Chapter 10 - The Night His Father Died
Ethan met me with Celia present. He didn't flinch when I showed him the message.
"I was at my father's warehouse," he said. "I went after a call from Arthur. Malcolm had demanded access to the shipping records."
"Was your father alive when you got there?"
"Yes. We argued. I told him he'd destroy the business if he accused a partner without proof. He told me I was confusing the company with the people who owned it."
I waited.
"I left at nine. He was killed later that night. I didn't tell the police about our argument until the second interview because I was ashamed."
"And Arthur knew you were there."
"Arthur was the one who called me."
For four years Ethan had carried guilt like a hidden injury. It didn't make his secrecy harmless. It did make him human again.
Celia asked whether the company still had the entry logs from that night. Ethan had brought them. They showed Malcolm entering at 7:41, Ethan leaving at 9:03 and a security contractor's van arriving at 9:19.
The contractor was an old subsidiary of Haynes Holdings. Owen Pike had signed for the van.
"Why wasn't this in the murder file?" I asked.
"I don't know whether it was," Ethan said. "I only got this copy yesterday."
Kim reviewed the records and requested the originals. That night a news alert announced the board had suspended Ethan as chief executive pending an internal review.
I expected him to call me in anger. Instead he sent one sentence: LILY'S MEDICAL BILLS WILL BE COVERED THROUGH COUNSEL, WHATEVER YOU DECIDE ABOUT ME.
May you like
A second message followed, this time from Victoria.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO REALLY PAID FOR YOUR BUS TICKET, COME TO MY FATHER'S BENEFIT TOMORROW. ALONE.
