Chương 2 - The Accident That Wasn't
For one full second, Evelyn forgot how to breathe.
Her father, Richard Cross, had been dead for eleven months.
The police report said his SUV had gone through a guardrail outside Lake Geneva during a rainstorm. Mechanical failure. No other vehicle involved.
Evelyn had identified his body.
She had buried him.
She had spent almost a year learning how to wake up without calling him.
Now Martin Shaw was standing in the ballroom telling her the accident had been a lie.
“What did you just say?” Evelyn asked.
Martin did not answer immediately. He looked at Ethan, then Claire, then the crowd.
“This needs to happen somewhere private.”
Evelyn laughed once, without humor. “Everybody keeps saying that.”
One of the officers stepped forward. “Ms. Cross, we need to ask you some questions.”
Claire seized the moment.
“She assaulted me.”
The officer looked at her cheek. “Do you want to file a complaint?”
“Yes.”
Ethan turned. “Claire.”
“What?” she snapped. “She hit me in front of three hundred people.”
Evelyn looked at him. “You should let her. You seem to be very experienced at letting her do things.”
His face hardened.
Martin stepped closer. “Evelyn, come with me now.”
The danger in his voice finally got through to her.
She shoved the clinic page back into the envelope.
Then Claire spoke.
“Ask Martin why he waited eleven months.”
Everyone looked at her.
Martin's expression changed.
It was small.
But Evelyn saw it.
Claire smiled bitterly. “Oh. He didn't tell you that part?”
“Tell me what?” Evelyn demanded.
Martin said, “Not here.”
Claire almost laughed. “Of course not here.”
Ethan's hand closed around Claire's arm. “Stop.”
She jerked free.
“No, Ethan. I'm done protecting you.”
Evelyn's stomach dropped.
Protecting him.
Claire pointed at Martin.
“He knew your father's brakes had been tampered with nine months ago.”
Evelyn stared at Martin.
“You knew?”
Martin's shoulders sank.
“I had suspicions.”
“Nine months?”
“I needed proof.”
“You let me believe he died because of a storm.”
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
That silenced her.
The officer beside him said quietly, “Ms. Cross, we've reopened the case.”
Evelyn looked at Ethan.
He was watching Martin, not her.
And there it was again.
Fear.
Evelyn tightened her grip on the envelope.
“Why would anyone kill my father?”
Martin's eyes moved toward Ethan.
Ethan took a step forward. “Careful.”
Martin didn't flinch.
“Richard discovered money was being stolen from the foundation.”
Claire whispered, “Martin.”
But he continued.
“He also discovered who authorized the transfers.”
Evelyn's throat went dry.
“Who?”
Martin opened his briefcase and pulled out a single photocopy.
It was a foundation authorization form.
At the bottom was a signature.
Evelyn Cross.
Her signature.
Except she had never signed it.
May you like
She looked up.
Ethan was already backing away.
