Chapter 12: The Evidence Room
Chapter 12: The Evidence Room
The federal investigation lasted three months.
Northstar Capital collapsed.
Dr. Adrian Vale was charged with murder, attempted murder, financial fraud, conspiracy, kidnapping, and obstruction of justice.
Chief Briggs was arrested.
Leo accepted a plea deal in exchange for testimony.
Mason received a reduced sentence for cooperating and saving Ethan and Captain Hayes from the gas-filled storage room.
Victoria faced the most complicated case.
She had forged documents.
She had ordered Margaret confined.
She had arranged the transfer.
And although she claimed she had never ordered anyone to beat Margaret, she had created the circumstances that allowed it.
Ethan visited her in the county detention center.
A glass wall separated them.
Victoria looked thinner without makeup, diamonds, or designer clothing.
“You shouldn’t have come,” she said.
“I needed to hear the truth from you.”
“I’ve told the investigators everything.”
“I’m not an investigator.”
Victoria looked down.
Ethan asked the question that had haunted him.
“Did you ever love me?”
She closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
“Was any of our marriage real?”
“Some of it became real.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“It’s the only one I have.”
Ethan’s voice hardened.
“You locked my mother in an engine corridor.”
“I know.”
“You let people hurt her.”
“I know.”
“You drugged her.”
“I told Leo to sedate her. I didn’t know the dose would kill her.”
“But you accepted the risk.”
Victoria nodded.
Tears slipped down her face, but she did not wipe them away.
“I wanted revenge more than I cared who suffered.”
Ethan stared at her for a long time.
“I can understand how you became angry.”
Hope flickered in her eyes.
“But I will never excuse what you did with that anger.”
The hope disappeared.
Victoria pressed her palm against the glass.
Ethan did not raise his hand.
“I am filing for divorce,” he said.
She nodded.
“I expected that.”
“And I will testify.”
“I expect that too.”
As Ethan stood to leave, Victoria spoke again.
“Your mother asked the prosecutor not to seek the maximum sentence.”
Ethan turned.
“Why?”
May you like
Victoria looked toward the floor.
“She said mercy and forgiveness are not the same thing.”
