Hanna called Riley in a hurry.

Riley was on a train, heading out of town for who knew how long. He blinked at Hanna''s name lighting up his screen-surprised, a little nervous. "H-Hanna? W- what''s going on?"

"You were with Rowan this morning, sorting out Asher''s affairs," Hanna said, her voice tight. "Did he say anything to you? Was he acting strange at all?"

Riley thought it over. "No, not really. Rowan gave me a hundred grand and told me to take a break. He said Willow Lake was beautiful, so... that''s where I''m headed." His voice was timid, uncertain.

Riley had spent years under Asher''s wing. He''d always been the quiet type, never the one pulling strings-just a loyal helper, always in the background. Asher''s death had rattled him. To the world, Asher was a viin, but to Riley, he''d been a guide a mentor, even.

"He told you to go to Willow Lake?" Hanna asked, surprised. "Nothing else?"

"Nope, that was it. Rowan gave everyone some severance money and left." Riley hesitated. "Hanna, is something wrong?"

"It''s nothing," Hanna said, ending it there.

Rowan had wrapped everything up-let Asher''s crew go, handed over thest of the money. So what was left for him now?

Just one thing.

Turning himself in.

Rowan would use what little he had left to do something for Anastasia.

Hanna understood, but she didn''t try to stop him. She knew it wouldn''t matter if she did.

She clutched the bank card Rowan gave her and sobbed, the kind of crying that shakes your whole body. Maybe, if she''d said yes to strolling along Willow Lake with him, he would''ve waited a little longer before surrendering.

Two million dors-hisst show of care, his final goodbye.

Sure enough, just as Hanna suspected, Rowan turned himself in.

He confessed to killing the four men who''d kidnapped Anastasia in that mountain cabin.

He went straight to Crestwood, found Jason, and insisted that Jason be the one to take his statement. If not, he wasn''t saying a word.

Jason was floored. The case had been out of his hands for a while now, the culprit just walked in and gave himself up.

And Rowan didn''t stop there he dragged Autumn''s name into it.

He insisted Autumn was the mastermind behind Anastasia''s kidnapping.

Ben, a former prison officer and Autumn''s old friend, was the go-between.

Autumn and Ben had even met in secret; Rowanid out all the evidence he had.

During questioning, Jason was still reeling. "Rowan, do you have anything stronger? This isn''t solid proof."

Autumn was the mayor''s wife, after all. With stakes this high, Jason couldn''t make a wrong move. He didn''t have the authority to just haul her in.

Rowan''s face was unreadable.

сей

"There''s always a trail. This is all I''ve got. The rest is on you guys. When reached the cabin, overheard the “ kidnappers calling Ben Ben and Autumn went to college together. Those photos of Anastasia? That''s your best lead. Track down where they leaked from, and you''ll have your answer."  s

If Rowan held firm, Autumn''s name would stay tangled in the mess.

Of course, the kidnappers were dead-no one left to testify. Rowan didn''t really know if they''d called Ben or not. But right now, he could say whatever he wanted Pulling Autumn down with him was enough.  s

Jason frowned. "Rowan, aren''t you afraid for your life? Do you know who Autumn really is?"

Rowan gave a crooked smile. "Why? Thew only applies to nobodies like me?"fn6750 Th?s chapter is updated by f?ndnovel/fn6750

"That''s not what I meant." Jason knew what Rowan was risking by using Autumn-he could be signing his own death warrant.

Rowan saw it in his eyes. He looked down, voice quiet but steady. "My life doesn''t mean much."

Jason pressed his lips together, then nodded at his partner Hank to leave them alone. When Hank stepped out Jason switched off the camera in the interrogation room and leaned in.  s

"Rowan, is all of this-for Anastasia?"