Chapter 8 - The Man Hidden From Every Police ReportNathaniel Vaughn had never been listed as present at the mansion.
Not by Lucinda.
Not by Marcus.
Not by Lang.
Not by any member of staff.
According to Nathaniel, he had spent the night at a fundraising dinner thirty miles away.
There were photographs proving it.
He gave a speech at 7:30.
Posed with donors at 8:00.
Left at 8:15.
The first emergency call from Andrew’s house was made at 10:06.
Plenty of time.
Reed requested traffic cameras.
Nathaniel’s driver claimed he took Nathaniel directly home.
But the car’s GPS history had been deleted.
Andrew sat in stunned silence.
“Why didn’t Alex mention him?”
“Trauma doesn’t produce perfect memory,” Reed said.
“Or Alex didn’t see him.”
“Exactly.”
Lucinda claimed Nathaniel entered through the service garage shortly after Andrew went upstairs.
Caroline was already suspicious.
Nathaniel wanted to convince her she had misunderstood the money transfers.
She refused.
The argument escalated.
According to Lucinda, Caroline slapped Nathaniel after he mentioned Alex.
Nathaniel grabbed her wrist.
Caroline scratched his hand.
His blood got onto the green ribbon of her robe.
Then he left.
Marcus remained.
Lucinda remained.
Caroline attempted to reach the hidden room.
The fight moved toward the staircase.
She fell.
Andrew listened without speaking.
Finally he asked, “Why would Nathaniel leave if the evidence still existed?”
Lucinda looked at him.
“Because Marcus told him he would handle it.”
“And by handle it, you mean let my wife die?”
Lucinda lowered her eyes.
“I don’t know what Nathaniel expected.”
“You knew enough to lie for six months.”
She flinched.
Andrew walked out.
He did not want to hear another apology.
That afternoon, Nathaniel arrived at the mansion.
Despite police instructions.
Despite Andrew telling security not to allow him inside.
Nathaniel stood outside the front gate and called.
Andrew answered.
“Go home.”
“Andrew, Marcus is lying.”
“So is Lucinda?”
“Yes.”
“And Lang?”
Silence.
Andrew laughed bitterly.
“You don’t even know what Lang said.”
Nathaniel paused.
“Andrew—”
“You were here.”
“No.”
“Caroline called you.”
“Yes.”
“You argued.”
“On the phone.”
“She threatened to expose you.”
“She accused me of things I didn’t do.”
“What did you do?”
Nathaniel sighed.
“I authorized a private medical review.”
“You had my son’s blood taken.”
“I didn’t know how they would obtain it.”
“You were investigating whether Alex was biologically mine.”
“It was about the company.”
“He was six years old.”
“The trust is complicated.”
Andrew’s voice shook.
“You had no right.”
“You’re correct.”
Andrew had not expected the admission.
Nathaniel continued.
“I was wrong. But I did not kill Caroline.”
“Were you in this house?”
“No.”
Andrew closed his eyes.
“Then come to the police station and prove it.”
Nathaniel hesitated.
That was all Andrew needed.
“Goodbye.”
“Andrew, listen—”
He ended the call.
Later that evening, Reed arrived with news.
Nathaniel’s fundraising photographs had metadata.
One image supposedly taken at 9:14 p.m. had actually been captured at 7:58 and uploaded later.
His alibi after 8:15 was meaningless.
But the bigger discovery came from an old toll camera.
At 8:52 p.m., Nathaniel’s car crossed a bridge six minutes from Andrew’s mansion.
Reed placed the image on the table.
Nathaniel was in the passenger seat.
He had lied.
Andrew looked upstairs.
Alex was asleep.
Elizabeth sat with him.
“I need to ask Alex one thing.”
Reed stopped him.
“Carefully.”
Andrew entered his son’s room.
Alex opened his eyes when Andrew sat beside him.
“Daddy?”
“I’m here.”
Andrew touched his hand.
“Do you remember Uncle Nathaniel being here the night Mommy died?”
Alex’s body stiffened.
Andrew regretted asking immediately.
“You don’t have to answer.”
But Alex whispered, “He was mad.”
Andrew’s heart sank.
“You saw him?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
Alex looked toward the closet.
“He told Mom I was mistake.”
Andrew felt physically sick.
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did Mom say anything?”
Alex nodded.
“She said, ‘He is my son.’”
Andrew closed his eyes.
“What else?”
Alex’s breathing accelerated.
“He said…”
The boy stopped.
Andrew waited.
“He said Daddy would lose everything because of me.”
Andrew stared.
Nathaniel had not merely wanted to verify the trust.
He resented Alex.
Perhaps feared him.
Andrew squeezed Alex’s hand.
“No one is going to take anything from us.”
Alex looked frightened.
“Uncle Nathaniel said you don’t know.”
“Know what?”
The boy whispered, “About Grandpa.”
Andrew frowned.
“My father?”
Alex nodded.
“Mom knew.”
“What did Mom know?”
Alex shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
Andrew walked out and called Reed.
Before he could speak, his phone received an email.
No sender name.
Only one sentence.
ASK YOUR FATHER WHY CAROLINE WAS INVESTIGATING THE VAUGHN FAMILY BEFORE SHE DIED.
Attached was a photograph.
Caroline standing beside Samuel Vaughn.
Andrew’s father.
The image had been taken two weeks before her death.
May you like
They were arguing.
And Samuel was holding the same blue phone Caroline later hid in Alex’s playroom.
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