Chapter 19: The Passenger in the Dark
I read the message again.
Ask your father who was sitting in the passenger seat when Patricia's car left the road.
For six years, I had believed my mother was alone when she died.
The official report said she lost control of her vehicle on a wet road. There had been no surviving passengers, no witnesses willing to come forward, and no reason to question the conclusion.
Now someone was telling me there had been another person in the car.
"Daniel, we need to stop Peter.""
"We will. The investigators are already heading to the airport.""
"Then we need to find out who sent this.""
Daniel examined my phone.
"Don't reply. We'll preserve the message and request the appropriate records.""
I turned toward Martin.
"Where's my father?""
"At the estate, sir. He returned about twenty minutes ago.""
I looked at the photograph in my hand.
Peter Lawson standing beside Richard's car.
The medical clinic in the background.
My mother's final statement.
Someone had known what was happening before she died.
And that person had been close enough to her to know what was in the passenger seat.
We found Richard in the main office, speaking on the phone.
He ended the call when we entered.
"Adrian. I thought you were finished with this nonsense.""
I placed the photograph on his desk.
"Who's sitting beside Mom?""
His eyes moved to the picture.
For a fraction of a second, his expression broke.
Then he pushed it away.
"I don't know.""
"Look carefully.""
"I said I don't know.""
Daniel placed the handwritten statement beside it.
"We have reason to believe Patricia's vehicle was occupied by another person when the accident occurred.""
Richard leaned back.
"You're going to believe anonymous messages now?""
"Who was in the passenger seat?"" I repeated.
He looked at me.
"Your mother was driving alone.""
"That's what the report says. But the report was altered.""
Richard's face hardened.
"Be careful, Adrian.""
"Was it Arthur Voss?""
"No.""
"Peter Lawson?""
He didn't answer.
"Then who?""
Richard stood.
"Your mother was involved in things you couldn't understand. She was under tremendous pressure. She made mistakes.""
I felt anger rising.
"Stop talking about her as if she caused this.""
"She was going to destroy the family.""
"She was trying to stop you stealing from it.""
He slammed his hand against the desk.
"You have no idea what I sacrificed!""
Daniel stepped between us.
"Mr. Cole, this conversation is being documented. I suggest you answer carefully.""
Richard laughed bitterly.
"Do you think you can frighten me with a lawyer?""
"No," Daniel replied.
"I think the evidence is doing that already.""
I looked at my father.
"Who was in the car?""
His eyes shifted toward the office door.
Then he said something unexpected.
"Ask Eleanor.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
"Your grandmother knows who was with Patricia that night.""
I stared at him.
"She told me she saw you following Mom.""
Richard shook his head.
"She saw a car. She didn't know who was driving.""
"Then tell me.""
He walked toward the window.
"Your mother wasn't alone when she left the house.""
I waited.
"Who was with her?""
Richard turned.
"She had gone to meet someone. Someone who promised to help her expose the trust transfers.""
"Margaret?""
"No.""
"Dr. Reed?""
"No.""
"Then who?""
He looked directly at me.
"Your grandmother.""
The room went silent.
I shook my head.
"Grandma wasn't in the car.""
"Not at first.""
My chest tightened.
"What are you saying?""
Richard sat down slowly.
"Your mother picked Eleanor up near the old chapel. They argued. Patricia wanted to go to the police. Eleanor wanted her to wait until Margaret could review the documents.""
"Why would you know that?""
"Because Eleanor called me afterward.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Did you see Patricia that night?""
Richard looked away.
"Yes.""
"Did you follow her?""
"I was trying to stop her from making a terrible mistake.""
"Did you enter her vehicle?""
Richard's silence answered before he did.
"I got into the car briefly.""
I stared at him.
"Why?""
"To talk.""
"Then what happened?""
He closed his eyes.
"Your mother was furious. She accused me of changing her medication. She told me she had copies of everything.""
"Did you threaten her?""
"No.""
"Did you touch her medication?""
"No.""
"Did you arrange the accident?""
Richard looked at me sharply.
"Absolutely not.""
Daniel spoke.
"Then explain why the medical report was altered and why the security records were deleted.""
Richard rubbed his forehead.
"Peter handled the security system. Arthur handled the accounts. I handled the family.""
"That's not an answer.""
He stood abruptly.
"Enough!""
His voice echoed through the office.
"You want to know what happened? Fine. I left before she drove away. Peter was supposed to follow her because I wanted to know where she was going.""
"Why would Peter follow her?""
"Because she had the original documents.""
I stepped closer.
"And the passenger?""
Richard looked at me.
"Someone else got into the car after I left.""
"Who?""
He swallowed.
"I don't know.""
Daniel watched him carefully.
"You're telling us you left Patricia alive, and someone else entered her vehicle afterward?""
"Yes.""
"Who told you that?""
Richard hesitated.
"Peter.""
I stared at him.
"Then why didn't you tell the police?""
"Because Peter said the accident was already being investigated. He told me there was nothing suspicious.""
"And you believed him?""
Richard gave a bitter smile.
"I wanted to.""
I looked at Daniel.
This was the first time my father had admitted that another person might have been involved.
It wasn't enough.
But it was something.
Daniel's phone rang.
He answered, listened, and then looked at me.
"Peter Lawson has been detained at the airport.""
I exhaled.
"Good.""
Daniel continued listening.
Then his expression changed.
"What do you mean he requested protection?""
He ended the call.
"Peter wants to cooperate.""
"Then we go see him.""
Peter was being interviewed by investigators in a secure room.
He looked older than I remembered, his hair almost entirely gray.
When I entered, he lowered his eyes.
"Mr. Cole.""
I sat across from him.
"Who was in my mother's car?""
Peter looked toward the investigator.
Then he spoke.
"I didn't know she would die.""
My throat tightened.
"That wasn't my question.""
He swallowed.
"Your father told me to follow her. He said she had documents that could damage the family.""
"Did you?""
"Yes.""
"Did you enter the vehicle?""
"No.""
"Who did?""
Peter looked at Daniel.
Then he gave us a name.
"Arthur Voss.""
I felt the room tilt.
"The bank manager?""
Peter nodded.
"He had been waiting near the clinic. He got into the passenger seat when your mother stopped outside.""
"Why?""
"To recover the documents.""
"Did you see what happened afterward?""
Peter's face crumpled.
"I followed them for several miles. Then I lost sight of the car.""
"Did you call for help?""
He shook his head.
"No.""
"Why not?""
"Because Arthur called me. He said there had been an accident and told me to erase the security footage from the estate.""
Daniel leaned forward.
"Did he tell you Patricia was dead?""
Peter nodded.
I gripped the edge of the table.
"Did you know she was alive when Arthur entered the car?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know what he intended to do?""
"No. I swear.""
"Then why did you erase the footage?""
Peter began crying.
"Because Richard told me that if the footage became public, everyone would believe I had helped him arrange it.""
Daniel placed a document on the table.
"Did you receive money?""
Peter nodded.
"Yes.""
"From whom?""
"Arthur Voss.""
I looked at him.
"How much?""
"Fifty thousand dollars.""
My stomach turned.
The same amount Richard had offered Elena to leave Cedar Hollow and keep silent.
Peter continued.
"But there's something else. Arthur didn't act alone.""
"Who helped him?""
Peter looked at me.
Then he whispered:
"Your father knew what Arthur was planning.""
May you like
Before I could speak, Peter added:
"And I have the recording that proves it.""
