas. All she cared about was control.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
You know that.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Thomas shot her a glare, but Rourke held up a hand,
stopping the argument before it could escalate. What about you,
miss Porter, This book of yours, the true story of
Cedar Hollow is it? Did your mother object to it?
Laura's expression hardened. Object she did more than that. She
tried to stop it all together, threatened me with lawsuits,
told me I'd disgrace the family, ruin her reputation, as
(05:58):
if her reputation was something worth protect. So you continued
with it despite her warnings. Yes, Laura said, her gaze unflinching.
I wanted people to know the truth about her, about
all of it. And what truth is that? Rourke pressed
his gaze narrowing. Laura hesitated, glancing at Thomas and Daniel
(06:18):
as if weighing her words. The truth is she was
hiding something, something dark. I don't know all the details,
but I found hints old letters, records. She was connected
to people, people who could do things, dangerous things. The
tension in the room thickened, each sibling watching the other
with a mixture of suspicion and dread. Rourke could feel it,
(06:40):
the weight of secrets unspoken, the fear of what might
be revealed. He turned to Daniel, who had been silent
until now, his gaze fixed on the floor. And you,
mister Porter, your mother's decision to cut you off financially,
how did that affect you? Daniel's head snapped up, his
eyes flashing with anger. How do you think it affected me?
She left me with nothing, wanted me to learn some
(07:01):
kind of lesson, I suppose, But all it taught me
was that she didn't care, not about any of us,
only about her control. Roorke studied him, noting the bitterness
in his tone, the anger that simmered just beneath the surface.
You sound resentful, wouldn't you be? Daniel shot back, his
voice rising. She played with our lives like we were
(07:22):
pieces on a board, and now now she's gone and
were left with the mess she created. Rourke nodded, slowly,
taking in their words, their faces, the tension that thickened
the air. He could feel it, the tangled web of resentment, fear,
and betrayal that bound them all together. Evelyn had wielded
power over her children like a weapon, and now, with
(07:43):
her death, that weapon was pointed back at them. He
took a step back, his gaze shifting from one sibling
to the next. Thank you all for your cooperation. This
investigation will continue, and I'll need each of you to
remain available for further questioning. Thomas, Laura, and Daniel filed
out of the study one by one, leaving Rourk alone
once more. He turned to the desk, to the notebook
(08:05):
that held Evelyn's final thoughts, and a chill ran down
his spine. There was something here, something buried deep. Evelyn
had feared it, whatever it was, enough to die with
that fear in her heart, and now Rourke was determined
to uncover it, no matter what dark truths lay beneath
the surface. Segment three Family Skeletons. The Porter mansion was
(08:27):
quiet in a way that seemed unnatural, almost haunted. As
Detective Rourke sifted through the clues that had come to light,
The air inside the mansion felt heavy, dense with secrets
and memories, as if the past itself clung to every corner,
every shadow. The more he learned, the more he realized
that Evelyn's influence over her children had left wounds that
(08:48):
had festered, turning into something dark and corrosive. Roorke sat
alone in the study, reviewing his notes, turning each new
piece of information over in his mind. Evelyn had wielded
control over her children like a puppeteer, and each of
them bore the marks of her manipulation. But the question
lingered which one of them had broken free of her
(09:08):
strings in the most brutal way. He knew it was
time to dig deeper into their pasts. Each sibling had
their own version of the truth, their own reasons for
hating Evelyn, and perhaps even for wanting her dead. The
truth about Thomas. Rourke called Thomas back into the study,
his gaze fixed on the eldest Porters sibling. Thomas sat
across from him, his face drawn and tight, his shoulders
(09:31):
hunched as if he carried the weight of the entire
mansion on his back. Rourke could tell that Thomas was
used to shouldering burdens, that he had been conditioned to endure.
Mister Porter, Rourke began. You mentioned that your mother withdrew
financial support from the family business.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
I'd like you to elaborate on that.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Thomas's jaw clenched, his hands gripping the armrest of his chair.
She didn't just withdraw support, she sabotaged it.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
I don't know why.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Maybe she thought I wasn't good enough, or maybe she
she just wanted to see if I'd fail. Rourke raised
an eyebrow. Sabotaged. Can you explain that? Thomas sighed a
bitter smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. She
would cut funding at critical times, pull resources just when
we needed them most. She wanted me to succeed, but
on her terms, always her terms. When I tried to
(10:18):
expand the business, she refused, said I was too ambitious,
that I needed to focus on realistic goals. Rourke nodded,
scribbling notes as Thomas spoke. So she kept you under
her control, even though you were supposed to be in charge. Yes,
Thomas's voice was tight, strained. I tried to make it work,
I really did, but every time I took a step forward,
(10:40):
she'd find a way to push me two steps back.
I think she liked knowing she had that power over me?
And how did that make you feel? Roorke's tone was calm,
but his gaze was sharp, watching every twitch of Thomas's expression.
How do you think it made me feel? Thomas snapped,
his voice breaking I I resented her. I resented the
(11:02):
way she treated us all like pawns in her game.
She didn't care about the business, about the legacy. All
she cared about was her control. Rourke watched him for
a moment, then nodded, his gaze softening slightly. Did you
ever confront her about it? Tell her how you felt?
Thomas's face darkened, a shadow passing over his features.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
I tried.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Once we had words, she laughed it off like it
was some kind of joke, said I was being dramatic,
that I didn't know what I was talking about. His
voice grew quiet, almost a whisper. I think that was
the moment I realized she would never see me as
anything more than a pawn, and it made me hate her.
Roorke's pen paused mid sentence, the words hanging in the
(11:44):
air like a confession.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Hate.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
It was a strong word, but the look in Thomas's
eyes told him.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
It was more than that.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
It was a wound, old and deep that had never healed.
Thank you, mister Porter, Rourke said, finally, you can go now.
Thomas left the room, his steps heavy, and Rourke could
sense the weight of years pressing down on him, the
burden of Evelyn's expectations. Her control had left a mark
on Thomas, a mark that might have pushed him to
do the unthinkable.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Laura's double life.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Next, Rourke called Laura into the study. She entered with
her usual air of defiance, her chin held high, eyes
sharp and cold. Roke could see the tension in her posture,
the way her fingers curled into fists as she took
her seat. She was a woman who had fought for
her independence, who had clawed her way free of her
mother's grasp, and yet she had returned to Cedar Hollow,
to this very house, as if some invisible thread still
(12:35):
bound her here. Miss porter Rourke began his tone steady.
I'd like to know more about your memoir. The true
story of Cedar Hollow is that right. Laura's gaze hardened,
her lips pressing into a thin line. That's right, And
before you ask, it wasn't a tell all or some
cheap gossip piece.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
It was.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
It was the truth about my mother, about the family,
about the things she did. What kind of things, Rourke pressed.
Laura hesitated, glancing away. My mother she had connections, friends
in high places, people who could make things happen. I
found letters, documents, proof that she was involved in things,
illegal things, deals that kept the family wealthy, but at
(13:17):
a cost. She did things that no one should ever.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Have to do. Rourke's gaze sharpened.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
And you were planning to expose these things in your book?
Laura nodded, her face tight with anger. Yes, I was
tired of living in her shadow, of pretending that she
was some kind of saint. She ruined people, detective people
who crossed her, people who got.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
In her way.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
I wasn't gonna let her get away with it. Did
she know you planned to publish the book? Yes, And
she threatened me, said she'd destroy me if I ever tried.
That's why I left, why I stayed away for so long.
Laura's voice grew soft, almost vulnerable. But the truth, the
truth had to come out. People needed to know who
she really was. Rourke watched her, his mind working through
(14:00):
the implications. Evelyn had been ruthless controlling and manipulative, and Laura,
in her own way, had been determined to break free.
But had that desperation for freedom turned to something darker?
Did you ever think about ending it? Rourke asked quietly,
his gaze never leaving hers, About freeing yourself from her
control once and for all. Laura's eyes widened, a flicker
(14:23):
of something raw flashing across her face. I I thought
about it, of course I did, but murder, No, that's
not who I am. Rourke nodded, jotting down his final notes.
Thank you, miss Porter, you can go now. As she
left the room, Rourke could feel the weight of her words,
the anger and bitterness that had shaped her. Evelyn had
(14:44):
cast a long shadow, one that had smothered Laura's independence,
leaving her with scars that ran deep Daniel's debt. Finally,
Rourke called in Daniel. He entered the study with a
swagger that felt forced, his gaze shifting nervously as he
took his seat. There was a desperation in his eyes,
a rawness that hinted at the turmoil simmering beneath the surface.
(15:04):
Mister Porter, Rourke began his voice, calm but firm. I
understand you've had some financial troubles recently. Daniel flinched, his gaze,
dropping to the floor. I don't know what you're talking about.
Rourke raised an eyebrow. I think you do. I've heard rumors,
mister Porter, gambling debts, unpaid loans, people who are waiting
for their money. Daniel's hands clenched, his jaw tightening. Look,
(15:27):
I had some issues, but it's under control. None of
that has anything to do with my mother, doesn't it.
Rourke pressed, She cut you off, left you without resources.
You were desperate and she had the means to help you,
but instead she left you stranded. That must have been hard.
Daniel's face twisted in bitterness.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Hard. It was hell.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
She was my mother and she left me with nothing,
all because I didn't live up to her her perfect standards.
His voice broke, and for a moment he looked almost vulnerable.
Do you know what it's like to be rejected by
your own mother, to be told you're worthless? Roorke's gaze
softened slightly. So you resented her, Daniel laughed, bitterly resented her.
(16:10):
I hated her. She treated me like dirt, like I
was disposable. She could have helped me, She could have
done so much, but she didn't. And did that hatred
ever make you think about getting rid of her? Roorke's
voice was soft, but his gaze was unyielding. Daniel's face
went pale, his hands shaking.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
No, I didn't, I wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
She was she was my mother, no matter what I couldn't.
Rourke watched him, the silence stretching between them, thick with
unspoken words. He could see the guilt, the shame, the resentment,
all the emotions that had built up over years of
neglect and disappointment. Thank you, mister Porter, he said, Finally,
that'll be all. Daniel left the room, his steps unsteady,
(16:57):
and Rourke felt the weight of the Porter family's pain
settled over him. Each of them had a reason, a motive,
a darkness that Evelyn's control had planted and nurtured, and
now that darkness had borne fruit in the most terrible way.
Alone in the study once more, Rourke reviewed his notes,
his mind racing Each sibling had something to gain from
Evelyn's death, something that would free them from the control
(17:19):
she had held over their lives. But which one of
them had taken that final irrevocable step. As he closed
his notebook, he knew one thing for certain. The truth
was buried here, somewhere within the walls of this mansion,
and he would uncover it, no matter how deep he
had to dig four uncovering the letter. As the mansion
(17:40):
settled back into an uneasy silence, Detective Rourke paced the
length of the study, his mind turning over each new revelation.
The siblings had given him pieces of the story, hints
of the resentment, bitterness, and buried anger that lay beneath
their calm exteriors, But there was still something missing, a
final piece that would pull all the fragments together. He
returned to Evelyn's desk, his gaze lingering on the items
(18:03):
she had left behind. The leather bound notebook had provided
a glimpse into her mind, a record of her thoughts
and fears, but something about her death. The marks on
her wrists, the unsettling note clutched in her hand suggested
a level of intimacy, a personal vendetta. He knew that
Evelyn had kept a close eye on everyone in her life,
monitoring her children's every move, their mistakes, their flaws. But
(18:25):
who had been watching her He moved to the bookshelves
behind her desk, methodically searching for anything out of place,
any hint of a hidden compartment or concealed document. Evelyn
was meticulous. Everything in her study was ordered with a
kind of precise, cold elegance. But as he reached the
end of the shelf, his fingers brushed against something odd,
a small lever embedded within the dark wood. Curiosity piqued.
(18:48):
Rourke pulled the lever gently, and the bookshelf swung open,
revealing a narrow hidden compartment. Inside, carefully folded and sealed
with red wax, was a letter. Rourke's pulse quickened as
he took it out, noting the unfamiliar handwriting on the front.
It was addressed simply to Evelyn. He opened the letter,
unfolding the crisp paper with care. The writing inside was delicate, precise,
(19:11):
yet every word seemed to pulse with an underlying malice.
It read, Evelyn, you have taken what does not belong
to you, and now the time has come to make
it right. The past cannot stay buried forever. Christmas eve
is coming. The signature was just an initial, a single
letter scrawled hastily in ink, Rourke felt a chill as
he read the letter again, the words echoing in his mind,
(19:33):
the past cannot stay buried. Someone from Evelyn's history had returned,
someone with a score to settle. But who was em
and what had Evelyn taken that she was now paying for.
He searched the compartment further, finding a small, tarnished silver locket,
its chain broken. Inside the locket was a photograph, old
and faded, of a young woman with haunting eyes and
a hard, determined expression. Roorke stared at the photograph, his
(19:57):
mind racing with questions. The woman in the picture was
on unfamiliar, but there was something about her gaze, something
that hinted at a life marked by loss and betrayal.
Whoever this woman was, she was connected to Evelyn in
some deep and significant way, and Rourke sensed that her
story was at the heart of this entire mystery. Evelyn
had built her life on control, on manipulation, and on secrets,
(20:18):
but someone, it seemed, had finally unearthed one of those secrets,
and now it had led to her death. Rourke confronts
the siblings. Rourke knew he couldn't let this revelation sit.
He called the siblings back to the study, watching their
faces closely as they gathered once more, their expressions ranging from.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Wary to outright hostile.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
They were tired, frayed, each of them holding onto their
own story, their own version of what had led them here.
Once they were seated, Roorke held up the letter, watching
their reactions carefully. Do any of you recognize this? He asked,
his tone even Thomas's brow furrowed as he leaned forward,
squinting at the letter. No, he replied, slowly, I've never
(20:57):
seen that before, eyes narrowed and her lips pressed into
a thin line.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
What does it say?
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Rourke read the letter aloud, watching as Laura's face turned pale,
her expression shifting from irritation to something that looked like fear.
It sounds like a threat, she whispered, almost to herself.
Rourke nodded. A threat from someone who knew your mother well,
someone with a grudge that goes back years, maybe decades.
The letter was signed with the initial M. Does that
(21:26):
mean anything to any of you? The siblings exchanged glances,
but none of them spoke. Roorke could see the flickers
of uncertainty in their faces, the subtle looks that suggested
they were each holding back, concealing something. Laura shifted in
her seat, breaking the silence. There were stories, she said,
her voice hesitant, Stories that mother, that she'd wronged people,
(21:49):
that she'd done things to keep the family powerful. Thomas
shot her a sharp look. Laura, that's enough. No it isn't,
She snapped, her voice, rising, don't you see, Thomas, this
letter proves it. Someone came back for her, someone who
knew what she'd done. Rourke leaned forward, pressing her, what
exactly are these stories?
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Miss porter?
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Laura hesitated, glancing toward her brothers as if seeking their approval,
then finally spoke. I found letters, old ones hidden away
in her things. They hinted at at deals she'd made,
alliances she'd forged with people who could make problems disappear.
There was one name that kept coming up, though I
never found out who it was.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
What name? Rourke's gaze sharpened. Marcus.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Laura's voice was barely a whisper. I don't know who
he was, but the letters mentioned him. It was as
if he and mother had some kind of arrangement. I
think he helped her covered things up when they went wrong.
Roorke's mind raced as he processed this new information. Marcus,
it could very well be the m who had written
the letter, the person who had finally come back to
(22:57):
collect on whatever debt Evelyn had incurred all those years ago.
Why didn't you tell me this before? Rourke asked, his
gaze piercing. Laura looked down, her hands twisting in her lap.
Because I thought it was just rumors, and if mother
was hiding something, I didn't want to be the one.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
To expose it.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
She looked up, her expression defiant. But maybe she deserved it.
Maybe this is what happens when you live a life
like hers. Thomas let out a bitter laugh. So that's it,
then you think she deserved it. His voice was harsh,
but there was a note of pain behind his anger.
Our mother may have been controlling, yes, but she didn't
deserve to die like this, didn't she? Laura shot back,
(23:38):
her voice cold. How many people did she destroy, Thomas?
How many lives did she ruin to keep us safe,
to keep the family reputation intact? Rourke could see the
divide between them widening, the cracks in their family loyalty
splitting open like a wound. Each of them held a
piece of the truth, and each of them, in their
own way, had contributed to the tangled web that had
(23:59):
ensnared Evelyn. He held up the photograph from the locket,
letting it hang in the air for a moment before speaking,
Do any of you recognize this woman? Daniel leaned forward,
squinting at the faded image, his brow furrowing. No, but
she looks familiar. There's something about her. Thomas shook his head.
I've never seen her before, but if she's connected to
(24:20):
this Marcus, then maybe she was part of whatever deal
mother had with him. Rourke considered this, piecing together the
fragments of information. Evelyn had made deals, dangerous alliances to
protect her family, to maintain her power, but in the end,
it seemed those alliances had turned on her, the sins
of the past rising to exact a final, bloody toll,
(24:41):
the final revelation. As Rourke left the siblings to their
simmering resentment, he took the letter and the photograph to
his temporary quarters in the guest room. He studied the
image closely, his mind working through every possibility. The woman's
face was haunting, almost familiar, as if he'd seen it
somewhere before then it struck him he had seen that
face in the eyes of one of the siblings, the
(25:03):
high cheek bones, the intensity of the gaze. There was
something unmistakably similar. Laura, he realized, bore a striking resemblance
to the woman in the photograph. It wasn't exact, but
there was enough of a similarity that he couldn't dismiss it.
The woman was likely a relative, someone connected to Evelyn's past,
someone whose life had been marked by her actions. And
if Laura was connected to this woman by blood, then
(25:25):
she too was part of the story Evelyn had tried.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
So hard to bury.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Rourke's pulse quickened as he began to see the shape
of the truth. Evelyn had made enemies, and now, in
her death, those enemies had returned to claim what they
believed was rightfully theirs. But the question remained which of
the siblings had finally decided to bring Evelyn's past crashing
down upon her. As he closed his eyes, one thought lingered.
(25:50):
He was close, closer than he'd ever been to the truth,
and he knew that once he uncovered it, there would
be no turning back. This has been a quiet pleased production.
Head over to quiet, Please dot A I to hear
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