Chapter 17 - The Second Hand
The remote activation came from inside the house.
Specifically, from Evelyn's private study.
But Evelyn had been seen upstairs with eight luncheon guests at 11:43.
Brooks checked statements.
Every guest confirmed it.
"Then someone used her transmitter," Maya said.
They searched the study again.
Behind a drawer, they found a second remote.
Fingerprints covered it.
One set belonged to Evelyn.
The other belonged to someone Adrian never expected.
His younger sister, Claire.
Claire Mercer arrived with tears already in her eyes.
"I didn't know what it did."
Adrian said nothing.
She confessed Evelyn had asked her to press the button at exactly 11:43 as part of a "surprise" for the luncheon. Claire thought it controlled the garden fountain.
"She used me," Claire whispered.
Maya believed her.
Adrian wasn't sure.
Then Claire handed him something.
A voice recorder.
"I started recording Mom last month because I thought she was stealing foundation money."
The device contained hours of conversations.
Most were useless.
One was not.
Evelyn's voice: "If Celeste loses her nerve, the release gets the stroller moving. Once the maid reaches for it, the story writes itself."
Vale: "And if the maid catches it before the pool?"
Evelyn: "Then Celeste pushes harder."
Adrian closed his eyes.
Claire began crying.
"I pressed the button."
"You didn't know," Maya said.
Claire looked at her. "But I still did it."
Before Adrian could answer, Brooks's phone rang.
Evelyn had collapsed in custody.
She was being rushed to the hospital.
May you like
The guard added one more detail.
Evelyn had somehow obtained poison.
