Chapter 15 - The Phone Brent Dropped

Julian took the phone from Sophie and immediately handed her to Rachel.

“Back upstairs.”

“But I found evidence.”

Rachel almost smiled despite everything.

“Yes, Detective Sophie. Now bed.”

When they were alone, Moreno arrived and placed the phone inside an evidence bag.

“It may be locked.”

“It isn’t,” Mara said.

The screen was still lit.

A message thread was open.

No names.

Only initials.

C.A.

R.A.

B.C.

Moreno photographed the screen before touching anything.

The newest message was from R.A.

GET OUT. ARCHIVE COMPROMISED.

The message before that came from C.A.

SHE WASN’T SUPPOSED TO TAKE OFF THE SCARF.

Mara’s skin prickled.

Julian read lower.

Another message from earlier that afternoon:

C.A.: Plant necklace after blackout. Old pattern will make it believable.

B.C.: What if Vale checks mirror?

C.A.: He never checks anything himself.

Julian’s face went expressionless.

Mara almost felt sorry for Celeste.

Almost.

Moreno kept scrolling.

Then she stopped.

A message from six weeks earlier appeared.

R.A.: Wedding must happen before Oct 1. Once trust amendment signs, move funds.

Julian frowned.

“What trust amendment?”

Rachel came back without Sophie and read over his shoulder.

“You were updating the family trust after the wedding.”

Julian’s eyes narrowed.

The amendment would have given his spouse temporary voting authority if he became incapacitated.

Celeste knew that.

So did Richard.

Mara looked at Julian.

“Were they planning to hurt you?”

“We don’t know.”

Moreno scrolled again.

A message from Brent, dated three months earlier:

Same garage setup still works. Cameras have a 42-second sweep gap.

No one moved.

Julian finally said, “They were studying my garage.”

Another message followed.

C.A.: Not until after marriage. No mistakes like last time.

Rachel whispered, “Last time.”

Mara’s mind returned to the cut brake line twelve years earlier.

Julian looked at Moreno.

“You need to find Celeste now.”

Moreno was already calling dispatch.

The answer came five minutes later.

Celeste was not at her apartment.

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