CHAPTER 7 – “It Was Never an Accident.”
Victor Hale remained silent for nearly three weeks.
He refused every interview.
Rejected every plea deal.
Ignored every question from investigators.
Until one rainy Tuesday morning.
His attorney requested an emergency meeting with federal prosecutors.
Claire.
Richard.
Daniel.
And two investigators sat inside the interview room, separated from Victor by thick reinforced glass.
Victor looked different now.
His expensive suits were gone.
Dark circles surrounded his eyes.
His hands trembled as he stared at the photograph of Ethan that investigators had placed on the table.
Finally, he spoke.
"I didn't kill Ethan."
The room remained silent.
"But..."
he whispered,
"...I know who did."
Claire's heart nearly stopped.
"What are you talking about?"
Victor slowly looked up.
"You all believed Ethan died because of a construction crane malfunction."
"It wasn't."
Daniel leaned forward.
"What do you mean?"
Victor closed his eyes.
"Someone cut the safety cables."
The investigators immediately exchanged nervous glances.
"The official report said corrosion caused the failure."
Victor laughed bitterly.
"Because someone paid for that report."
Claire felt the room spinning.
"No..."
Victor nodded.
"I signed the payment."
"I thought it was only insurance fraud."
"I didn't know Ethan would be there that morning."
Daniel slammed his fist against the table.
"You covered up murder!"
Victor looked at him with empty eyes.
"I covered up greed."
Then he slowly pushed a sealed envelope across the table.
"I've carried this for seven years."
Inside were copies of bank transfers...
Photos...
Private emails...
And one handwritten order.
Remove Ethan Dawson before Monday. The contract cannot be delayed.
There was no signature.
Only initials.
R.S.
Claire stared at Richard.
Richard's face turned ghost white.
"No..."
he whispered.
"Those are my initials..."
"But I never wrote this."
The lead investigator looked at him carefully.
"Then someone wanted us to believe you did."
Victor nodded.
"There was another Sullivan."
Everyone frowned.
"What?"
Victor swallowed hard.
"Richard..."
"You weren't the only heir to the Sullivan empire."
Claire blinked.
"What are you saying?"
Victor whispered the name he had buried for years.
"Robert Sullivan."
Richard's younger brother.
The brother everyone believed had disappeared overseas decades ago.
The brother presumed dead.
Victor looked directly at Richard.
"He's alive."
"And he ordered Ethan's death."
Silence swallowed the room.
Everything they believed...
Everything they had mourned...
May you like
Everything...
Had just changed.
