Page 106 of Blade

The story she was too afraid to share because of Dawn and Westin. And Artis—hired by her own mother to defend her. Too afraid because of this place. The Palace.

And then sirens in the distance as my vision blurs and voices get farther away.

And then everything is black.

Chapter Forty-Six

Excerpt from Testimony of Grace Montgomery

Ada Olson: Grace—you’ve heard the testimony of Dawn Sumner and Dr. Gerard Westin about the events that occurred the night Emile Dresiér was killed, correct?

Grace Montgomery: Yes.

Ada Olson: They both claim that following the argument with Mr. Dresiér, they left his office.

Grace Montgomery: Yes. That’s what they said.

Ada Olson: Ms. Sumner also testified that she saw your skates on his desk.

Grace Montgomery: Yeah—I don’t know how they got there. Maybe Dr. Westin brought them to Emile in his office. I was supposed to meet Emile there.

Ada Olson: But when you went to meet him, you heard the fighting about Emile knowing things—things about your mother and her friends, including Ms. Robbins.

Grace Montgomery: Yes.

Ada Olson: You told Ms. Robbins you didn’t hear much more than that. Is that true?

Grace Montgomery: No.

Ada Olson: What exactly did you hear through that door?

Grace Montgomery: Emile said Ana Robbins killed a man in the woods. He accused Dawn of knowing about it. He said Shannon had told him about Ana’s dress. That she’d given it to Dawn.

Ada Olson: So he knew about Ms. Robbins killing Jeb Clayton? And he was going to tell the reporter?

Grace Montgomery: That’s what he said.

Ada Olson: And then you left when you heard another person coming down the hall, correct?

Grace Montgomery: Yes.

Ada Olson: And when you got outside, you saw four cars in the parking lot, correct? Who did they belong to, if you know?

Grace Montgomery: Dawn. Emile. Dr. Westin. And Shannon Finch.

Ada Olson: The dorm mother at Avery Hall?

Grace Montgomery: Yes.

Ada Olson: And when you got back to Avery Hall on foot, was Ms. Finch there?

Grace Montgomery: No. And neither was her car.

Chapter Forty-Seven

Ana

Now