Chapter 12: Jason’s Confession
Richard survived the gunshot.
The bullet struck his upper chest but missed his heart.
Rosa was arrested for attempted murder, though Bennett promised the circumstances involving Mateo would be considered.
Jason suffered a skull fracture.
He woke two days later under police guard.
Sarah did not want to see him.
Daniel supported that decision.
But Jason asked for her repeatedly.
“He says he knows where the second recording is,” Bennett explained.
Sarah finally agreed.
Jason looked smaller in the hospital bed.
The arrogance was gone.
A bandage covered the side of his head.
Sarah remained near the door.
“You have five minutes.”
Jason stared at her.
“Is the baby alive?”
“Yes.”
He closed his eyes in relief.
“You don’t get forgiveness for asking that,” Sarah said.
“I know.”
“Do you?”
His eyes opened.
“I hated you because Dad taught me to.”
“You kicked me down a staircase.”
“I know.”
“You could have killed my daughter.”
“I know.”
“Stop saying that.”
Jason swallowed.
“The second recording is in Mom’s old piano.”
Sarah frowned.
Their mother had owned a grand piano before Richard sold it after her death.
“Where is it now?”
“Dad didn’t sell it. He moved it into storage.”
“Why?”
“Because Mom hid things inside it.”
Jason explained that Miriam had installed a small recording device beneath the piano’s soundboard.
She recorded Richard threatening her.
She also recorded Jason admitting he damaged the car.
“I was drunk,” Jason whispered. “Dad told me we were only going to scare her.”
Sarah stared at him.
“You cut the seat belt and damaged the brakes.”
“Yes.”
“And then you let everyone believe she caused the accident.”
“I was afraid.”
“You were protected.”
Jason began to cry.
Sarah felt no sympathy.
Not yet.
Maybe not ever.
“Where is the storage unit?”
Jason gave Bennett the access code.
Police found the piano beneath a canvas sheet.
Inside the frame was a digital recorder wrapped in plastic.
Miriam’s voice emerged through static.
Richard, if anything happens to me, it was not an accident.
Another file contained Jason’s confession from twelve years earlier.
I cut the belt like you told me. I damaged the line, but you said she wouldn’t be driving far.
Then Richard answered.
Stop crying. Your mother made her choice.
The final file was recorded hours after the crash.
Richard said, She was still breathing when I left her.
Jason asked, Why didn’t you call someone?
Richard replied, Because dead wives cannot change their wills.
The evidence was overwhelming.
Richard was charged with murder, conspiracy, kidnapping, fraud and obstruction of justice.
Jason was charged with conspiracy in Miriam’s death, destruction of evidence and the aggravated assault on Sarah.
He agreed to plead guilty and testify against Richard.
But Richard still believed he could win.
From his jail cell, he hired a new legal team.
Their defense was simple.
Miriam’s recordings had been manipulated.
Martin Hale was a criminal.
Rosa was unstable.
Jason was blaming his father to save himself.
And Sarah, they claimed, was exploiting her mother’s death to seize the family fortune.
May you like
The trial would not only decide Richard’s fate.
It would force Sarah to relive every moment in public.
