Chapter 8 - CELESTE’S REAL PLAN
Ethan returned to the police station that night.
Celeste sat behind glass with her attorney.
He placed a copy of Amelia’s letter on the table.
Her face changed immediately.
“You found Tate.”
“Yes.”
Celeste looked away.
Ethan sat across from her.
“Amelia said you were more dangerous than Richard.”
Celeste laughed softly.
“Amelia always liked dramatic language.”
“She also knew about Zurich.”
The laughter stopped.
Ethan leaned forward.
“Richard thinks you’re helping him steal Sophie’s voting rights.”
Celeste said nothing.
“But that wasn’t your real plan, was it?”
Her attorney interrupted.
“My client is not required to answer.”
Celeste raised one hand.
“No.”
She looked at Ethan.
“Let him talk.”
Ethan continued.
“You were going to reach Zurich.”
“Richard would transfer control.”
“Then what?”
Celeste stared at him.
“You really want to know?”
“Yes.”
“I was going to destroy him.”
Her attorney turned sharply.
“Celeste.”
She ignored him.
“For seven years, Richard thought I belonged to him.”
“He thought because he brought me into the scheme, I would always follow him.”
“I was tired of it.”
Ethan’s expression remained cold.
“So you planned to steal stolen money.”
“I planned to take what he owed me.”
“With my daughter beside you.”
“She was necessary.”
Ethan’s hand clenched beneath the table.
Celeste continued.
“The Swiss trust would not recognize my authority without Sophie physically present.”
“So you locked her in luggage?”
“She fought me.”
“She’s six.”
“She scratched my face and ran for the front door.”
Ethan stood so quickly the chair scraped backward.
The attorney flinched.
Celeste did not.
“Sit down, Ethan.”
He stared at her.
“You should pray the police never leave me alone in a room with you.”
“Threatening me doesn’t change the facts.”
“What facts?”
“That Richard is still out there.”
Celeste leaned closer to the glass.
“And he thinks I betrayed him.”
Ethan stopped.
“He will come for Sophie.”
“He already did.”
Celeste shook her head.
“The note at the window?”
“Yes.”
“That wasn’t Richard.”
“How do you know?”
“Richard doesn’t threaten children.”
Ethan almost laughed.
“He helped plan her abduction.”
“He wanted leverage.”
“That makes him better?”
“No.”
Celeste’s voice dropped.
“But Victor is different.”
Ethan felt the room become colder.
“What does Hale want?”
“The ledger.”
“Why?”
“Because Amelia copied names.”
“What names?”
“People Victor treated.”
“Who?”
Celeste looked toward her attorney.
Then back at Ethan.
“People whose records were changed after crimes Richard’s clients wanted hidden.”
“How many?”
“At least eleven.”
Detective Collins had entered quietly behind Ethan.
“Names, Celeste.”
Celeste looked at her.
“I want immunity.”
Collins smiled without humor.
“You put a six-year-old child in locked luggage.”
“You’re not getting immunity.”
“Then protection.”
“For what?”
Celeste’s confidence finally cracked.
“Victor killed Amelia.”
Ethan stopped breathing.
Collins stared at her.
Celeste continued.
“Richard ordered him to scare her.”
“He was supposed to tamper with her brakes just enough to cause a minor crash.”
“But Victor did more.”
Ethan’s voice barely came out.
“How do you know?”
“Because he told me.”
“When?”
“The night she died.”
Ethan felt the world tilt.
“And you married me anyway.”
Celeste’s eyes filled with tears.
This time, they looked real.
“I needed to know what Amelia had hidden.”
There it was.
The truth.
Every dinner.
Every kiss.
Every holiday.
Every night beside him.
Celeste had entered his life to search for evidence.
Ethan looked at her with something beyond anger.
“You never loved me.”
Celeste said nothing.
That silence was the answer.
Detective Collins’ phone rang.
She answered.
Her face changed.
“What?”
Ethan turned.
Collins ended the call.
“They found Richard.”
“Where?”
“His car was abandoned near the river.”
“And Richard?”
Collins hesitated.
“Missing.”
May you like
Then she added the part that mattered.
“There was blood inside.”
