Chapter 15 - BRENDA’S LAST CARD
Brenda’s attorney requested an emergency meeting.
Brenda was willing to provide the ledger.
But she wanted a deal.
Detective Hale refused to promise one.
Brenda smiled from behind the interview table.
“Then you may never find it.”
Mark watched through the glass.
Sarah stood beside him.
“What is in that ledger that matters more than everything else?”
Mark shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
Brenda eventually spoke without a guarantee.
“The ledger proves Robert stole from Catherine.”
“It proves I stole too.”
“Then why keep it?”
“Insurance.”
She looked directly at Hale.
“Families like ours don’t survive on trust.”
“We survive by keeping enough evidence to destroy one another.”
Hale asked where it was.
Brenda smiled.
“Safe.”
“Did you contaminate Noah’s bottle because of the trust?”
Her smile disappeared.
“Yes.”
Sarah closed her eyes.
Brenda continued.
“I was supposed to make Sarah frightened.”
“Robert told me the substance would make Noah ill.”
“He said Sarah would panic.”
“He said we would offer to take over the trust while she focused on her son.”
Hale looked disgusted.
“You knowingly placed something dangerous in an infant’s food.”
Brenda stared at the table.
“I didn’t think Elena would interfere.”
“Did you target Sarah’s tea too?”
Brenda looked up.
“No.”
Hale watched her carefully.
“The packet was labeled Sarah.”
“That wasn’t my handwriting.”
Everyone in the observation room went still.
Brenda continued.
“I found it in Robert’s briefcase.”
“He told me to use it in the bottle.”
“You expect us to believe that?”
“I don’t care what you believe.”
“Then why take it?”
“Because Robert had spent years cleaning up my mistakes.”
“He said this would solve everything.”
Hale leaned forward.
“Did you visit your father the night before he died?”
Brenda’s eyes filled with tears.
This time Sarah could not tell whether they were real.
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“He confronted me.”
“About Catherine?”
“Yes.”
“He played me her recording.”
Brenda’s face collapsed.
“He said he finally knew what I did.”
“What did you do?”
Brenda whispered.
“I damaged the car.”
Mark turned away from the glass.
Brenda continued crying.
“I wanted Mom to miss a meeting.”
“I wanted to scare her.”
“I didn’t know the weather would get that bad.”
“I didn’t know she would drive that road.”
Hale remained cold.
“And afterward?”
“I called Robert.”
“He took care of everything.”
“Your father’s death?”
Brenda shook her head violently.
“No.”
“Did you put something in William’s drink?”
“No.”
“Did Robert?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then who did?”
Brenda stared at Hale.
“I think Dad did it himself.”
Sarah frowned.
Mark turned back.
Hale asked, “Why?”
“He knew someone was trying to manipulate his medication.”
“He started keeping samples.”
“He might have put something in the glass for testing.”
That possibility complicated everything.
William’s death might not have been murder.
Or Brenda might be lying again.
“Where is the ledger?” Hale asked.
Brenda leaned back.
“I want protection from Robert.”
“He is in custody.”
Brenda laughed.
“Robert isn’t who I need protection from.”
Sarah felt cold.
“Who else is there?” she whispered.
Hale asked the same question.
Brenda looked toward the observation glass.
“Daniel.”
Sarah almost laughed.
“Daniel is in custody too.”
Brenda shook her head.
“No.”
“Daniel Reese is not the person you arrested.”
Hale went completely still.
“What?”
May you like
Brenda smiled faintly.
“Daniel Reese died three years ago.”
