Chapter 9 - THE CRASH
For several seconds, I couldn’t speak.
“You were driving when Emma died?”
Maria nodded.
The world narrowed to her face.
“You let me bury my wife believing she was alone.”
“I was told to.”
“By who?”
“Emma.”
My anger broke loose.
“She was dead!”
“No.” Maria’s voice cracked. “Not immediately.”
Detective Ortiz stepped between us before I could move closer.
Maria told the story in pieces.
Emma had asked her to drive that night because she believed someone had been following her. Halfway home, the brakes failed. Maria swerved to avoid another car. The passenger side struck a barrier.
Emma was badly injured.
Maria survived with a broken wrist and concussion.
“She was awake for maybe two minutes,” Maria whispered. “She made me promise not to tell you I was there. She thought whoever caused it would come after Lily if they knew she had confided in someone.”
“Why would the police hide your involvement?”
“They didn’t. Someone changed the report after I gave my statement.”
Detective Ortiz frowned. “That’s a serious claim.”
Maria reached into her wallet and removed a folded photocopy.
It was an early incident report naming her as driver.
The final report in the public file named Emma.
Someone had altered it.
Grant had contacts everywhere in the company.
Apparently not only there.
My phone rang from an unknown number.
I answered.
Claire.
“Now you know your saint Maria lied too,” she said.
“Where are you?”
“You keep asking the wrong question.”
“What question should I ask?”
“Who signed the corrected police report?”
Detective Ortiz gestured for me to keep her talking.
“Tell me.”
Claire laughed quietly.
“Your father.”
My grip tightened on the phone.
My father had been dead for five years.
Claire’s voice dropped to a whisper.
May you like
“And Daniel? He didn’t do it to protect Emma.”
The line went dead.
