Chapter 8 - THE LEAK INSIDE THE HOUSE
Marcus denied leaking the images.
He did not become defensive.
He simply handed me his phone, laptop, and access credentials.
“Search everything.”
Detective Reynolds examined the security logs.
The images had been downloaded at three seventeen in the morning.
Marcus’s account had been used.
But Marcus had been at the police station giving a statement at that exact time.
“Someone cloned my credentials,” he said.
“Who knew the system well enough?”
“Adrian.”
Adrian Cross had disappeared.
His apartment was empty.
His company office had been cleared.
His passport showed no recent international travel.
But a private aircraft connected to one of Charles’s shell companies had left for Montreal the previous night.
The passenger list contained one name.
Jonathan Bennett.
My dead husband.
Daniel read the name twice.
“That is impossible.”
“It is a false identity,” Detective Reynolds said.
“Someone is using his records.”
The private aircraft had landed in Canada and returned without the listed passenger.
Adrian might have left the plane before takeoff.
Or someone might have wanted us to believe he had fled.
That afternoon, a package arrived at the estate.
There was no return address.
Inside was Jonathan’s watch.
I recognized the small scratch near the crown.
I had given him the watch on our tenth anniversary.
He had been buried wearing it.
My knees weakened.
Daniel caught my arm.
“That cannot be his.”
“It is.”
A note was wrapped around the band.
YOU MARRIED A LIAR.
Detective Reynolds sent the watch for forensic testing.
The cemetery confirmed that Jonathan’s grave had not been disturbed.
That meant the watch had been removed before the funeral.
Only a few people had access to his body.
The funeral director.
The hospital staff.
Charles.
I remembered Charles standing beside the casket alone before the service began.
He had told me he wanted to say goodbye.
Perhaps he had been taking something instead.
Daniel found me in the conservatory after sunset.
I was holding an old photograph of Jonathan.
“What if Charles was telling the truth?”
“About the missing money?”
“About Jonathan hiding it.”
Daniel sat opposite me.
“Jonathan could have been investigating them.”
“He could also have been involved.”
The possibility felt like betrayal.
But I had learned what denial could cost.
“I need to know.”
Daniel nodded.
“Then we find out together.”
Before we could begin, Rosa entered the conservatory.
She was carrying a small wooden box.
“I found this behind the wall in the guesthouse.”
The guesthouse had once been Jonathan’s private office.
Inside the box were bank records, photographs, and a handwritten letter.
The letter was addressed to me.
May you like
The first line read:
Clara, if you are reading this, Charles has already moved against our family.
