Chapter 6 - The Funeral Without a Body
The yacht docked beneath a white wash of police lights. Evelyn handed over the threatening messages and the recovered card. She told Detective Rachel Kim everything, including the teapot and her own physical aggression. Rachel neither excused her nor wasted time scolding her.
“Whatever you think Sloane did,” the detective said, “we need evidence that will hold up in court.”
“Then let's find it.”
Rachel's partner separated Daniel and Sloane for questioning. Marcus supplied his video of the speedboat. Luis secured the bridge backups. By midnight, Evelyn stood in her waterfront kitchen, unable to touch the tea Helen made.
“There was never a body,” Evelyn said. “Only Nora's coat caught in the reeds, her shoes on the dock, and blood on a railing.”
“The search crews were sure,” Helen said gently.
“They were sure she fell. I was sure I failed her.”
After seven days, the rescue mission had become a recovery operation. Daniel held a closed-casket memorial. Sloane had stood beside him in a black dress and cried convincingly. Evelyn had believed every tear.
Marcus arrived with bad news. “The video metadata has been altered. Not enough to make it useless, but enough to hide the date. We found a business card in the original file folder: Harborstone Development.”
Evelyn's stomach tightened. Harborstone was Daniel's struggling construction company. It had borrowed millions against inherited properties, including the old Mercer boathouse.
“Did Nora find something there?” Marcus asked.
“My husband kept records of every family trust in that cellar. Daniel begged me to transfer control after his divorce. I refused.”
“Who inherits your voting shares?”
“Nora's trust, ultimately. Daniel administers it only under supervision.”
Marcus said nothing for a moment. “Then her disappearance may have changed someone's finances.”
At 1:17 a.m., Evelyn's doorbell rang. A soaked woman with dark hair stood on the porch, carrying a child's pink sneaker.
May you like
“My name's Maya Torres,” she said. “I was Nora's babysitter. Your son told everyone I moved to Arizona.”
She held up the sneaker. “I didn't move. I ran.”
