Chapter 9 - The Secret Under Olivia’s Perfect Dress
Olivia Vance was arrested on a Thursday morning.
Not for Evelyn’s disappearance.
Not yet.
The charge involved obstruction of justice after investigators discovered she had attempted to destroy Northstar financial records stored in a private office.
Richard watched federal agents walk his mother past the front windows.
For the first time in his life, she looked old.
He wanted to blame Maya.
Instead, Olivia looked directly at him and said, “Do not speak to anyone.”
Richard ignored her within three hours.
He contacted Vanessa.
She refused the call.
He contacted two former Northstar associates.
Neither answered.
He tried to access an offshore account.
Frozen.
At 4:30 p.m., Richard entered the garage and found Steven Mallory waiting beside his car.
“You’re under investigation.”
Richard laughed.
“For what?”
“Potential conspiracy, stalking, evidence tampering, financial crimes and possibly more.”
“Possibly more means nothing.”
Mallory lowered his voice.
“They’re reopening Evelyn Bennett’s disappearance.”
Richard’s expression changed.
Mallory noticed.
“You need to tell me what happened.”
“Nothing happened.”
“Then why do you look like that every time I say her name?”
Richard stepped closer.
“You work for me.”
“I work for the version of you that tells me enough truth to keep you out of prison.”
Richard stared at him.
Mallory continued.
“Did you kill Evelyn Bennett?”
“No.”
The answer came instantly.
For the first time that week, it was true.
Mallory studied him.
“Were you present when she died?”
Richard’s silence lasted too long.
Mallory closed his briefcase.
“I’m withdrawing.”
“You can’t.”
“Watch me.”
“Steven.”
Mallory stopped.
Richard lowered his voice.
“She wasn’t supposed to die.”
Mallory turned slowly.
Richard realized what he had said.
“Who says she died?” Mallory asked.
Richard’s face drained.
Mallory stepped toward him.
“You just told me she wasn’t supposed to die.”
“I misspoke.”
“No.”
Mallory picked up his briefcase.
“You need a criminal defense attorney.”
“You are a criminal defense attorney.”
“Not anymore.”
He left.
Richard stood alone in the garage.
Across the city, Maya watched Olivia through a one-way interview window.
Federal investigator Rachel Kim sat across from Olivia.
Claire Dawson stood beside Maya.
Julian was not allowed inside.
Olivia had requested to speak with Maya.
Maya refused.
Then Olivia said she would discuss Blackridge only if Maya listened.
So Maya listened from behind glass.
Rachel placed a photograph on the table.
“You knew Eleanor Ashbourne.”
Olivia looked at it.
“Yes.”
“You knew her as Evelyn Bennett.”
“Yes.”
“You hired your son to monitor her daughter.”
“No.”
Rachel waited.
Olivia smiled faintly.
“I hired Richard to recover stolen family property.”
“The silver ring?”
“Among other things.”
“Why was it yours?”
“It wasn’t.”
“Then whose?”
Olivia looked directly toward the one-way glass.
Maya’s skin prickled.
Olivia could not see her.
Yet somehow she knew where Maya stood.
“The ring belonged to Eleanor’s grandmother.”
Rachel continued.
“Why was it important?”
“Because William Ashbourne hid access information inside it.”
“Access to what?”
Olivia said nothing.
Rachel slid another photograph forward.
Blackridge warehouse.
“You were there the night Evelyn disappeared.”
Olivia’s smile vanished.
“Who told you?”
“We have evidence.”
“You have a photograph.”
“We also have a witness.”
For the first time, Olivia looked afraid.
“Daniel Mercer?”
Rachel did not answer.
Olivia’s fingers tightened.
Maya noticed.
Daniel was alive.
Or investigators wanted Olivia to believe he was.
Rachel asked, “What happened at Blackridge?”
Olivia stared at the table.
“Eleanor came to meet Daniel.”
“Why?”
“He had something for her.”
“What?”
“A ledger.”
“The Blackridge ledger?”
Olivia looked up.
“You know more than I expected.”
“Where is it?”
Olivia laughed softly.
“Everyone keeps asking the wrong question.”
“What is the right question?”
“Who was Blackridge built for?”
Rachel leaned forward.
“Tell me.”
Olivia shook her head.
“You think this is about stolen money.”
“Isn’t it?”
“The money is the leash.”
“For whom?”
Olivia looked toward the glass again.
“For families.”
Maya felt a chill.
Rachel asked, “What families?”
Olivia smiled.
“The ones who thought they were rich because they owned companies.”
She leaned back.
“They were rich because Blackridge allowed them to keep owning companies.”
Rachel frowned.
“That makes no sense.”
“It will.”
Olivia’s eyes returned to the mirror.
Then she said Maya’s name.
“Maya.”
Maya froze.
Rachel said, “She is not in this room.”
“I know.”
Olivia spoke toward the glass.
“Your mother was not killed because she found missing money.”
May you like
Maya’s heartbeat became painfully loud.
“She was targeted because she discovered what the money purchased.”
