Chapter 15 - Lucy Tells the Truth
The past did not stay buried once they started digging.
David found an old settlement draft in Mercer legal archives. It had never been signed.
Twenty-five years earlier, Carmen Ruiz had discovered that Nathan's father, Richard Mercer, was using charitable accounts to cover personal debt during a failed expansion.
When money went missing, Carmen was blamed.
Evelyn had believed her husband.
Years later, after Richard died, she found the original ledgers and realized the truth.
"My mother spent the last two years trying to clean up my father's lie," Nathan said.
Elena sat across from him in the study.
"She apologized to my mom."
"But she never cleared her name publicly."
"She said she needed proof."
"She had proof."
Elena looked at him.
Nathan's voice cracked. "She was afraid of what it would do to the Mercer name."
Elena understood immediately.
"So even when she knew my mother was innocent, your family reputation came first."
Nathan could not defend it.
"Yes."
The word landed heavily.
Elena stood. "I need some air."
Before she reached the door, Lucy wandered in holding a purple crayon.
"Daddy, why are you sad?"
Nathan wiped his face. "I'm learning that grown-ups sometimes make bad choices."
Lucy nodded like this was obvious.
"Mommy made bad choices."
Nathan looked at her carefully. "Do you remember Grandma getting hurt?"
Elena started to interrupt, but Detective Collins had already told them not to pressure the child. Nathan kept his tone gentle.
Lucy thought.
"Grandma was loud."
"Loud how?"
"She said, 'Give it back.'"
Nathan's chest tightened.
"Give what back?"
Lucy pointed toward the old desk.
"Her papers."
"Did you see who had them?"
"Uncle Caleb."
Nathan and Elena exchanged a look.
Lucy continued coloring on a scrap page.
"Mommy pulled Grandma's arm. Grandma said, 'Stop.' Then Uncle Caleb told me to go to bed."
"Did you see Grandma fall?"
Lucy shook her head.
"No. I heard a bang later."
Nathan exhaled. Good. He did not want her carrying an image she did not have.
"Did Grandma say anything else?"
Lucy frowned hard.
"She put her phone in my toy kitchen."
Nathan stood.
"What?"
"She said grown-ups always look in grown-up places."
They ran to the playroom.
The wooden toy kitchen had been moved into storage after Evelyn died.
Elena pulled open the tiny plastic oven.
Nothing.
Nathan checked the cabinets.
Behind a removable cardboard panel was an old smartphone wrapped in a dish towel.
The battery was dead.
Mark brought a charger.
Ten minutes later, the screen lit up.
One unsent audio recording sat on the home screen.
Recorded March fifteenth.
May you like
6:12 a.m.
Thirty-seven minutes before Evelyn fell.
