Chương 6 - Mark BennettDiane had introduced Mark four months after Rachel died.
She called him a “friend from church.”
He was polite.
Helpful.
Good with Lily.
Too good, Ethan realized now.
Mark worked at the private bank that administered Lily’s trust.
Ethan called Rachel’s old attorney, Monica Hayes.
She answered on the second ring.
“Ethan?”
“Did Rachel ever mention Mark Bennett?”
Silence.
Then:
“Yes.”
His heart dropped.
Monica explained that Rachel suspected someone inside the bank had helped Diane access documents.
Rachel did not have proof.
She did have login records.
Mark’s employee credentials appeared on two trust inquiries.
One occurred after Rachel had formally challenged Diane’s access.
Ethan opened the BANK folder.
There it was.
MARK.BENNETT.
He called Detective Harris, an old college friend now working financial crimes in Dallas.
Harris came immediately.
He listened without interrupting.
Then said:
“You need to separate two things.”
“What?”
“What happened to Lily and what happened to the money.”
“They’re connected.”
“Maybe. We prove each piece.”
Ethan nodded.
Facts.
Not fury.
Harris interviewed Lily with a child specialist present.
Ethan waited outside.
Worst forty minutes of his life.
When Lily came out, she looked exhausted.
He knelt.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
Then shook her head.
Then hugged him.
Harris later told Ethan only what he needed to know.
Diane had restricted Lily’s food as punishment.
Made her clean.
Made her stand facing a wall for long periods.
Told her Rachel’s illness was caused by stress Lily created.
Ethan gripped the chair until his fingers hurt.
Harris continued.
“No evidence of severe physical injury. But this is serious.”
Ethan whispered, “I should have seen it.”
Harris said, “You can feel guilty later. Right now, protect her.”
Then the bank called.
Someone had attempted to access Lily’s trust that afternoon.
Credentials used:
Mark Bennett.
Location:
Diane’s hotel.
The same hotel Ethan had sent her to.
Harris stood.
“Now we have movement.”
Then Ethan’s phone buzzed.
A text from Diane.
You have no idea what Rachel did before she died.
May you like
Attached was a photo of the missing blue folder.
Diane still had it.
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