Chapter 9 - Ethan’s Last Bargain
Ethan looked at Claire’s bare hand immediately.
He understood.
Neither of them mentioned it.
“The mechanic’s name is Paul Mercer,” he said.
“How do you know?”
“My father sent me to pay him.”
Claire stared at him.
“When?”
“Seven years ago.”
Her stomach turned.
“You knew?”
“I knew there was a payment.”
“Did you know why?”
“Not then.”
“And later?”
Ethan looked down.
“I suspected.”
Claire’s voice became quiet.
“You married me knowing your father might have been involved in my grandfather’s death.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“You suspected.”
“Yes.”
“And you said nothing.”
“Yes.”
There was no excuse large enough.
Ethan stopped trying to create one.
He gave investigators everything.
Account passwords.
Names.
Companies.
Private communications.
Richard’s hidden properties.
In exchange, prosecutors would consider his cooperation.
Claire didn’t care what deal he received.
Her marriage was over.
Before she left, Ethan called her name.
“Claire.”
She stopped.
“I did love you.”
Claire turned around.
“I believe you.”
Hope appeared in his face.
Then she finished.
“And that makes what you did worse.”
She walked away.
Paul Mercer was found forty-eight hours later.
He confessed after investigators showed him Richard’s ledger.
Richard had paid him to damage Thomas Caldwell’s brake system.
Mercer claimed he believed the goal was to frighten Thomas.
Investigators didn’t believe him.
Neither did Claire.
Richard was charged with additional crimes while the homicide investigation continued.
The Whitmore empire began collapsing.
Banks froze accounts.
Business partners disappeared.
Board members resigned.
News vans surrounded Whitmore Capital headquarters.
But one person remained missing.
Madison.
She had disappeared after giving her first statement.
Ortiz believed she was afraid.
Claire believed something else.
Madison had known too much.
Three days later, Claire received a package.
No return address.
Inside was Madison’s burgundy bridesmaid bracelet.
And a handwritten note.
I LIED ABOUT ONE THING.
May you like
CLAIRE, ETHAN WASN’T THE ONE WHO CREATED THE GUARDIANSHIP PLAN.
ASK WHO DID.
