Chapter 6 - The Detectives
The detectives entered politely.
That frightened Adrian more than aggression would have.
Detective Lena Ortiz introduced herself.
Detective Sam Bell stood beside her.
“We’re reviewing the terrace incident.”
Adrian took Vivian’s hand.
“What do you need?”
“Timeline.”
“I already gave one.”
“We have additional questions.”
Vivian interrupted.
“My daughter-in-law is fighting for her life.”
Ortiz looked at me.
Then back at Vivian.
“We’re aware.”
Adrian’s eyes stayed on the detectives.
Mine stayed closed.
Ortiz asked:
“Who had access to the terrace in the week before the fall?”
Adrian shrugged.
“Family. Staff.”
“Contractors?”
“No.”
There had been a maintenance worker two days earlier.
I saw the invoice.
Ortiz asked:
“Were any repairs scheduled?”
“No.”
Bell wrote it down.
Vivian said:
“This is cruel.”
Ortiz ignored her.
“Mr. Mercer, did your wife recently question company finances?”
His silence lasted half a second too long.
“No.”
Then Ortiz asked:
“Do you know Crown Meridian Holdings?”
Adrian’s face changed.
Vivian stepped in.
“This interview is over.”
“For now.”
The detectives left.
Adrian waited until the door closed.
Then turned on Vivian.
“How do they know Crown Meridian?”
“Claire.”
“What?”
“She panicked.”
“You said she could handle pressure.”
“She’s thirty, Adrian, not a machine.”
My ribs screamed every time the mattress shifted.
Then he stopped.
“We need the safe-deposit key.”
Vivian whispered:
“Hannah’s?”
“Yes.”
The key was not in my house.
It was in Marcus’s office.
Attached to nothing that identified the box.
Inside the box were original bank documents, a copy of the forged deed, and one handwritten note from Claire.
I found the note in Adrian’s desk.
Transfer complete. H won’t see county notice if old email holds.
Claire had signed only her initial.
Adrian reached toward my bedside drawer.
He searched it.
Then Vivian said:
“If Hannah hid the key, she expected this.”
Adrian looked at my face.
For the first time, he sounded afraid.
“How long has she known?”
I wanted to open my eyes.
May you like
I didn’t.
Because he had finally asked the right question.
