Chapter 3: The Secret Behind Elizabeth's Last Night
The police arrived at 10:32 PM.
Two officers entered through the front door while a third waited outside.
I had expected Marcus to meet them in the foyer.
Instead, he stood beside the staircase with Elizabeth's letter in his hand.
Ethan remained next to him.
I stayed in the living room.
The older officer introduced himself as Detective Miller.
His partner, Detective Shaw, carried a thin black folder.
"Mr. Hale," Detective Miller said, "we need to ask you a few questions concerning the death of your first wife.""
Marcus looked exhausted.
"She died six years ago.""
"We understand.""
"Then why are you here tonight?""
Detective Shaw placed the folder on the coffee table.
"New evidence has come to light.""
I reached for a glass of water.
My hand shook.
Detective Miller noticed.
"Mrs. Hale, are you feeling unwell?""
"I'm fine.""
"Would you mind sitting down?""
I sat.
Marcus remained standing.
"What evidence?"" he asked.
Detective Miller opened the folder.
"During a routine review of archived hospital records, an investigator discovered inconsistencies in the original report concerning Elizabeth Hale's final medical examination.""
Marcus frowned.
"She died at the scene.""
"That's what the original report stated.""
"What's that supposed to mean?""
Detective Shaw removed a document.
"The vehicle accident was investigated as a single-car collision. However, the hospital's archived toxicology report indicates that Elizabeth had a sedative in her bloodstream.""
Marcus looked confused.
"She was taking medication for anxiety.""
"Not that medication.""
The room became painfully quiet.
I lowered my eyes.
Detective Miller continued.
"According to the laboratory records, the substance was administered shortly before the accident.""
Marcus stared at him.
"Are you saying someone drugged my wife?""
"We're saying the records raise questions that were never properly investigated.""
Ethan stepped forward.
"Can you tell us who administered it?""
"Not yet.""
I breathed again.
Just a little.
Then Detective Shaw turned toward me.
"Mrs. Hale, do you recognize this person?""
She placed a photograph on the table.
It showed a woman standing outside the foundation office six years earlier.
The red coat was unmistakable.
My photograph.
"I've already explained," I said.
"I knew Elizabeth socially.""
"How well?""
"Not very.""
Marcus turned.
"You told me you'd never met her before our wedding.""
I blinked.
"I meant we weren't close.""
"That's not what you said.""
Detective Miller glanced at the photograph.
"Mrs. Hale, were you employed by the Hale Family Foundation in 2020?""
My stomach tightened.
"I worked there briefly.""
Marcus stared at me.
"What?""
I looked at him.
"Darling, I didn't think it was relevant.""
"You worked for my family foundation?""
"Only for a few months.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because it was years ago.""
Ethan laughed.
"Funny how everything important happened years ago.""
Marcus turned toward him.
"Not now.""
Detective Shaw opened another document.
"According to these records, Mrs. Hale was responsible for coordinating several financial transactions during the period when the missing funds were first reported.""
Marcus looked at me.
"How much money?""
"I don't remember.""
"Vanessa.""
"I was an assistant. I handled paperwork.""
Detective Miller spoke carefully.
"The foundation reported approximately $640,000 in unauthorized transfers over fourteen months.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
The number was almost too large to process.
"Elizabeth discovered this?""
Detective Shaw nodded.
"Her final correspondence suggests she was preparing to report the transactions.""
I felt cold sweat beneath my dress.
Marcus looked at me.
"Did you know about the missing money?""
"No.""
"Did you take any of it?""
"Absolutely not.""
"Did Elizabeth confront you?""
I shook my head.
Detective Miller exchanged a glance with his partner.
Then he opened the folder again.
"We have a witness who remembers seeing you and Elizabeth arguing in the parking garage on the evening of the accident.""
Marcus's face hardened.
"Who?""
"An employee who worked at the building.""
I swallowed.
"People argue. That doesn't mean anything.""
"According to the witness, Elizabeth was holding a folder. She told you she was going to speak with the authorities.""
Marcus looked at me.
I could almost hear the questions forming in his mind.
Then Detective Shaw placed another photograph on the table.
It showed the black sedan after the accident.
The windshield was shattered.
The driver's door was crushed.
But what caught Marcus's attention was the small silver object lying near the passenger-side window.
Elizabeth's necklace.
The same necklace Ethan had found in the velvet box.
Marcus picked up the photograph.
"Why was this never included in the original report?""
Detective Miller answered.
"That's one of the things we're investigating.""
I stood.
"I think I need some air.""
Detective Shaw raised her hand.
"Please remain here for the moment, Mrs. Hale.""
I stared at her.
"Am I being accused of something?""
"Not at this time.""
"Then you can't keep me here.""
Marcus stepped between us.
"Vanessa, sit down.""
I turned toward him.
"You're taking their side now?""
"I'm trying to understand what happened.""
"After everything I've done for you?""
His expression didn't change.
"Please don't make this about what you've done for me.""
I stared at him.
For eighteen months, he had defended me against every criticism.
Now he wouldn't even look at me.
Detective Miller continued.
"We also found something in the original investigation file that may be relevant.""
He removed a photocopy.
It was a vehicle maintenance record.
The date was the morning of Elizabeth's accident.
A mechanic had inspected the brakes.
The report stated that the braking system had been tampered with.
Marcus went pale.
"That's impossible.""
Detective Shaw nodded.
"The original investigator classified it as mechanical failure.""
"But if someone deliberately damaged the brakes...""
"We'll need to establish who had access to the vehicle.""
Ethan looked at me.
I turned away.
I knew that car.
I had driven it once.
I had borrowed it from Elizabeth the week before the accident.
But I hadn't touched the brakes.
That wasn't my part of the plan.
A sharp knock interrupted the conversation.
A uniformed officer entered.
"Detective, we have the records from the storage facility.""
Detective Miller took the envelope.
"Thank you.""
He opened it.
His eyes moved across the first page.
Then he looked at Marcus.
"We found the original vehicle service invoice.""
Marcus stepped closer.
"What does it say?""
"The brakes were inspected and repaired two days before the accident.""
"By whom?""
Detective Miller turned the document around.
The mechanic's name appeared at the bottom.
Marcus read it.
Then he looked at me.
"Vanessa.""
I couldn't breathe.
The mechanic was my older brother.
Daniel Cole.
Marcus took a step backward.
"You told me your brother had never met Elizabeth.""
I forced my voice to work.
"He hadn't.""
Detective Shaw placed another sheet on the table.
"This is the payment record for the repair.""
Marcus looked down.
The payment hadn't come from my brother.
It had come from the Hale Family Foundation.
But the authorization signature was mine.
I shook my head.
"No.""
Marcus stared at the paper.
"That's your signature.""
"Someone copied it.""
"Who?""
"I don't know!""
Ethan suddenly stepped forward.
"There's one more thing.""
Marcus turned toward him.
"What?""
Ethan opened his phone.
He had been holding something back.
A recording.
Not from the security camera.
A voice message.
He pressed play.
A woman's voice filled the living room.
It was faint, distorted, but unmistakably familiar.
"Daniel, I need you to fix this before Friday. Elizabeth can't find out what happened to the money.""
Then a man's voice answered.
"Vanessa, I told you I won't do anything illegal.""
My own voice returned.
"Then think about what happens if Marcus discovers what you've already done.""
The recording ended.
Marcus stared at me.
I shook my head.
"That's not what it sounds like.""
Ethan looked at his father.
"I found it on an old backup drive in Mom's room.""
Detective Miller reached for the phone.
"Where did you get this recording?""
Ethan answered.
"It was saved under a file named April 17.""
Detective Shaw looked at the date on the folder.
Then she looked at Marcus.
"Sir, do you know what happened on April 17?""
Marcus slowly shook his head.
"That was the date of Elizabeth's accident.""
I closed my eyes.
Because I remembered that date very well.
And I remembered something else.
Daniel had promised he would never speak about what happened that night.
Apparently, he had changed his mind.
The detectives asked me to accompany them to the station for questioning.
Marcus didn't stop them.
He simply stood in the doorway as I collected my purse.
I paused beside him.
"Marcus, please. Don't let them destroy our marriage over something you don't understand.""
He looked at me.
"Our marriage?""
I nodded.
He glanced toward the stairs.
Then he said quietly:
"Tonight, I discovered that you tried to remove my son from this house, steal his inheritance, and use my money to pay a doctor.""
I opened my mouth.
He continued.
"Now I find out you knew my first wife before she died.""
"Marcus...""
"Don't ask me to trust you.""
I walked toward the police car.
As Detective Shaw opened the rear door, my phone vibrated.
I glanced at the screen.
A message from Daniel.
*They have the old recording, don't they?*
I typed back.
*Yes.*
His reply came immediately.
*Then tell Marcus the truth before he finds out who actually ordered the brake job.*
My heart stopped.
I looked up.
Through the open doorway, Marcus was watching me.
Then another message appeared.
*It wasn't me, Vanessa. You know that.*
I stared at the screen.
May you like
A final message arrived.
*Your husband paid for it.*
