Chapter 15 - His Mother’s Bargain
Ethan left the call on speaker.
“Why would you do that?”
Victoria’s breath shook through the phone. “Because she had proof about your father.”
“What proof?”
“That Richard had hidden money overseas. Money connected to Martin Vale’s case.”
Claire’s eyes flicked toward the door.
Daniel moved closer to block it.
Victoria continued. “Claire contacted me about a year ago. She said she was Martin’s daughter. She said your father had framed him and that she could prove it.”
Ethan looked at Claire. “And you believed her?”
“I believed enough to meet her.”
“Then you introduced her to Leonard.”
“Yes.”
“Did you introduce her to me?”
Victoria started crying harder. “Not directly.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
“Mom.”
“I arranged the museum fundraiser where you two met.”
Claire stared straight ahead.
Ethan felt humiliation mix with anger. Every memory of the past nine months suddenly looked staged.
The coffee Claire “accidentally” spilled on him.
The second meeting at a hospital fundraiser.
The way she knew Rachel’s favorite restaurant but claimed it was coincidence.
“You built this,” Ethan whispered.
Victoria said, “I thought if she got close to the family, she would stop threatening us.”
Detective Kim leaned toward the phone. “Mrs. Cole, what exactly was she threatening?”
Victoria went quiet.
Ethan’s stomach dropped.
“Mom?”
“She had a recording of Richard.”
“What recording?”
Victoria’s voice fell to a whisper. “Richard admitted Martin Vale didn’t act alone. He admitted the company buried evidence to protect someone else.”
Harold gripped the back of a chair.
Ethan asked, “Who?”
Victoria did not answer.
“Who did Dad protect?”
A loud crash sounded through the phone.
Then Victoria screamed.
The line went dead.
Ethan shouted, “Mom!”
Nothing.
He called back.
No answer.
Detective Kim was already speaking into her radio, requesting Palm Beach police to check Victoria’s residence.
Claire looked shaken for the first time.
Ethan noticed.
“You weren’t expecting that,” he said.
She shook her head. “No.”
“Then who was?”
Daniel’s tablet beeped.
He looked down.
“The Rachel account just logged in again.”
“Where?” Ethan asked.
May you like
Daniel’s face changed.
“Your mother’s house in Palm Beach.”
