The Final Gambit

Avery is starting to suspect the truth. She wonders what happened to William, theorizing that perhaps he had gotten teenage Mallory pregnant. She suspects that Vincent might know that Toby is his grandson, which would explain why he abducted him, of all people. Avery runs into Jameson, who is furious that she refused to stay safely locked away. They fight, and Jameson accuses Avery of wanting him to be Grayson. He confesses his love for Avery, who is filled with regret over the entire situation. Privately, she wishes Eve had stayed away; suddenly, she realizes that Eve and Vincent must be family.

Oren drives Jameson and Avery to Wayback Cottage. Grayson, Eve, Mrs. Laughlin, and Mallory are all there. Avery tells them that Vincent had a son, Will, who called himself Liam: “I think he was Toby’s father” (255). In front of everyone, Avery tells Mrs. Laughlin: “Will Blake sought out your daughter. […] He would have been in his twenties. She was only sixteen. She snuck him onto the estate. […] Will Blake hasn’t been seen since. And for some reason, you and your husband let the Hawthornes adopt your grandson and pass him off as their own flesh and blood, even to the baby’s mother” (256).

Hearing this, Eve accosts Mallory, demanding the truth: “He didn’t leave, did he?” (257). Avery realizes that Vincent sent Eve to get answers about William’s disappearance. Avery accuses Eve directly and presses her, asking what Vincent offered her in exchange for information about William. Avery suspects that Vincent offered Eve a Blake family seal in exchange for her help. Grayson, protective of Eve, is angry at Avery’s accusations, as is Mrs. Laughlin. Mrs. Laughlin kicks them all out of the house.

Grayson is angry at Avery for accusing Eve. Avery tries to talk sense into Grayson, saying: “She hates your grandfather. We aren’t her family. Blake is” (259). Grayson isn’t convinced and walks away. Jameson, having witnessed Avery trying to save Grayson from Eve’s influence, is reminded that Avery once had feelings for Grayson. Avery reassures him: “It was always going to be you,” while internally acknowledging, “He needed to hear it. I needed to say it, even though always painted over so much” (261). Jameson knows Avery is sugarcoating the situation and that she struggled to decide between Jameson and Grayson for some time. He walks away.

Back at Hawthorne House, Avery calls Vincent. She asks him what he wants. He replies, “I want the truth that Tobias Hawthorne hid from me all these years. I want to know what happened to my son. And I want you, Avery Kylie Grambs, to dig up the past and bring me his body” (262).

Avery wonders where Tobias might have hidden William’s body. She remembers how Tobias built a new addition to Hawthorne House on his birthday every year and uses old blueprints to see what he added the year William disappeared. She suspects the remains may be in the chapel on the Hawthorne Estate and goes to investigate.

Inside the chapel, Avery discovers that the altar has a trick door leading to a compartment. There aren’t any human remains inside. Instead, she finds a shroud, a USB drive, and words carved into the marble in Toby’s handwriting. They say: “I KNOW WHAT YOU DID, FATHER” (270). Avery realizes that Toby knew Tobias’s secret and that Tobias must have hidden William’s body in the altar. Toby moved William’s body and left the note for Tobias, knowing that after Toby left, his father would check to see if his secret was safe.

Avery takes the USB drive and is preparing to leave the chapel when she’s accosted by Eve, who is holding a gun. Oren orders her to drop it, but Eve doesn’t; she calls the bluff, knowing Avery wouldn’t let harm come to her because it would destroy Grayson. Avery asks Eve if she helped Vincent abduct Toby; Eve says yes and confirms her alliance with Vincent. She tells Avery that Mallory admitted William was killed. When Avery tells her that Toby cares for her and wants her, unlike her mother’s family, Eve replies, “Blake wants me by his side. I just have to prove myself first” (273). Eve demands the USB in Avery’s hand; Avery refuses to give it to her. Oren disarms Eve.

Grayson witnesses the incident and understands that Avery was right about Eve. Eve accuses him of being responsible for Emily’s death and threatens to die by suicide; nonetheless, Grayson calmly rejects her and remains on Avery’s side. Avery asks Oren to escort Eve off the Hawthorne property. Avery realizes that Eve is just a pawn, for Vincent, saying: “We’ll deal directly with Vincent Blake from now on” (276).

Avery and Grayson talk, and Grayson apologizes for not believing Avery’s warnings about Eve. Grayson also acknowledges that Avery made the right choice picking Jameson, saying, “You’re in love with my brother, Avery” (278). He admits he was projecting his feelings for both Emily and Avery onto Eve and that he’d feared himself incapable of loving real, living people. Grayson says that the USB key Avery obtained from the hidden compartment in the altar is probably encrypted and that a second USB key is needed to decode it. Avery points out that she has a second USB key in the leather bag Tobias left her.

Avery and the four Hawthorne grandsons listen to the message that Tobias left on the USB key for them. Tobias addresses both Avery and his grandsons in the message: “If Blake knows or even suspects what I have kept from him all these years, then he is coming. For the fortune. For my legacy. For you, Avery Kylie Grambs. And for that, I do apologize” (283). Tobias reveals that he picked Avery to take his inheritance for various reasons—because he suspected she could reunite his splintered grandsons and because he thought she could draw Toby out of hiding. He reveals that he knew Avery’s mother, Hannah—Toby’s beloved. Hannah was also aware of what happened to William Blake and refused to let Tobias manipulate her. Another reason was that he knew she’d serve as a distraction, a safeguard against Vincent. Tobias also tells Avery, “He will underestimate you. You’re young. You’re female. You’re nobody—use that. My greatest adversary—and yours now—is an honor-bound man. Best him, and he’ll honor the win” (285).

Avery calls Vincent. She acknowledges that he wants the truth about William’s fate and wants William’s remains returned to him. Avery asks Vincent, “What, besides Toby, will you give me if I deliver what you want?” (288). Vincent replies, “I’m so very glad you asked” and then hangs up (289). Oren arrives, telling Avery there’s a courier at the gate of Hawthorne Estate.