Whatever Theo had said, it had had an effect. Eleanor barely protested when Cora announced that she was going out later that day. It was dusk by the time she arrived at Carl's apartment, passing a few disappointed journalists who were clearly hours too late for a scoop. They ignored the girl they passed on the stairs and Cora felt slightly amused by the fact. They'd all wanted a piece of her when she was lipsticked and rouged, Carl's niece all camera ready. The girl they brushed rudely by was nothing like that, in her sensible shoes, thick winter scarf and bare face. She was glad of it.

The door was unlocked and swung on its hinges when Cora pressed her fingertips against it. Inside was a mess, with cabinets and drawers hanging open like they'd been emptied in a great rush. One window was left open, a chilly breeze whistling in, adding to the effect of a ghost town within these four walls. A stack of handbills advertising the opening night of The Eighth Wonder of the World had been knocked over, fanning across the floor like fallen leaves.

"Carl? It's me, Cora. Are you here?" Fruitless, yes, but she had to break the silence.

But Carl Denham was long gone - his wardrobe emptied, his desk ransacked of any incriminating document. The desk chair, a fine, green leather upholstered thing, had been knocked down in the rush, and Cora, for want of something to do, righted it, flopping ungracefully into the seat.

"I knew it." She muttered.

She looked at the desk and suddenly noticed a crumpled envelope, squashed into a heavy crease underneath a lurid glass paperweight. She saw her name, scrawled in a panicked hand, and grabbed the envelope, dislodging a trio of others. Scanning the fronts she recognised the names on all three, before ripping open her own.

Sure enough it was Carl's writing, in an accelerated scribble.

Dear Cora -

If you're reading this, then you've done what I expected, and come to find me. Well - you won't and that's all there is to it. I'm leaving New York. Running away. Call it a coward's way out, but there's nothing left for me here.

I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for dragging you along on this stupid trip and for putting you in harms way too many times. If your dad was still alive, he'd have killed me. When he died, I thought that would change things. It would motivate me to create, but all I did was destroy.

There are four cheques on this desk. One's yours, just as I promised. The other three I need you to deliver. I told them on that island that I'd share it with all of them and I will. What's left of it anyway.

Do not come looking for me.

I don't want to be found.

I'm sorry.

Carl.

The cheque, made out in the same untidy hurry, fluttered from the envelope.

Cora Denham.

Seventy five dollars.

She laughed, one hollow bark of a laugh. The countless thousands that had gone into this production, the risks, the lies, everything, and that great reward she'd been promised in return for her obedience was less than one hundred dollars. Not even half of what she needed to escape. She looked around the apartment, shaking her head as she flopped back in the chair. "Son of a bitch."

"Hello?"

Her head jerked back up and she scrambled to her feet as a new arrival entered the room. "Preston!" She cried. "You're alright!"

"Am I glad to see you." He replied, removing his hat with a smile. He looked tired, but unharmed. "Thought I'd lost you there at the theatre."

"Long story - Jimmy found me."

"And?"

"And… we parted on good terms." She felt her smile falter. "He's gone. They've all gone. It wasn't safe. But he knows how I really feel now."

Preston nodded. He pointed, hat in hand, changing the subject "Y'know, for a second there I didn't recognise you."

She stretched out her arms theatrically, showing off her plain wool coat. "I'm just trying out a new look," She joked, posing "What do you think?"

"Much better." Preston replied, "You look just like you did first time I met you."

She dropped her arms "September."

He nodded, looking around the empty apartment "Feels like a lifetime ago."

Anxious to break the silence, Cora offered out the envelope marked with his name "I think this is for you."

Curious, Preston tore open the envelope and raised his eyebrows at the contents. "Well it's a fraction of what he owes me…" He tucked the cheque into his shirt pocket and sighed "But it's better than nothing."

"He doesn't want to be found, Preston."

"He might not have a choice." Preston stared around at the abandoned apartment. "He's finished Cora. He'll never work again, that's for sure. I know he's your family, but-"

"I get it." Cora cut in. "I knew it was over the second those chains snapped. And now it's dead." She looked at him sharply "Have you heard from Ann? Or Jack?"

"I saw Jack before I came over here." Preston replied, bending to pick up one of the littered handbills "Ann is… okay. This has really taken it out of her. Jack said it's gonna take a while, but he's gonna be there for her, whatever happens. However long it takes is however long it takes."

"He's a good man." Cora said, only half to Preston.

"Speaking of good men," Preston added, "Or maybe less-than-good men. Have you heard about Nate Mosely?"

She shivered "That greaseball? No - what happened?"

"He's in the hospital. Apparently in the chaos he fell and hit his head. He remembers very little about the events of last night and," He looked at her meaningfully "Even less about you."

"Thank you Preston," she said with feeling. She looked to the open window. "All I got to do now is work out what happens next. My next move."

Preston suddenly looked at his shoes "That's another thing. I'm leaving."

She stared at him "You're what?"

"I'm leaving New York." He said, with no small amount of determination. "I've been offered a job in California. Still in the movie business - there's a studio who are very impressed with the Skull Island stories. I was going to tell Carl I quit last night, but I could barely get a word in." He looked up anxiously "Do you think I'm doing the right thing?"

She nodded "Yeah. I think you're gonna be great."

Some goodbyes were a lot easier than others. Cora Denham and Preston Howard parted ways that day with well wishes and commendations of luck.

She'd miss him, she knew she would. Cora felt like all the parts of her life were being scattered like dust on the wind, to settle where they may. She wondered if she should envy them. Wanting solitude, she wandered back through the city alone, relishing her newfound anonymity. A large section of Fifth Avenue was still fenced off, and who could say how long it would take to move Kong's massive body. Lingering briefly at the barrier she tried not to think too much about how this experience had taught her the two possibilities of such great events; you fled, or - she glanced up at the Empire State Building - you fell.

That, as her mother had said, was a conversation for another time. She shivered in the rapidly cooling evening air, and felt the envelopes still in her pocket. Englehorn's cheque would have to wait – the Venture was long gone and part of Cora was glad of it. It meant that at least she still had something left to lose.

As for the other, she needed an excuse to check in with Jack anyway. Maybe she would catch him at the theatre. Maybe she could leave it at the stage door for him. Maybe he wouldn't even want Carl's money. Maybe a million and one things could happen that day. Stranger things had happened before, and certainly to her.

It only had to start with one.

With that in mind, she flipped up the collar of her coat against the encroaching chill and stepped back into the flow of the sidewalk's evening foot traffic, slipping easily into the crowd and onwards to whatever came next for her.

Against the blue wash of the dusk, lights were coming on everywhere, and in the slice of sky between the buildings, the sunset was casting swathes of red shadow above them, signalling the imminent fade out to black.

It really was a beautiful evening.

So there it is. Six years after posting the first chapter I've finally finished the damn thing. Thanks for sticking with it and reading this far - I really appreciate it. This story's seen me through a lot of things; studies, jobs, sickness and health, and I have to say this ending is nothing like the ending I originally planned! But I hope you enjoyed it. That's what matters in the end. Thank you.