Chapter 5 - The Man Who Wanted to Be Found
Paul Reeves was discovered twenty minutes later.
He was sitting peacefully inside the greenhouse.
He had not attempted to escape.
He raised both hands when security approached.
“I need to speak with Daniel Mercer.”
I almost refused.
Grace stopped me.
“If Ethan wanted him inside the estate, we need to know why.”
We met Paul in the library with two officers present.
He was younger than I expected.
Maybe thirty.
There was a faded scar along his jaw.
“You frightened my son.”
“I know.”
“You entered his bedroom.”
“I was told the room would be empty.”
“By Victoria?”
He shook his head.
“By Ethan.”
Grace stared at him.
“Why leave the flash drive?”
“Because I realized Ethan was going to kill me.”
The officers exchanged looks.
Paul continued.
“I’ve been working for him for four years.”
“What kind of work?”
“Mostly surveillance.”
“Sometimes intimidation.”
“Never murder.”
I looked at the folder containing Claire’s crash video.
“You followed my wife?”
“No.”
Paul leaned forward.
“But my older brother did.”
Grace frowned.
“Who was your brother?”
“Marcus Reeves.”
The name meant nothing to me.
Paul swallowed.
“He drove Ethan’s car the night Claire died.”
Everything inside me became still.
“The video metadata says Ethan owned the dashcam.”
“He owned the car.”
“Marcus was driving.”
“Where was Ethan?”
Paul’s expression hardened.
“In Claire’s car.”
Grace whispered.
“What?”
Paul nodded.
“My brother told me before he died.”
I felt cold spread through my body.
“Your brother is dead?”
“Eight months after Claire.”
“How?”
“Overdose.”
He gave a bitter laugh.
“Except Marcus hated drugs.”
I sat opposite him.
“Tell me everything.”
Paul rubbed his hands together.
“Ethan paid Marcus to follow Claire.”
“She had taken financial records.”
“Ethan wanted them back.”
“Marcus followed her to an underground parking garage downtown.”
“Ethan was already there.”
My heart pounded.
“What happened?”
“Ethan got into Claire’s passenger seat.”
“They drove away together.”
“Marcus followed.”
Grace looked toward the dashcam video.
“That’s what we saw.”
Paul nodded.
“Marcus said Claire and Ethan were fighting inside the car.”
“He couldn’t hear them.”
“Then Claire suddenly accelerated.”
“Ethan grabbed the wheel.”
My mouth went dry.
“What happened next?”
“Claire nearly hit Marcus’s car.”
“She regained control.”
“She pulled over.”
“Ethan got out.”
I frowned.
“Then how did she crash?”
Paul looked directly into my eyes.
“Marcus saw Ethan open Claire’s hood before getting back into his own car.”
My stomach dropped.
“What did he do?”
“Marcus didn’t know.”
“Ten minutes later, Claire’s brakes failed.”
Grace turned away.
I could barely breathe.
“Why didn’t Marcus go to police?”
“Because Ethan had evidence connecting him to fraud.”
“He threatened him.”
Paul leaned closer.
“But Marcus kept insurance.”
“What insurance?”
“A recording.”
“Of what?”
“Ethan confessing that Claire was never supposed to survive the drive home.”
The room went silent.
I stood.
“Where is the recording?”
Paul shook his head.
“I don’t have it.”
“Then who does?”
His eyes moved toward Grace.
“My brother gave it to Claire’s nanny.”
Grace’s face lost all color.
May you like
I stared at her.
And suddenly I realized Grace had lied to me again.
