Chapter 10
Peter Shaw was found at Ashcroft House.
The ruins had never been rebuilt.
Only a stone shell remained beyond overgrown trees.
Alexander arrived with Elias.
Neither liked traveling together.
Both understood why it was necessary.
Peter stood inside the old dining room.
A gun rested on a broken table.
Not in his hand.
Margaret was not there.
Good.
Alexander wanted Peter speaking before his mother arrived with grief.
“Why run?”
Peter looked at Elias.
“Because he’s supposed to be dead.”
Elias laughed softly.
“So are half the people in your stories.”
Peter’s face hardened.
“You killed my father.”
“No.”
“Raymond said—”
Elias stepped forward.
“Raymond killed Daniel Mercer.”
Peter froze.
Wrong name.
Alexander saw confusion.
Elias continued.
“Your father Thomas Shaw died five years before Daniel.”
Peter stared.
“I know when my father died.”
“Do you know how?”
“Heart.”
Elias almost laughed.
Alexander stopped him with a look.
Peter continued:
“He got sick.”
Alexander looked at Peter.
“Your mother says Thomas spent his life trying to undo Ashcroft.”
Peter’s face changed.
“Undo?”
“He opened the servants’ door.”
Peter stared.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Mother told you that?”
“Yes.”
Peter looked around the ruined room.
The truth physically surrounded him.
Elias stepped closer.
“Your father didn’t die because of me.”
Peter looked at him.
“He died because Raymond kept reminding him what he had done.”
Alexander frowned.
“You know.”
Elias nodded.
“Isabella found letters?”
No paperwork. Better avoid. Let's make "recording" or memory. Elias says Isabella told him. Fine.
“Isabella spoke to Thomas’s old friend before she died.”
Peter’s face hardened.
“Who?”
“Frank Vale.”
Peter knew the name.
“He said Raymond visited Thomas every month.”
“For what?”
“To keep him loyal through shame.”
Alexander understood the mechanism.
You opened the door.
You owe us forever.
Guilt made useful servants.
“Did Raymond raise you?”
Peter looked toward the floor.
“After Dad died.”
“How old?”
“Seventeen.”
“What did he tell you?”
“That Marlowes killed my father because he had helped the Vaughns.”
Elias shook his head.
“No.”
Peter’s jaw tightened.
“Then?”
“Your father killed himself slowly with whiskey and guilt.”
Peter flinched.
Alexander saw pain.
Elias continued more quietly:
“Raymond didn’t need to murder him. He only needed him to believe forgiveness was impossible.”
Peter looked away.
Alexander stepped closer.
“Did Raymond tell you Isabella was Marlowe?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Before she died.”
“How long before?”
“Two months.”
“What did he ask?”
Peter said nothing.
Alexander’s face hardened.
“What?”
“To watch her.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“Did you send the bridge message?”
Peter’s eyes closed.
“Yes.”
Silence.
Alexander felt rage surge.
Elias moved closer to him.
Not touching.
Present.
A warning.
Questions first.
Alexander forced his hands open.
“What did Raymond tell you?”
“That Isabella was meeting men who planned to take Sofia.”
“Did you believe him?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I saw Elias.”
Peter looked toward him.
“Because Raymond told me Marlowes take children.”
Elias laughed bitterly.
“Raymond murdered children at Ashcroft and taught you to fear us for it.”
Peter’s face twisted.
Alexander continued.
“You sent Isabella away from her normal route.”
“Yes.”
“To where?”
“Ridge road.”
“Why?”
“Raymond said his men would scare her.”
“Did you know Thomas Reed would be there?”
“Yes.”
“Black Vaughn sedan?”
Peter froze.
Alexander saw it.
“Who?”
Peter looked away.
“Who drove it?”
“I did.”
Alexander became completely still.
Elias’s hand moved slightly.
Ready.
Peter whispered:
“Raymond was in the back.”
There.
The silhouette.
Victor’s ring.
“Raymond wore my father’s ring.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To make Isabella stop.”
“Stop for him.”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
Peter’s voice shook.
“We blocked the road.”
“Isabella stopped.”
“Yes.”
“Raymond spoke to her.”
“Yes.”
“About?”
“I couldn’t hear all.”
“Try.”
“He told her Elias would die if she told you.”
Elias’s face hardened.
“She laughed.”
Alexander almost smiled through rage.
Of course.
“What did she say?”
Peter looked at him.
“She said, ‘Then you’d better kill every mirror too, because Alexander already sees what you are.’”
Alexander closed his eyes.
Then:
“What happened?”
“Raymond got back in.”
“Isabella drove away.”
“Yes.”
“Thomas arrived.”
“Yes.”
“Crash.”
Peter shook his head.
“No.”
Alexander stared.
“What?”
“The crash happened before Thomas reached her.”
Elias frowned.
“You said another vehicle followed.”
Peter nodded.
“Not Thomas.”
“Who?”
Peter’s breathing became rough.
“Charles Hayes.”
Alexander stared.
“Charles.”
“Yes.”
“Driving?”
“No.”
“Who?”
“Veronica.”
Silence.
Alexander felt the world shift.
“Veronica was there.”
“Yes.”
“She was nineteen.”
“Nineteen.”
Alexander calculated.
Fifteen years ago? Wait Isabella died 15 months ago. Veronica is 34, so she would've been 33, not nineteen. Peter says before she died, so 33. We need correct. Let's not mention age. "She was driving". Good.
“Veronica was driving.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
Alexander thought of her claim.
She didn’t know Isabella was being followed.
Lie.
“Did her car hit Isabella?”
Peter shook his head.
“No.”
“Then?”
“It passed me.”
“Where?”
“Toward the ridge.”
“Did you follow?”
“Yes.”
“What did you see?”
Peter looked sick.
“Isabella’s car against the barrier.”
“Before it went over.”
“Yes.”
“Veronica?”
“Standing beside it.”
Alexander’s voice dropped.
“And Charles?”
“Arguing with Isabella.”
Elias stepped closer.
“What happened?”
Peter’s face twisted.
“Isabella slapped Charles.”
Alexander almost smiled.
Then:
“Veronica grabbed Isabella.”
His smile died.
“Why?”
“I couldn’t hear.”
“Then?”
“Isabella broke free.”
“Car?”
“She got inside.”
“Charles?”
“He pulled at the door.”
“Veronica?”
“Got back in her own car.”
“Then what?”
Peter closed his eyes.
“Raymond arrived behind me.”
Alexander stared.
“He told me to leave.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“I moved the car farther down.”
“What did you see?”
“Raymond went to Charles.”
“And?”
Peter opened his eyes.
“He gave him Victor’s ring.”
Alexander frowned.
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then Isabella drove.”
“Yes.”
“Crash.”
“Minutes later.”
No physical push observed.
No simple killer.
But the circle around her was clear.
Raymond.
Charles.
Veronica.
Peter.
Thomas on his way.
Everyone squeezing.
Someone caused the final event.
“Did you see how?”
Peter shook his head.
“I heard a horn. Then impact.”
Elias looked toward Alexander.
“Could have been mechanical.”
“Could have been panic.”
“Could have been another car.”
Alexander looked at Peter.
“Did you ever inspect Isabella’s car afterward?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
“Raymond’s men.”
Of course.
Peter lowered his eyes.
“I sent her there.”
Alexander stared at him.
“Yes.”
“I thought—”
“No.”
Alexander stepped closer.
“Keep that sentence.”
Peter looked up.
“Whatever Raymond told you, whatever you believed, you sent my wife into a trap.”
“Yes.”
No excuse.
Alexander nodded.
“You’re done in my house.”
Peter’s face broke.
“My mother—”
“Is still your mother.”
“My position—”
“Gone.”
Peter accepted it.
Then Elias looked toward the ruined doorway.
“We have another problem.”
Alexander turned.
A white designer shoe stood on the old stone threshold.
Veronica’s.
Inside it was the maid apron Sofia had worn.
Someone had brought both to Ashcroft.
Alexander felt cold.
Peter whispered:
“She knows we’re here.”
Alexander looked toward the dark road.
“No.”
May you like
Then:
“She wants us somewhere else.”
