Chapter 8: The Woman in the Photograph
Ethan gripped the phone.
“Come here.””
Silence.
“Mother, if you know what’s happening, come to the house.””
Margaret sighed.
“I’m already outside.””
Headlights appeared through the narrow basement window.
A car door closed.
Voss whispered, “This is bad.””
Ethan looked at him.
“You’re afraid of my mother?””
Voss didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
Minutes later, Margaret Cole descended the basement stairs.
At sixty-three, she still carried herself with the controlled elegance Ethan remembered from childhood.
Perfect posture.
Silver-blonde hair.
Dark wool coat.
But tonight she wasn’t looking at her son.
She was looking at Baxter.
The dog stood beneath William’s desk.
Margaret stopped.
“Hello, Baxter.””
Baxter didn’t bark.
He simply watched her.
Ethan held up the photograph.
“Explain this.””
Margaret glanced at it.
“Your father, Samuel and me.””
“You knew Halpern was investigating Dad’s illness?””
“Yes.””
“You knew he was being drugged?””
“Yes.””
Nora gasped.
Ethan stared at his mother.
“And you said nothing?””
“I was trying to keep you alive.””
“Everybody keeps using that excuse.””
Margaret removed her coat.
“Because everybody underestimated what your father uncovered.””
Voss stepped forward.
“Margaret, don’t.””
She looked at him with contempt.
“You’re still taking orders, Daniel?””
Voss’s jaw tightened.
Margaret turned to Ethan.
“Your father discovered that Cole Meridian’s medical-distribution network was being manipulated.””
“How?””
“Certain shipments were being rerouted. Records were changed. Payments disappeared through shell companies.””
Ethan shook his head.
“Dad would have reported it.””
“He tried.””
“What happened?””
“Someone inside the company stopped him.””
Ethan looked at Voss.
Margaret shook her head.
“Daniel was involved, but Daniel never controlled the operation.””
Voss looked away.
Ethan remembered the note.
*Start with Margaret.*
“Then why did Dad suspect you?””
Pain crossed her face.
“Because I lied to him.””
“About what?””
“About you.””
Ethan froze.
Margaret walked toward William’s desk.
“When you became CEO, William wanted to expose everything immediately. I begged him not to.””
“Why?””
“Because the person behind it had already chosen you as the next target.””
Nora whispered, “The tea.””
Margaret nodded.
“The plan didn’t begin tonight.””
Ethan felt sick.
“How long?””
“Years.””
Baxter moved toward a locked drawer.
He sniffed it.
Then pawed once.
Margaret looked at him.
“Of course you remember.””
Ethan opened the drawer using a key taped beneath the desk.
Inside was a small recorder.
He pressed play.
William’s voice filled the room.
“Margaret believes protecting Ethan means keeping him ignorant.””
Margaret closed her eyes.
“She’s wrong.””
Ethan listened.
“If you’re hearing this, son, then I failed to stop them.””
Paper rustled on the recording.
“The person responsible has access to our company, our home and our family.””
Ethan looked around the room.
William continued.
“I originally suspected Margaret because she repeatedly interfered with my investigation. Later, I discovered why.””
Margaret whispered, “William…”
“She was protecting Ethan.””
Ethan looked at his mother.
Tears appeared in her eyes.
“But Margaret made one terrible mistake.””
Everyone became still.
“She trusted someone I had already begun investigating.””
The recording crackled.
Then William spoke a name.
“Dr. Samuel Halpern.””
Monroe frowned.
“Halpern?””
Ethan stared at the recorder.
Everything they believed had just shifted.
William continued.
“Samuel told me he discovered the compound in my blood. What I didn’t know was that he had helped design it.””
Nora stepped backward.
“No…”
“He claimed he was being forced to cooperate. Perhaps that was true. But before I could verify his story, he disappeared.””
Ethan looked at Margaret.
“You knew?””
“Not until after your father died.””
“Where is Halpern?””
“I don’t know.””
Voss laughed softly.
Margaret turned.
“What’s funny?””
“You really believe that?””
Margaret’s expression hardened.
Voss looked at Ethan.
“Halpern didn’t disappear.””
“What are you talking about?””
“He changed identities.””
Monroe stepped toward him.
“Daniel.””
“Enough secrets.””
Voss pointed toward the shelves.
“William discovered Halpern wasn’t working alone. Someone else had access to the formula.””
“Who?””
“Someone William trusted completely.””
Ethan’s stomach tightened.
Baxter suddenly left the desk.
He walked directly toward Nora.
She froze.
The dog sniffed her hand.
Then moved past her.
Toward Margaret.
He sniffed her coat.
Nothing.
Then Baxter turned toward Detective Monroe.
His body stiffened.
Monroe slowly stepped backward.
“Keep him away from me.””
Baxter barked.
Once.
Twice.
Then he lunged toward the leather strap of her shoulder bag.
The bag fell.
Its contents scattered across the floor.
Wallet.
Keys.
Notebook.
A photograph.
And a medical identification card.
Ethan picked it up.
Monroe rushed forward.
“Don’t!””
Too late.
The card showed a younger man wearing glasses.
The name beneath the photograph read:
*Dr. Samuel Halpern.*
On the back was an emergency contact.
Ethan read the name.
Then looked at Monroe.
“Rachel Halpern.””
Her face collapsed.
Margaret whispered, “Your father…”
Monroe said nothing.
Ethan held up the card.
“You’re his daughter.””
“Yes.””
“Where is he?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“He’s alive.””
Everyone froze.
Ethan stepped closer.
“Where?””
Monroe looked toward Baxter.
Then at the hidden room full of William’s evidence.
“My father didn’t disappear to escape the police.””
Her voice shook.
“He disappeared because he found out who ordered your father’s poisoning.””
Ethan stared at her.
“Who was it?””
Monroe opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, Baxter suddenly ran to the basement stairs and began barking furiously.
Footsteps sounded above them.
Slow.
Heavy.
Approaching the basement door.
Then a familiar male voice called down from the house.
“Ethan?””
Ethan stopped breathing.
Because he had heard that voice thousands of times growing up.
May you like
And he had heard it again only minutes earlier on the recording.
“Son,” William Cole called from upstairs, “don’t believe a word they’ve told you.””
