Chapter 8
Richard did not remember taking the card.
That was the problem.
Three years earlier, around the time of Anna’s crash, Richard had been drinking heavily after the death of his wife—his spouse is not in user prompt, could be dead, okay but maybe invent. Let's avoid unnecessary. Instead say after a major family war? Better.
Three years earlier, Richard had been undergoing treatment after a violent internal conflict and taking strong pain medication.
There were nights he barely remembered.
Claudia knew it.
Mark knew it.
Richard hated that they did.
“Why would I need your card?”
Claudia crossed her arms.
“You wanted access to Mark’s garage without telling him.”
Richard looked toward his son.
Mark’s face hardened.
Richard remembered confronting Mark around that period about missing family funds.
He had suspected unauthorized vehicles were transporting cash.
Did he take Claudia’s card?
Possibly.
Did he tamper with Anna’s car?
No.
But memory alone was not proof.
For the first time, Richard felt the balance shift against him.
Mark stared at his father.
“You were in my garage.”
“I might have been.”
“Might?”
Richard looked at him.
“I’m not going to invent certainty to make myself comfortable.”
Mark laughed once.
“You demand certainty from everyone except yourself.”
The accusation hit.
Richard remained still.
Then the investigator produced access timing.
Claudia’s card opened the garage at 11:42 p.m.
Richard’s estate vehicle arrived at Mark’s property at 11:36.
A camera captured it.
Not Richard.
The car.
Mark stared at the image.
Richard’s jaw tightened.
Someone had driven his vehicle.
“Who had access?”
His old driver.
Security chief.
Two bodyguards.
And Adrian—no Adrian not a character. Need unnamed former driver/bodyguard. Let's say his former driver Joseph Vale? We can invent support characters, okay. But user tends like. Let's introduce Frank Russo, former driver. Fine.
Frank Russo, Richard’s longtime driver.
Frank had retired six months after Anna died.
He was found living in Arizona.
When contacted, his voice changed at the mention of Anna.
Richard heard the recording.
“Frank.”
Silence.
“Tell me why my car was at Mark’s house.”
Frank breathed heavily.
Then said:
“Because Mr. Mark asked me to bring it.”
Mark shot to his feet.
“No.”
Richard turned toward him.
Frank continued over speakerphone.
“He said he needed it to look like you were there.”
Mark stared at the phone.
His face drained.
May you like
The accusation had shifted again.
Now Richard’s own son appeared to have staged evidence putting his father near Anna’s car.
