Chapter 9 - Eleven Families
The next file changed the investigation from a domestic violence case into something much larger.
David had documented eleven families.
Deaths initially classified as accidents, overdoses, medical events or suicides.
In every case, someone connected to the surviving spouse gained financially afterward.
Some names matched people in Richard’s notebook.
Others did not.
Officer Collins called state investigators.
Then federal financial crime specialists.
By morning, Sarah was no longer allowed to see everything being uncovered.
The case had become too large.
But one fact remained hers.
David had known.
And David had been afraid.
Noah sat beside her while she watched the video again.
Sarah had tried to keep him away from it.
He overheard enough to insist.
“Dad made that?”
“Yes.”
“Before he died?”
“Yes.”
Noah watched David’s face.
He did not cry.
Not until the sentence about him.
None of this happened because of him.
Then Noah leaned into his mother.
Sarah held him.
For three years, Noah had privately carried a child’s impossible theory.
That David died because he had asked his father to hurry home from work.
Noah had called him that night because he wanted help with a science project.
David promised he would finish his meeting quickly.
Thirty minutes later, his car was on the highway.
Noah had never told Sarah that he blamed himself.
David somehow had known his son might.
Sarah kissed Noah’s forehead.
“Your dad wanted you to hear that.”
Noah wiped his face.
“Did Richard kill Dad?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you think he did?”
Sarah chose her answer carefully.
“I think Richard knows more than he told us.”
That was enough.
Meanwhile, investigators located Monica Reed.
She flew in voluntarily.
Monica identified Martin Shaw from a photograph.
She also identified Olivia.
Then she identified Rebecca Sloan.
Sarah stared at her.
“Rebecca?”
Monica nodded.
“She was there.”
“Where?”
“At the hotel where Richard met me.”
Sarah immediately called Officer Collins.
Rebecca was brought in for questioning.
She did not request an attorney.
When shown Monica’s statement, Rebecca lowered her head.
“Yes.”
Sarah watched through the glass.
Collins asked,
“What was your role?”
“I represented the company that managed Monica’s late father’s assets.”
“You introduced Richard?”
“No.”
“Did you know what he was doing?”
“Not then.”
“When did you learn?”
“Later.”
“How much later?”
Rebecca looked at the mirror.
She knew Sarah was behind it.
“Too late.”
Sarah entered the room despite Collins telling her to wait.
“Tell me.”
Rebecca looked at her.
“I discovered Martin was manipulating estates.”
“You still worked with him.”
“I was collecting evidence.”
“David trusted you.”
“I know.”
“Did you tell Martin about David’s investigation?”
Rebecca’s eyes filled.
“No.”
“Did you tell anyone?”
Silence.
Sarah’s voice changed.
“Rebecca.”
“I told one person.”
“Who?”
“My brother.”
Sarah stared at her.
“Why?”
“He was a federal investigator.”
“Was?”
“He disappeared four years ago.”
Collins leaned forward.
“What was his name?”
“Robert Sloan.”
The initials from David’s bank slip.
R.S.
Sarah pulled out the copy.
“David gave twenty thousand dollars to R.S.”
Rebecca stared.
“Where did you get that?”
“Blackwater Inn.”
Rebecca began crying.
“That’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“Robert disappeared a year before David died.”
No one spoke.
Rebecca looked at the receipt again.
“If David met someone using Robert’s identity, then whoever he met already knew about my brother.”
Sarah felt the scope of the deception expanding again.
Not one corrupt attorney.
Not one abusive husband.
Not one criminal family.
A network.
Someone had known about Rebecca’s missing brother.
Someone had used his initials.
Someone had directed David to Blackwater Road on the night he died.
“Who knew Robert was investigating Martin?” Collins asked.
Rebecca wiped her eyes.
“Three people.”
“Names.”
“Me. David.”
“And?”
Rebecca hesitated.
“David’s business partner.”
Sarah felt her heart stop.
David had only ever had one business partner.
A man who delivered the eulogy at his funeral.
May you like
A man Noah still called Uncle.
Thomas Mercer.
