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“I agree,” Mrs. Lay said, her voice firm with resolve. “She could very well be the key to finding Amelia, to understanding where she is and what really happened.”

“Right, she could have the answer to everything, including why Julian wanted Amelia to read this manuscript - and whether it ties directly to her disappearance. We also need to figure out what they are hiding, because whatever it is, it's clear Julian was on the brink of revealing something signifi - ”

“David,” Mr. Lay cut David off. “Do you think it all actually has something to do with what happened 20 years ago at Evermoon?”

David paused, the question hanging heavily in the air. "Evermoon," he repeated, the name stirring something deep in his memory. "You think whatever happened there is tied to all of this? The manuscript, Amelia’s disappearance, Julian’s death..."

"Yes, Amelia disappeared after she started reading that book, which she claimed contained details similar to the incident that happened at Evermoon. Then the author of that book, Julian, just died this morning. And I'm starting to think that what Amelia said during the dinner was true — something has been hidden from us for 20 years." Mr. Lay said, his voice laced with growing suspicion.

"Alright, the most important thing right now is to find Anna Raynott, and we need to keep everything we’ve uncovered from the police. They can’t be trusted. Since, Mr. Lay, you took the book from Amelia’s desk last night, the police have no idea that she even read it. All they know is that she had an appointment scheduled with Julian.” said David.

“Yeah, that’s right. We’ll do whatever it takes to find Anna.” Mr. Lay remarked, his tone firm with determination.

“Oh also, David, did Amelia mention to you that the last chapter of this book is also missing?” Mr. Lay asked, his eyes narrowing in thought.

David paused, his mind racing. "She never brought it up, but now that you mention it, it makes sense. If the last chapter is missing, it could have been intentionally left out by Julian... perhaps to hide something crucial."