Chapter 11 - The Drowned Drive
Mason escaped through the roof.
A helicopter had waited beyond the river.
By the time police aircraft arrived, he was gone.
The drive lay beneath eight feet of contaminated water.
A dive team recovered it before midnight.
The casing was cracked.
The circuits were soaked.
The technician at the state lab shook his head.
“Recovery is possible.”
“But not guaranteed.”
“How long?” Grant asked.
“Days.”
“We may have hours.”
Richard’s attorneys had already filed emergency motions.
They claimed the ledger was planted.
They claimed Lily’s injuries came from a private marital dispute.
They claimed I had attacked Richard and forced false statements from witnesses.
Daniel Mercer held a press conference outside the county jail.
“My client is the victim of a personal vendetta led by a former officer with a documented history of excessive force.”
I watched the broadcast from Lily’s hospital room.
She stared at the television.
“They’re making him the victim.”
“They’re trying.”
“What if people believe them?”
“Some will.”
Her eyes dropped.
“I stayed so long.”
“People will ask why.”
“People who ask that have never lived inside fear.”
She looked at me.
“Did you know?”
The question hurt because I deserved it.
“I knew something was wrong.”
“But you didn’t know he hit me.”
“No.”
“You suspected.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you force me to leave?”
“Because I thought pushing you would make you defend him.”
“I thought waiting would help you trust me.”
“I was wrong.”
She looked away.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then she whispered,
“I hated you for not seeing me.”
“I know.”
“I almost stopped calling.”
“I know.”
Her eyes filled.
“But when I thought he was going to kill me, I still called you.”
I sat beside her.
“And I will spend the rest of my life being worthy of that call.”
She leaned against me carefully.
The door opened.
Grant entered holding an evidence bag.
Inside was a small voice recorder.
“We found this in Rachel’s coat.”
Rachel stood behind him.
“I forgot I had it.”
“What’s on it?” I asked.
“Richard’s Easter dinner.”
She looked at Lily.
“I started recording when I realized he knew about the copied files.”
Grant pressed play.
Margaret’s voice filled the room.
“Control your wife before she ruins everything.”
Then Richard.
“She won’t say anything.”
A strike.
Lily crying out.
Richard again.
“Where is the key?”
Another impact.
Then Margaret’s cold voice.
“If she calls her father, let her.”
“Arthur is old.”
“He’ll come alone.”
“We’ll make him look unstable.”
The recording continued.
Guests spoke in the background.
Several clearly witnessed the assault.
One man even asked,
“Should we call someone?”
Daniel replied,
“No one saw anything.”
Grant stopped the recording.
“That gives us conspiracy.”
“Witness intimidation.”
“Obstruction.”
“And assault.”
“But not the building deaths,” I said.
“Not yet.”
Rachel’s phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
Grant answered on speaker.
Mason’s voice came through.
“You recovered the drive.”
Grant said nothing.
Mason continued.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“The encryption will destroy the files after three failed attempts.”
Rachel went pale.
“How do you know?”
“I designed it.”
I leaned toward the phone.
“What do you want?”
“You.”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“Old river bridge.”
“Bring the drive.”
“And bring Margaret.”
Grant looked toward me.
“Why Margaret?”
Mason laughed softly.
“Because she killed Arthur’s wife.”
The call ended.
I stopped breathing.
Lily stared at me.
“Mom died from cancer.”
Margaret’s voice came from the doorway.
“No.”
She stood between two deputies.
Her face was gray.
May you like
“She died because of me.”
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