Chapter 10 - THE COURTROOM INSIDE MY HOUSE
Julian demanded the exchange take place at the estate.
He believed the house still belonged partly to Beatrice.
He also believed I would feel emotionally weaker there.
He did not know Rachel had obtained a court order granting me temporary exclusive possession.
He did not know police had installed cameras in every entrance.
He did not know Mia had activated location sharing before Julian took her phone.
The signal led to a motel twenty miles away.
Police could have entered immediately.
I asked them to wait.
Julian was not alone.
Dr. Reed and Beatrice were communicating with him.
We needed all three.
I told Julian I would bring the drive.
At midnight, the estate lights turned on.
The dining room was arranged exactly like an anniversary dinner.
The lemon cake sat in the center.
The bottle of wine remained unopened.
Photographs of Julian’s family were placed around the table.
The house had become a courtroom again.
But this time, every witness was hidden.
Julian entered through the rear door with Mia.
Her hands were tied.
A bruise darkened her temple.
He held a gun beneath his jacket.
“Where is the drive?”
“Let her go.”
“You said you didn’t care about her.”
“I don’t trust you with anyone.”
He pushed Mia toward me.
She stumbled.
I caught her.
Julian extended his hand.
“The drive.”
I placed it on the table.
It was a duplicate.
The original remained with police.
Julian picked it up.
Then he saw the anniversary cake.
His expression changed.
“You kept it.”
“I thought we should finish the celebration.”
“You always loved drama.”
“No.”
I looked around the house.
“I loved truth.”
He laughed.
“You built this life because of me.”
“I built it after giving up Stanford for you.”
“You would have failed there.”
“You needed to believe that.”
His smile vanished.
I continued.
“You needed me successful enough to fund you.”
“But never independent enough to leave.”
“You don’t know anything about what I needed.”
“I know you bought life insurance.”
Mia stared at him.
“You were going to kill her?”
Julian’s eyes moved toward the staircase.
A door opened upstairs.
Beatrice appeared on the landing.
Dr. Reed stood beside her.
They had entered through the old service tunnel connected to the guesthouse.
Julian looked furious.
“You weren’t supposed to come inside.”
Beatrice descended the stairs.
“You are not capable of handling this alone.”
Even while running from police, she still treated her son like a tool.
Dr. Reed held a medical case.
Beatrice looked at me.
“Harper, this has gone far enough.”
“You planned my death.”
“I planned your retirement.”
“Julian purchased the insurance.”
“That was his decision.”
Julian stared at her.
“You told me to do it.”
She did not look at him.
“The videos are edited.”
“The pills belong to Malcolm.”
Dr. Reed’s face changed.
“You asked for them.”
The alliance cracked instantly.
Mia moved closer to me.
The hidden microphones captured every word.
Beatrice pointed at Julian.
“He was sleeping with the girl.”
Julian pointed at Dr. Reed.
“He prepared the dose.”
Dr. Reed pointed at Beatrice.
“She paid me.”
The family I once tried to protect destroyed itself in less than five minutes.
Then Beatrice noticed the tiny red light beneath the chandelier.
She looked directly at the camera.
“You recorded us.”
I smiled.
“You taught me to document everything.”
Dr. Reed opened his medical case.
Inside was a syringe.
May you like
Before police could enter, he grabbed Mia.
He pressed the needle against her neck.
