Chapter 16 - Before the Runway
Police reached the private terminal before the plane moved.
Celeste was escorted off without handcuffs, still wearing the black evening dress from the engagement dinner.
Richard Ashford was not with her.
Neither was Brent.
By sunrise, Celeste sat in an interview room with her attorney.
Mara did not watch.
She had no appetite for seeing Celeste perform innocence again.
Instead she sat in Julian’s kitchen with Nora, who had been moved from campus for the night.
Nora stared at the untouched coffee in front of her.
“I thought your old modeling story was just bad luck.”
“So did I.”
“You never told me how bad it was.”
“You were eight.”
“I’m not eight now.”
Mara reached across the table.
“I know.”
Nora squeezed her hand.
Then she looked toward Julian, who stood near the window speaking to Moreno.
“So he’s the guy you pulled out of a car?”
Mara groaned. “Please don’t.”
“I’m just asking.”
“He was bleeding in a ditch. It wasn’t romantic.”
Nora’s mouth twitched.
For one second, life felt normal.
Then Moreno ended her call.
“Celeste is talking.”
Julian turned.
“About what?”
“About her father.”
Mara stood.
Moreno placed a recorder on the table.
Celeste’s voice played.
“My father told me the old accident was supposed to scare Julian into dropping a board fight. Brent cut the brake line. Dad said Julian would notice something was wrong before he got far.”
Julian’s hands tightened.
The recording continued.
“When Mara pulled him out, my father panicked because she had seen the second car and could place us there. Then she became useful. We made her look dishonest.”
Mara felt the room tilt.
Celeste said it so plainly.
We made her look dishonest.
Eleven years of damage reduced to six words.
Moreno stopped the audio.
“She claims the current marriage plan was her father’s idea too.”
Julian asked, “Does she admit planting the necklace?”
“Yes.”
Mara let out a breath she had been holding for half her life.
Then Moreno added, “She also says Richard has evidence that could destroy Vale Holdings, and he’ll release it if he’s cornered.”
Julian’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered on speaker.
Richard Ashford’s voice filled the kitchen.
“You have until noon, Julian. Give me the original Box 14C and the phone, or every network in the country gets your father’s files.”
Julian looked at the clock.
10:17 a.m.
May you like
Richard laughed softly.
“And before you refuse, ask Mara what else her mother gave her besides that silver locket.”
