Chapter 9 - THE MAN AT EVERY TABLE
Jonathan Pierce had represented William for fifteen years.
He handled Sterling acquisitions.
Trusts.
Estate matters.
Rebecca’s probate.
Even Ethan’s custody documents.
He had been sitting beside William through every major crisis.
And he had been at the engagement party the night Ethan disappeared.
Police went to his office.
It was empty.
His computers had been wiped.
His passport was gone.
But he had made one mistake.
His assistant had copied his calendar.
Jonathan had met Isabella nineteen times during the previous year.
He had also met Margaret every month.
William stared at the records.
“He arranged my engagement agreement.”
Clara answered.
“Exactly.”
Isabella had never simply fallen in love with William.
She had been positioned beside him.
Rebecca had died before exposing the family secrets.
Then Isabella entered William’s life.
Margaret needed someone close enough to monitor Ethan.
Because Rebecca had hidden evidence.
And Margaret believed Rebecca might have told her son.
That was why Isabella questioned Ethan.
That was why she searched his room.
That was why she locked him behind the wall.
She wanted him frightened enough to reveal where he had hidden Rebecca’s box.
Isabella survived the gunshot.
Under police protection, she finally agreed to talk.
Jonathan had recruited her.
Margaret had paid her.
But Isabella insisted she had never intended to kill Ethan.
“I wanted the box.”
“You starved him,” William said.
She looked away.
“You locked him in darkness.”
“I was scared.”
“He was five.”
Isabella began crying.
William showed no sympathy.
“Who shot you?”
“Jonathan.”
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
She hesitated.
“But I know where he’ll go.”
Jonathan had kept a second property.
A hunting lodge near Lake Briar.
Police raided it that night.
Jonathan was gone.
But they found photographs covering an entire wall.
Rebecca.
Clara.
My mother.
Me.
Ethan.
Every person connected to the secret had been watched.
Then Detective Brooks found a photograph taken only two days earlier.
It showed Ethan leaving preschool.
On the back, Jonathan had written:
IF THE BOY REMEMBERS, EVERYTHING ENDS.
Underneath was another photograph.
It showed me.
May you like
And beneath my name were three words.
ELENA’S LAST COPY.
