Chapter 7 - WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO ELARA
The file on Elara Mercer's death contained four hundred and twelve pages.
Hadrian read every one.
Police reports.
Photographs.
Weather records.
Blood tests.
Witness statements.
Insurance assessments.
A plea agreement.
A sentencing transcript.
He began reading at midnight.
By sunrise, he had found three things that bothered him.
The first was the driver.
Thomas Reddick.
At the time of the crash, Reddick was forty-six.
He had worked as a commercial electrician.
He had no prior arrests.
No drunk-driving record.
No history of reckless behavior.
Yet on the night Elara died, his blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit.
Reddick claimed he had been drinking alone.
He could not remember where.
Hadrian had never questioned it.
Grief had swallowed every detail.
The second thing was money.
Two weeks after Reddick began serving his sentence, his wife's mortgage was paid off.
One hundred eighty-seven thousand dollars.
Cash.
The police report mentioned nothing about it because the payment happened after the criminal investigation ended.
Owen found it through property records.
The third thing was a missing witness.
A motorist had called emergency services minutes after the crash.
The caller reported seeing a black SUV parked on the shoulder.
No black SUV appeared in the final reconstruction.
Hadrian sat in Owen's office staring at the transcript.
“Find the caller.”
Owen rubbed his eyes.
“We are trying.”
Detective Sloan entered carrying coffee.
She placed one near Hadrian.
“You need sleep.”
“No.”
“You will be useless to Sorrel if you collapse.”
Hadrian ignored the cup.
“What did you find on Victor Vane?”
Sloan sat.
“Nothing criminal.”
“That's not what I asked.”
“He is seventy-two.”
“I know.”
“Retired attorney.”
“I know.”
“Founded Vane Fiduciary Holdings twenty-five years ago.”
“I know.”
“He currently sits on the boards of six private foundations.”
Hadrian stared.
Sloan continued.
“He also visited Thomas Reddick in prison.”
Silence.
Hadrian slowly leaned forward.
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
Owen stopped moving.
Hadrian's voice dropped.
“Why?”
“We don't know.”
“How many times?”
“Twice.”
Hadrian stood.
“That's enough.”
“No.”
Sloan's answer was immediate.
Hadrian looked at her.
“It is suspicious.”
“It is not proof.”
“He visited the man who killed my wife.”
“Yes.”
“Victor Vane.”
“Yes.”
“The man tied to her trust.”
“Yes.”
“The father of the woman who forged documents and restrained my daughter.”
“Yes.”
Hadrian's jaw flexed.
“And you want me to believe it might be coincidence?”
“I want you to understand what can survive in court.”
Hadrian looked away.
Sloan continued.
“We are arranging an interview with Reddick.”
“I want to be there.”
“No.”
Hadrian turned.
“Detective.”
“Absolutely not.”
“He killed my wife.”
“That is exactly why.”
Hadrian said nothing.
Sloan's phone buzzed.
She checked it.
Then looked up.
“They found Alistair.”
Hadrian froze.
“Where?”
“A motel outside Albany.”
“Is he alive?”
“Yes.”
Hadrian exhaled.
“He checked himself in under another name.”
“Why?”
“He says someone was following him.”
“Who?”
“He won't say over the phone.”
Hadrian grabbed his coat.
Sloan stopped him.
“No.”
Hadrian stared.
“He is my brother.”
“He is also potentially involved in fraud.”
“I need answers.”
“You will get them.”
“When?”
“When I have them.”
Hadrian's anger rose.
Then he remembered Sorrel.
He forced it down.
“What happens now?”
“Alistair is coming in voluntarily with an attorney.”
Owen gave a humorless laugh.
“At least he finally found good instincts.”
Three hours later, Alistair entered an interview room at the county prosecutor's office.
Hadrian watched through glass.
Alistair looked ten years older.
His expensive suit was wrinkled.
His face was gray.
A lawyer sat beside him.
Detective Sloan began.
Alistair admitted helping extend Hadrian's assignment.
He admitted approving withdrawals from the trust.
He admitted knowing Celeste intended to petition for temporary custody.
He denied knowing about the chain.
He denied knowing about false psychological evaluations.
He denied intending to harm Sorrel.
Then Sloan placed Conrad Mercer's letter on the table.
Alistair stared at it.
His face changed.
“Where did you find that?”
“The hunting lodge.”
Alistair looked down.
Sloan leaned closer.
“What did Conrad mean by ‘if Elara remains an obstacle’?”
“I don't know.”
“Did your father want Elara dead?”
“No.”
“Did Victor Vane?”
“I don't know.”
“Did you?”
Alistair looked horrified.
“No.”
“Did you know Victor visited Thomas Reddick?”
Alistair's face became blank.
Sloan noticed.
“You knew.”
Alistair looked at his lawyer.
His attorney whispered to him.
Alistair closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Hadrian stepped closer to the glass.
Sloan remained calm.
“When did you learn that?”
“Two years ago.”
“Why did Victor visit him?”
Alistair stared at the table.
“I don't know.”
“Why did you never tell Hadrian?”
“I didn't think it mattered.”
Hadrian nearly entered the room.
Owen grabbed his arm.
“Don't.”
Hadrian's face burned with rage.
Sloan continued.
“Why wouldn't it matter?”
“Victor said Reddick contacted him.”
“About what?”
“Money.”
“What money?”
“He wanted money.”
“Why would the man who killed Elara ask Victor Vane for money?”
Alistair swallowed.
“He said Victor owed him.”
Hadrian became motionless.
Sloan leaned forward.
“Owed him for what?”
“I don't know.”
“You expect me to believe you never asked?”
“I asked.”
“And?”
“Victor said Reddick was delusional.”
Sloan stared.
“And you accepted that?”
“I wanted to.”
The room fell silent.
Hadrian looked at Owen.
Owen looked sick.
Sloan asked one final question.
“Did Victor ever discuss the circumstances of Elara's crash?”
Alistair's eyes filled with something close to shame.
“Once.”
“When?”
“After the first prison visit.”
“What did he say?”
Alistair hesitated.
His attorney touched his arm.
Alistair shook him off.
“He said accidents are sometimes useful.”
Hadrian shut his eyes.
Sloan became very still.
“Exact words?”
“Yes.”
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
“Why?”
“Because I was afraid of what he meant.”
Hadrian stared through the glass at his brother.
Four years.
Alistair had carried that sentence for years.
He had never told him.
Sloan left the interview twenty minutes later.
Hadrian was waiting.
“He knew.”
Sloan nodded.
“He knew enough to be suspicious.”
Hadrian looked through the glass.
“I want to talk to him.”
“No.”
“Five minutes.”
“No.”
Hadrian's voice sharpened.
“He let me raise Sorrel beside Victor Vane's daughter.”
“I understand.”
“He watched me propose to Celeste.”
“I understand.”
“He said nothing.”
Sloan held his gaze.
“And right now your anger is exactly why you should not enter that room.”
Hadrian knew she was right.
He hated her for being right.
Owen's phone rang.
He answered.
Hadrian barely paid attention.
Then Owen's expression changed.
“Who is this?”
Hadrian looked over.
Owen listened.
Then held up a finger.
He put the call on speaker.
A man's voice filled the hallway.
“Mr. Kessler?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Thomas Reddick.”
Hadrian stopped breathing.
Owen looked at Sloan.
Sloan immediately began recording through official equipment.
Reddick continued.
“I heard detectives were looking for me.”
Owen said nothing.
Reddick's voice shook.
“I don't want police at my house.”
Sloan stepped closer.
“Mr. Reddick, this is Detective Mira Sloan.”
Silence.
Then Reddick cursed quietly.
Sloan continued.
“We need to speak with you.”
“I already served my time.”
“This concerns Elara Mercer.”
Another silence.
Hadrian stared at the phone.
Reddick's breathing was audible.
Finally he spoke.
“I didn't mean for her to die.”
Hadrian's heart pounded.
Sloan asked quietly.
“What did you mean to happen?”
Reddick began crying.
Hadrian's face turned white.
“I was only supposed to scare her.”
No one moved.
Reddick continued.
“They said make her miss the meeting.”
Hadrian gripped the edge of a chair.
“What meeting?”
Sloan asked.
Reddick sobbed.
“I don't know.”
“Who told you?”
“I can't.”
“Mr. Reddick.”
“He'll come after my family.”
“Who?”
Silence.
Sloan's voice hardened.
“Who paid you?”
Reddick whispered two words.
“Victor Vane.”
Hadrian closed his eyes.
Then Reddick said something none of them expected.
“But he wasn't the one who chose her.”
Hadrian looked up.
Sloan leaned toward the phone.
“Who chose Elara?”
Reddick took a shaking breath.
“Her own lawyer.”
May you like
The line went dead.
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