Chapter 9 - RICHARD HALDEN RETURNS
Richard was not dead.
At 2:17 the next morning, he walked into a police station thirty miles away.
His shirt was covered in blood.
His left hand was broken.
And he asked for Ethan Blackwood.
Detective Collins refused.
Richard asked again.
“He needs to hear this.”
Ethan arrived before sunrise.
Richard sat in an interview room with an ice pack against his face.
For the first time in all the years Ethan had known him, Richard looked old.
Ethan remained standing.
“You helped plan to take my daughter.”
Richard lowered his eyes.
“Yes.”
“You helped steal from my wife’s foundation.”
“Yes.”
“You threatened Amelia.”
Richard looked up.
“I never wanted her dead.”
“You still made her afraid.”
“Yes.”
Ethan wanted to hit him.
Instead, he sat down.
“Why did Hale attack you?”
Richard stared at him.
“You already know.”
“The ledger.”
“He thinks Amelia put copies of patient records inside it.”
“She didn’t.”
Richard closed his eyes.
“Then we have a bigger problem.”
“What problem?”
“Hale won’t believe you.”
Ethan leaned forward.
“Tell me exactly what happened to Amelia.”
Richard breathed slowly.
“I discovered a way to move foundation funds through medical charities.”
“Celeste created false recipients.”
“Hale provided patient names.”
“Real people?”
“Yes.”
“People who were sick?”
“Yes.”
Ethan’s disgust showed.
Richard continued.
“At first, it was financial fraud.”
“Then one patient sued a company connected to one of my clients.”
“Hale changed her medical file.”
“It made her look unreliable.”
“Then there were more.”
“Amelia found discrepancies.”
“She traced them to me.”
“You threatened her.”
“I told her to stop.”
“Victor did more than that.”
Richard looked down.
“I asked him to scare her.”
“By damaging her car.”
“Yes.”
“What exactly did you tell him?”
“To make the brakes feel unreliable.”
“To frighten her into backing away.”
Ethan stood.
“You sabotaged my pregnant wife’s car?”
Richard’s voice cracked.
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I thought she’d have it inspected.”
“She was supposed to notice before driving anywhere far.”
“She didn’t.”
“What did Victor do?”
Richard looked at Ethan.
“He cut the line completely.”
Ethan felt something inside him tear open.
Amelia’s crash had happened on a wet road.
Police said she lost control approaching a curve.
“Why?”
“Hale panicked.”
“Amelia had recorded him.”
“He believed she was going to the police the next morning.”
“So he killed her.”
Richard nodded.
Ethan turned away.
For years, he had imagined Amelia’s final moments as an accident.
Now he knew she had been murdered because she tried to protect others.
Richard spoke again.
“There’s something else.”
Ethan did not turn.
“What?”
“Hale was at the hospital when Amelia arrived.”
Ethan slowly faced him.
Richard’s eyes were wet.
“She survived the crash.”
The room went silent.
Ethan stared at him.
“No.”
“She was conscious.”
“No.”
“She asked for you.”
Ethan’s face went white.
“You’re lying.”
“I wish I was.”
“You attended her funeral.”
“I know.”
“You watched me bury her.”
“I know.”
“What happened at the hospital?”
Richard looked toward the camera.
Then back at Ethan.
“Hale gave her something.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.”
“She stopped breathing ten minutes later.”
Ethan lunged across the table.
Detective Collins entered before he reached Richard.
“Ethan.”
Richard did not move.
He almost looked like he wanted Ethan to hit him.
Collins pulled Ethan back.
“Don’t give him anything he can use.”
Ethan’s breathing was ragged.
Richard whispered.
“I’m sorry.”
Ethan stared at him.
“You don’t get to be sorry.”
Richard lowered his head.
“No.”
“I don’t.”
Then Collins’ phone rang again.
She answered.
A moment later, she looked at Ethan.
“Victor Hale was spotted near the safe house.”
May you like
Ethan’s entire body went cold.
“Sophie.”
