Marcus nodded.
"I won't."
Harris looked at the documents again.
"But I'll make a report about the material you've brought in."
For the first time since discovering the letters, Marcus felt slightly less alone.
He didn't know where the investigation would lead.
He didn't know what happened to Samuel Walker.
And he certainly didn't know why his father had spent decades hiding the truth.
But he now knew one thing.
The Mustang had not been forgotten.
Someone had deliberately hidden its history.
And perhaps someone was still trying to protect the secret.
That afternoon, Evelyn returned.
Marcus saw her approaching the garage before she reached the driveway.
He stepped outside.
"What do you want?"
She stopped.
"I need to talk to you."
Marcus crossed his arms.
"About what?"
"The car."
He immediately became cautious.
"What about it?"
Evelyn looked around.
"Not here."
Marcus frowned.
"You came to my house."
"I know."
"Then say what you came to say."
Evelyn took a deep breath.
"I know about Samuel."
Marcus froze.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Marcus asked quietly:
"How?"
Evelyn looked at him.
"Your father told me."
Marcus stared.
"You knew my father?"
"Yes."
"How well?"
"Well enough."
Marcus felt anger rising.
"You've known about this the whole time?"
"I knew there was a secret."
"That's not what I asked."
Evelyn looked toward the Mustang.
"I knew your father was afraid of something."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because he asked me not to."
Marcus shook his head.
"Everybody seems to have known except me."
Evelyn's voice softened.
"Your father wanted to protect you."
"That's what everyone says."
"And sometimes protecting someone means keeping them away from the truth."
Marcus looked away.
He didn't know whether to believe her.
"Why did you call the police?"
Evelyn hesitated.
"Because I saw someone near your garage."
"When?"
"Two nights ago."
"What did they look like?"
"I couldn't see clearly."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I wasn't sure."
Marcus stared at her.
"You accused me of running a business."
"I needed a reason to get someone official here."
Marcus frowned.
"What?"
"I wanted an officer to see the car."
"Why?"
"Because I was afraid someone might try to take it."
Marcus's expression changed.
Evelyn continued.
"I couldn't explain everything without telling you about your father."
"So instead you made me look suspicious?"
"I panicked."
Marcus was silent.
For the first time, Evelyn looked less like the aggressive neighbor everyone knew and more like an exhausted woman who had carried a secret for far too long.
"Who was Samuel Walker?" Marcus asked.
Evelyn looked down.
"He was my brother."
Marcus stared at her.
Everything suddenly made sense.
The photograph.
The name.
Her reaction to the Mustang.
Her insistence that something was wrong.
"You knew him."
"I knew him better than anyone."
"Did he disappear?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Thirty-two years ago."
Marcus felt a chill.
"And my father?"
"He spent years trying to find out what happened."
"Did he ever succeed?"
Evelyn shook her head.
"No."
"Then why did he hide everything?"
"Because the people involved were dangerous."
Marcus looked toward the garage.
"And you think the evidence is still in that car?"
"I think Samuel believed it was."