Chapter 4: The Husband Who Had Been Lied To for Six Years
I didn't answer Daniel's message.
I couldn't.
For six years, I had carried one version of Elizabeth's death in my head.
Now Daniel was offering me another.
And if he was telling the truth, everything I had built with Marcus was about to collapse.
The detectives drove me to the station.
They separated us into different rooms.
Detective Miller sat across from me with a notepad.
Detective Shaw placed a small recorder on the table.
"Mrs. Hale, we'd like to begin with your employment at the family foundation.""
I folded my hands.
"I was a temporary administrative assistant.""
"Who hired you?""
"Elizabeth.""
"How did you know her?""
"Through a mutual acquaintance.""
"Which acquaintance?""
I hesitated.
"I don't remember.""
Detective Miller looked at me.
"You seem to remember quite a lot about the events surrounding her death.""
I said nothing.
He opened a folder.
"Let's talk about Daniel Cole.""
"My brother has nothing to do with this.""
"Then why did he contact us this evening?""
My head snapped up.
"What?""
Detective Shaw nodded.
"Mr. Cole called the station twenty minutes ago. He said he has information about the vehicle inspection.""
I leaned back.
"What information?""
"We're waiting for him to arrive.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
Daniel had never been brave.
He had always been the kind of man who backed away when things became difficult.
I had paid his debts twice.
I had helped him keep his garage.
I had even arranged for Marcus to invest in his business.
And now he was betraying me.
Detective Miller closed the folder.
"Mrs. Hale, did you ever receive money from Elizabeth?""
"No.""
"Did you ever transfer foundation money into an account belonging to your brother?""
"No.""
"Did you have access to the foundation's vehicle maintenance records?""
"I handled paperwork.""
"Did you authorize any repair work on Elizabeth's vehicle?""
"I don't remember.""
Detective Shaw leaned forward.
"Mrs. Hale, a person's memory doesn't usually disappear when the questions become inconvenient.""
I looked at her.
"Are you accusing me of killing Elizabeth?""
"We're investigating her death.""
"That's not an answer.""
"It's the only answer I can give you right now.""
The door opened.
A uniformed officer entered.
"Detective, Mr. Cole is here.""
Daniel walked into the room.
He looked ten years older than the last time I had seen him.
His hair was gray at the temples. His hands shook.
He didn't look at me.
Detective Miller pulled out a chair.
"Mr. Cole, thank you for coming.""
Daniel sat.
"Just tell me what you need.""
"Did you inspect Elizabeth Hale's vehicle before the accident?""
"Yes.""
"Did you repair the brakes?""
Daniel swallowed.
"I replaced a damaged hose.""
"Was the damage accidental?""
"No.""
My stomach tightened.
Detective Shaw leaned forward.
"Who damaged it?""
Daniel looked at me.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then he said:
"Vanessa brought me the car.""
I shook my head.
"That's a lie.""
Daniel's eyes filled.
"Don't do this.""
"You're lying!""
Detective Miller raised his hand.
"Mr. Cole, continue.""
Daniel looked down at his hands.
"She told me Elizabeth was having trouble with the brakes. She said the car needed to be inspected before the weekend.""
"And what did you find?""
"The brake line had been damaged.""
"Who damaged it?""
"I don't know.""
"Did you repair it?""
"Yes.""
I let out a breath.
There.
That was the truth.
He had repaired the brakes.
He hadn't damaged them.
But then Daniel reached into his jacket and removed a small envelope.
"I kept this.""
Detective Miller opened it.
Inside was a handwritten note.
I recognized my handwriting immediately.
It read:
*Don't repair anything until I call you. The accident needs to happen after the meeting.*
My fingers went numb.
Daniel looked at me.
"You gave me that note.""
I shook my head.
"No.""
"You said Elizabeth had found the money.""
"No.""
"You told me she was going to destroy everything.""
"Daniel, stop.""
He closed his eyes.
"I should have gone to the police.""
Detective Shaw took the note.
"Why didn't you?""
Daniel looked at me.
"Because she told me Marcus would lose everything if the truth came out.""
I laughed.
It sounded strange even to me.
"You're blaming me for something you did.""
Daniel shook his head.
"You asked me to damage the car.""
The room went silent.
Detective Miller looked up.
"Did you actually damage the brakes?""
Daniel nodded.
"Yes.""
I stared at him.
He continued.
"I didn't think she would drive it. I thought the car would be taken to the garage first. I thought we'd have time to replace everything.""
"Who told you to do it?"" Detective Shaw asked.
Daniel hesitated.
"Vanessa.""
I closed my eyes.
This was impossible.
I had never asked him to kill anyone.
I had wanted Elizabeth frightened.
I had wanted her to stop investigating.
I had wanted her to leave Marcus alone.
I had never intended for her to die.
But those words were not going to save me.
Detective Miller looked at Daniel.
"Did anyone else know?""
Daniel nodded.
"Marcus.""
My eyes flew open.
"What?""
Daniel looked directly at me.
"Marcus knew about the brake problem.""
I stared at him.
"You're insane.""
"He called me the afternoon before the accident.""
"That's not true.""
Daniel continued.
"He asked whether the vehicle was safe. I told him it needed another inspection.""
Detective Shaw wrote something down.
"Did he know the brakes had been deliberately damaged?""
"I don't know.""
"Did he authorize any work?""
Daniel nodded.
"He transferred money for the repair.""
I felt a strange sensation in my chest.
Not relief.
Something much more dangerous.
Hope.
If Marcus had known, then perhaps he wasn't the innocent husband he pretended to be.
Perhaps he had hidden his own secrets for six years.
Perhaps I could still survive.
Detective Miller stood.
"We'll need a formal statement from you, Mr. Cole.""
Daniel nodded.
Before leaving, he turned toward me.
"I'm sorry.""
I stared at him.
"You're sorry?""
He lowered his eyes.
"Elizabeth was a good woman.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You don't get to decide that now.""
Daniel didn't answer.
The door closed behind him.
Detective Shaw remained seated.
"Mrs. Hale, we're going to need to speak with your husband.""
I looked at her.
"Of course.""
"And your brother's statement raises another question.""
"What question?""
"Why would Marcus authorize a repair on a vehicle he knew had been deliberately damaged?""
I leaned forward.
"Because he knew what was happening.""
Detective Miller looked at me.
"Are you saying your husband was involved?""
I took a breath.
"I'm saying you should ask him.""
At 2:15 AM, Marcus arrived at the station.
He looked exhausted.
His shirt was wrinkled. His hair was disheveled. He hadn't changed since the dinner.
When he entered the interview room, he didn't sit beside me.
He sat across from me.
Detective Miller explained Daniel's statement.
Marcus listened without interrupting.
Then he asked one question.
"Did Daniel say I knew the brakes were damaged?""
"Yes," Detective Shaw answered.
Marcus looked at me.
"Is that what you told them?""
I nodded.
"Yes.""
He stared at me for a long moment.
Then he reached into his jacket and placed a small document on the table.
"What is that?"" I asked.
"An insurance claim.""
I frowned.
He opened it.
It was dated six years earlier.
The vehicle had been insured under Elizabeth's name.
The payout had been made to the family estate.
But the beneficiary account wasn't Marcus's.
It belonged to me.
I stared at the paper.
"That's impossible.""
Marcus's voice was cold.
"Do you remember signing the insurance documents?""
"No.""
"Do you remember receiving the money?""
"No.""
He placed another document beside it.
A transfer confirmation.
The amount was $1.2 million.
I looked at the account number.
It was an account I had opened under my maiden name.
My throat tightened.
Marcus watched me.
"You told me you had never received anything from Elizabeth's death.""
"I didn't.""
"Then why did the insurance company send you $1.2 million?""
I stared at him.
I had no explanation.
Because the money had been transferred into my account.
And I had used it to pay off my brother's debts, purchase an apartment, and establish the investment account that eventually became my personal fortune.
Marcus leaned forward.
"Do you want to tell me the truth now?""
I looked at him.
And for the first time, I decided to stop pretending.
"Your wife was investigating the foundation," I said quietly.
Marcus didn't move.
"Go on.""
"She found money missing. She thought I was responsible.""
"Were you?""
I swallowed.
"Some of it.""
His face changed.
"How much?""
"About four hundred thousand.""
He looked away.
I continued.
"Daniel helped me move it. I told him I would pay him back.""
"Why?""
"Because I needed money.""
"For what?""
I hesitated.
"To get away from my ex-husband.""
Marcus stared at me.
I hadn't expected him to believe that story.
But I had used it before.
And he had always believed it.
This time, he didn't.
"Your ex-husband?""
I nodded.
"Daniel was in trouble. I was in trouble. Elizabeth found out.""
Marcus's voice dropped.
"And you decided to make sure she couldn't tell anyone.""
I shook my head.
"No. I only wanted her to stop.""
He closed his eyes.
"Vanessa, she died.""
"I know.""
"She died because someone damaged her brakes.""
I began crying.
This time, the tears were real.
Marcus stood.
"Don't.""
I looked up.
"Please.""
"Don't use tears to make me forget what I'm hearing.""
He turned toward the door.
Then he stopped.
"There is something you don't know.""
I froze.
He looked back at me.
"Elizabeth called me the night she died.""
My heart stopped.
"What?""
"I was at a business dinner. She called twice. I didn't answer.""
He swallowed.
"Then she left a voicemail.""
I stared at him.
"Did you listen to it?""
"Not until the next morning.""
He removed his phone.
"Do you want to know what she said?""
I couldn't answer.
Marcus played the recording.
Elizabeth's voice filled the room.
"Marcus, it's me. I need you to listen carefully. Vanessa isn't who you think she is.
I found the transfers. I found the documents. And I think Daniel is involved.""
A pause.
Then Elizabeth's voice became frightened.
"If something happens to me tonight, please don't let her near Ethan.""
The recording ended.
Marcus looked at me.
His eyes were wet.
"She tried to warn me.""
I whispered.
"Marcus...""
He shook his head.
"No. You don't get to say my name like that anymore.""
Then he walked out.
I thought that was the end.
Until Detective Shaw returned ten minutes later.
She placed a new photograph on the table.
It showed Elizabeth standing outside a restaurant on the night of her death.
She wasn't alone.
A man stood beside her.
A man wearing Marcus's watch.
Detective Shaw pointed at him.
"Mrs. Hale, can you tell us why your husband was meeting Elizabeth less than an hour before the accident?""
I stared at the photograph.
May you like
Because I had never known Marcus was there.
And suddenly, I wasn't sure which one of us had been lying for six years.
