Chapter 7 - THE WRONG PERSON IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT
Daniel had not been the target.
That changed everything.
Ethan repeated Michael’s words in his mind throughout the drive back to Boston.
They expected Anna to be alone.
Mara listened without interrupting.
When he finished, she covered her mouth.
“Daniel drove because Anna hated driving in storms.”
Ethan looked at her.
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“He wasn’t supposed to be there.”
“No.”
Mara sat down.
“They were coming to my apartment.”
“What?”
“The night they died.”
Ethan stared.
“Why?”
“They wanted me to take Lily.”
Panic tightened his chest.
“Immediately?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know it mattered.”
“It matters now.”
Mara rubbed her forehead.
“Anna called around six. Said something had happened.”
“What?”
“She wouldn’t tell me over the phone. She said they were coming.”
“And Lily?”
“She was already with me.”
Ethan stared.
“So whoever sabotaged the car knew Anna would be driving.”
“Maybe.”
“But didn’t know Daniel would go with her.”
Mara looked up.
“Yes.”
They needed Walsh.
The problem was Peter Walsh had vanished.
His house was empty.
His bank accounts had been drained.
His phone disconnected.
Helen obtained highway-camera records showing his truck crossing into New Hampshire the morning after the engagement party.
“He’s running,” she said.
“Find him.”
“Law enforcement is trying.”
Ethan looked at her.
“Try harder.”
Two days passed.
Then Lily received a package.
No return address.
Inside was a replacement yellow barrette.
Handmade.
Almost identical to the one Claire had mocked.
And a note.
I AM SORRY.
Mara immediately handed it to security.
Ethan stared at the barrette.
“Claire.”
“Probably,” Helen said.
Mara shook her head.
“I don’t want anything from her near Lily.”
Nobody argued.
That evening, Claire called Ethan.
He almost ignored it.
Then answered.
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere my father doesn’t know.”
“What do you want?”
“I heard you found Michael Trent.”
“How?”
“My father is searching for Walsh.”
“So are we.”
“You need to find him first.”
“Why?”
“Because Walsh kept recordings.”
Ethan stood.
“What recordings?”
“My father never trusted anyone. Walsh trusted him even less.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Claire—”
“Walsh once told me if Richard ever abandoned him, the Whitmore family would learn exactly what happened on Route 2.”
Ethan’s pulse raced.
“You’re telling investigators this.”
“I already contacted Helen.”
“Good.”
A pause.
Then Ethan asked, “Did you send Lily the barrette?”
Claire began crying quietly.
“Yes.”
“She won’t receive it.”
“I understand.”
“Why?”
“I wanted her to have back what I ruined.”
“You can’t give that back.”
“I know.”
Another silence.
“I keep hearing the scissors.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
Claire whispered, “I looked at her and saw Anna.”
“You knew her eyes.”
“Yes.”
“And you hated her for surviving.”
Claire’s breathing broke.
“For about ten seconds, yes.”
The confession was ugly.
Maybe that was why Ethan believed it.
“She represented everything I spent years pretending never happened.”
“So you punished a child.”
“Yes.”
Ethan did not offer comfort.
Claire continued.
“I deserve whatever happens to me.”
“This isn’t about deserving.”
“No?”
“No. It’s about telling the truth while there’s still time.”
Claire whispered, “Then here’s more.”
Ethan waited.
“My father never planned for me to marry you.”
“What?”
“Not originally.”
“He wanted you close to the family.”
“Why?”
“To access trust administration after Charles died.”
Ethan’s face hardened.
Claire continued.
“But when you proposed, he realized marriage would be better.”
“For what?”
“If you died without children, much of your family trust interest would eventually move through your spouse.”
Ethan felt cold.
“You think he planned to kill me?”
“No.”
She hesitated.
“At least not then.”
“Then?”
“After Lily appeared.”
Ethan understood.
Lily’s existence threatened Richard’s stolen money.
Ethan possessed Anna’s evidence.
Charles could testify.
Claire had turned against her father.
Richard Langford was cornered.
Cornered people became dangerous.
“Where are you?”
Claire refused to say.
The next morning, police found Walsh.
Not in New Hampshire.
In the trunk of an abandoned car outside Lowell.
Alive.
Barely.
He had been beaten badly.
His first request at the hospital was for immunity.
Helen arrived with state investigators.
Ethan was not allowed inside.
Three hours later, she emerged.
“He talked.”
Mara stood.
“And?”
“Walsh says Richard hired him to scare Anna.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
“Scare?”
“Sabotage the brakes enough to cause a minor accident.”
Mara stared.
“That makes no sense.”
Helen agreed.
“Walsh claims he hired someone else to make a small cut that would create gradual brake loss.”
“Who?”
“He refuses to identify him without a signed deal.”
Ethan laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
Helen continued.
“But Walsh admits he covered up evidence afterward.”
“Does he implicate Richard?”
“Yes.”
“In the death?”
“Indirectly.”
Mara’s eyes filled.
“Anna and Daniel died because these men wanted to frighten her.”
Helen nodded.
“According to Walsh.”
Ethan looked away.
Then Helen said, “There’s more.”
“What?”
“Walsh recorded conversations.”
Claire had been right.
“Where?”
“A locker.”
Investigators recovered a digital recorder.
Most files concerned bribery.
Financial theft.
Police influence.
One was dated the morning after the crash.
Richard’s voice:
“You were told to frighten her.”
Walsh:
“The line failed faster than expected.”
Richard:
“And Ellis?”
Walsh:
“He wasn’t supposed to be driving.”
Richard:
“Then we have two bodies instead of one.”
Walsh:
“What about the baby?”
A long silence.
Richard:
“The baby becomes legally dead.”
Mara began crying.
Ethan could not move.
Then Walsh asked:
“And if someone finds her?”
Richard answered:
“Make sure nobody does.”
That recording was enough.
Arrest warrants were prepared.
Police went to Richard Langford’s home.
He was gone.
Private jet still at Logan.
Passport unused.
Cars present.
But Richard had vanished.
Then Ethan received a text.
From Charles.
COME HOME NOW.
Ethan called.
No answer.
He called security.
Nothing.
Mara’s face changed.
“Lily.”
They raced toward Whitmore House.
The gates stood open.
One security guard lay unconscious beside the booth.
Ethan ran inside.
“Lily!”
No answer.
“Dad!”
Mara screamed her daughter’s name.
Then Charles appeared at the top of the staircase.
Blood ran from his temple.
“He took her.”
Mara stopped.
The sound she made did not seem human.
“Who?”
Charles gripped the railing.
“Richard.”
Ethan’s heart stopped.
Charles continued.
“He had Claire.”
Mara stared.
“What?”
“He brought her at gunpoint.”
Ethan ran upstairs.
“Where did he take Lily?”
“I don’t know.”
Then Charles held out something Richard had left behind.
Button.
Lily’s stuffed rabbit.
Its repaired ear had been cut open.
Inside was a note.
Ethan unfolded it.
BRING ANNA’S FLASH DRIVE.
May you like
COME ALONE.
OR THIS TIME THE CHILD REALLY DIES.
