Chapter 3 - THE CALL BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Elena stared at Arthur.
For six months, she had been told Michael died instantly after losing control of his car on a wet mountain road.
The police had ruled it an accident.
Arthur had repeated that conclusion every time Elena questioned it.
Now he could not meet her eyes.
“You lied to me?”
“I thought I was protecting you.”
“From what?”
“From Michael.”
The answer struck harder than Elena expected.
She moved closer.
“What did he say on that call?”
Arthur looked toward the staircase.
“Not here.”
“This is exactly where you tell me.”
“Elena.”
“Six months.”
Her voice shook.
“For six months I have replayed that night until I could barely sleep.”
“I wondered whether he was tired.”
“Whether he was distracted.”
“Whether he was in pain.”
“You knew something, and you said nothing.”
Arthur’s voice lowered.
“He said he had discovered someone stealing from the trust.”
Elena stopped.
“Who?”
“He didn’t say.”
“He told me he had evidence.”
“He said he was driving to meet someone who could confirm it.”
“Where?”
“An old storage property outside Harrington.”
Elena frowned.
The Whitmores owned warehouses, commercial buildings, farms, hotels, and industrial land throughout three states.
“Harrington?”
Arthur nodded.
“Warehouse Twelve.”
“Why didn’t the police know?”
“They did.”
Elena stared at him.
“Then why was I told he was driving home?”
Arthur’s silence answered her.
“You changed the story.”
“I asked the police to keep the location private.”
“Why?”
“Because Michael mentioned your name.”
Elena went still.
Arthur continued.
“He said, ‘If Elena asks questions, don’t answer until I get back.’”
“That was all.”
Elena felt cold.
“That does not mean he suspected me.”
“I know that now.”
“But that night, after the crash, I didn’t know what to believe.”
“You thought I killed him?”
“No.”
Arthur answered too quickly.
Elena stepped away.
“You thought I might be involved.”
Arthur’s face filled with regret.
“I had just lost my son.”
“And I had just lost my husband.”
“I know.”
“No.”
“You knew where he was going.”
“You knew he was investigating stolen money.”
“You knew he mentioned my name.”
“And you watched me bury him while pretending none of that existed.”
Arthur lowered his head.
Elena turned toward the window.
Outside, police lights glowed near the iron gates.
Victoria was sitting in the rear of an unmarked car.
Her face was visible through the rain.
She was watching the house.
Watching Elena.
Margaret came downstairs.
“Lily is asleep.”
Elena nodded.
Arthur looked at her.
“There is something else.”
Elena almost laughed.
“Of course there is.”
“Michael’s phone was never recovered.”
“What?”
“The police found the case.”
“Not the phone.”
Elena remembered the detective handing her Michael’s cracked wallet.
His watch.
His wedding ring.
His car keys.
Nobody had mentioned a missing phone.
“What about his laptop?”
“Destroyed in the crash.”
“And whatever evidence he found?”
“Gone.”
Elena looked toward Victoria again.
“You think she had it.”
“I think Victoria was terrified of Michael.”
Elena’s expression sharpened.
“You were married to her for eleven years.”
“How did you not know?”
Arthur’s jaw tightened.
“Because Victoria was very good at showing me exactly what I wanted to see.”
A car door closed outside.
Detective Reed reentered the foyer.
“Mr. Whitmore.”
Arthur turned.
“What is it?”
“We have a problem.”
Reed held up his phone.
“The district attorney will not authorize an immediate arrest based only on the preliminary audit.”
Arthur’s face hardened.
“You have bank records.”
“We have suspicious records.”
“We still need authentication.”
Victoria appeared behind him.
She was no longer handcuffed.
The younger detective stood beside her.
She smiled as she walked back into the house.
Arthur stared.
“What is she doing here?”
Reed spoke carefully.
“She is not currently under arrest.”
Victoria removed her gloves.
“I told you, Arthur.”
“You don’t understand the game you’re playing.”
Arthur stepped toward Reed.
“She stole twenty-eight million dollars.”
“We are investigating that.”
Victoria walked to the marble table.
“And while you investigate, this remains my legal residence.”
Elena’s stomach tightened.
Arthur looked at Reed.
“You’re telling me she can stay here?”
“Unless you obtain a court order or there is an immediate safety issue.”
Victoria smiled.
“I’ll use the west wing.”
Arthur’s expression became dangerous.
“You’ll use a hotel.”
Victoria tilted her head.
“Make me.”
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Margaret appeared again.
This time she looked frightened.
“Elena.”
Elena turned.
“What?”
Margaret held something wrapped inside a hand towel.
“I found this beneath Lily’s crib.”
She opened the towel.
Inside was a small black recording device.
May you like
A red light was blinking.
Someone had been listening inside the nursery.
