Chapter 8 - THE WRONG REBECCA
Alexander did not believe it.
Then Daniel clarified.
The gunman never met Rebecca.
He received instructions from someone using her name.
Payment arrived through a courier.
No paperwork mattered.
The courier did.
Daniel had found him too.
An old groundskeeper named Paul Weller.
Alexander knew the name.
Paul worked for the Sterlings for thirty years.
Then retired after Edmund died.
Julian looked toward the window.
“My father knew him.”
Alexander turned.
Paul had once helped Thomas after his exile.
That made no sense.
Why would Thomas’s ally help attack Alexander?
They drove back to the estate.
Paul was already there under guard.
He looked exhausted.
Not dangerous.
Alexander entered.
“Who gave you the package?”
Paul stared at him.
“Your mother.”
Marcus swore.
Alexander remained still.
“What did she say it was?”
“Money for Raymond.”
“Why?”
“She said old family business.”
“Did you know it was connected to the attack?”
“No.”
Alexander believed him.
Paul looked terrified, but not like a man hiding murder.
Victoria was brought into the room.
She saw Paul.
Then closed her eyes.
Alexander looked at her.
“Tell me.”
Victoria sat.
She had given Raymond money.
Not to attack Alexander.
To make him leave the city.
Raymond had been threatening to expose Thomas’s existence during the family celebration.
Victoria wanted silence.
Again.
Always silence.
“How much?”
“Enough.”
Alexander waved the question away.
The amount did not matter.
“What did Raymond do with it?”
“I don’t know.”
“You gave money to a man who hated your son and never asked?”
“He was my brother-in-law.”
“That is not an answer.”
Victoria started crying.
“I thought he would disappear.”
Instead Raymond used the money to hire men.
The tracker information came later.
Victoria admitted Marcus had told her about the tracker.
She told Raymond.
Why?
Because Raymond asked where Alexander would be during the week.
Victoria gave the information casually.
She never imagined what he intended.
Alexander stared.
“You handed him the route.”
“I didn’t know.”
“You never know until somebody else bleeds.”
Victoria flinched.
Then Paul spoke.
“Raymond didn’t want Alexander dead.”
Everyone turned.
Paul had delivered a second message after the ambush.
Raymond was furious.
The gunmen were supposed to frighten Alexander.
Force him away from the city.
One fired too early.
The ambush became real.
Alexander almost died.
Marcus stared.
“Why scare him?”
Paul looked toward Victoria.
“To stop Rebecca.”
Alexander frowned.
That sounded backward.
Paul continued.
Raymond knew Rebecca was preparing to expose Thomas.
He believed if Alexander were injured, Rebecca would abandon the confrontation and stay with her husband.
It worked.
For several weeks.
Then Rebecca resumed investigating.
That was when she found Samuel.
Julian.
Thomas’s letters.
Everything.
Alexander looked at Victoria.
“What happened the night Rebecca died?”
Victoria’s face collapsed.
“I didn’t push her.”
“I didn’t ask that.”
She looked down.
“Raymond was there.”
Marcus went still.
Sophia had said Uncle Marcus did something to Mommy.
Maybe the child had confused one older man for another.
Alexander asked:
“Where?”
“The west terrace.”
Victoria’s voice shook.
“Rebecca called him there.”
“Why?”
“She knew.”
“She knew he arranged the ambush.”
“Yes.”
Alexander stared.
“Did Marcus know Raymond was there?”
Victoria looked toward her younger son.
“Yes.”
Marcus looked betrayed.
“You told me he left.”
“I lied.”
Alexander felt the room narrowing.
“What happened?”
Victoria whispered:
“Rebecca told Raymond she was going to tell you everything.”
“And?”
“Raymond grabbed her.”
Alexander’s face hardened.
“She pulled away.”
Victoria looked toward Sophia’s upstairs floor.
Then whispered:
“And Sophia saw it.”
Silence.
Alexander asked:
“Who pushed Rebecca?”
Victoria began crying.
“I don’t know.”
“You were there.”
“The lights went out.”
Alexander stared.
“For how long?”
“Seconds.”
“When they came back?”
Victoria looked at him.
“Rebecca was gone.”
Then Paul spoke from across the room.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
He looked toward Victoria.
“You do know.”
Victoria’s face changed.
May you like
Paul continued.
“Because Raymond told me what you did.”
