Chapter 5 - the night thomas followed his younger son)
Aaron remembered December 18 only because of the snow.
The city had received its first major storm that year.
Thomas had come home after midnight.
Florence told everyone he had slid on ice.
His car had damage on the passenger side.
Aaron had believed it.
Now police photographs showed something different.
The old insurance file, retrieved by Detective Ortiz, described impact marks consistent with another vehicle.
No accident report had ever been filed.
Thomas had paid for repairs privately.
Ortiz laid the documents across a conference room table.
"Your father was following Lucas."
Aaron stared at the photograph.
"What were they doing?"
"That's what we're trying to establish."
Maya had been discharged that morning.
She and Chloe were staying temporarily with Maya's older sister, Nina, whose gated apartment complex had private security.
Aaron wanted to stay with them.
Maya insisted he help Ortiz.
"Finish this," she told him. "Then come home."
Home.
The word hurt.
Their house no longer felt like one.
Ortiz tapped the photograph.
"We found Calvin Reed's old banking records through a warrant tied to the fraud investigation. Twelve years ago, Bellweather received several large deposits."
"From my mother?"
"From an account connected to your father's company."
"So they were already stealing."
"Yes."
"Why involve Lucas?"
"Maybe he helped move the money."
Aaron shook his head.
"My father knew Lucas was reckless, but he wouldn't destroy him over money."
"Unless it wasn't only money."
Ortiz opened another file.
"Your father's medical records show he visited an emergency clinic on December 19."
"The day after the photo."
"He reported dizziness, vomiting, and chest pain."
Aaron felt a cold pressure in his chest.
"He was poisoned then too?"
"We don't know."
"What did the doctor say?"
"They diagnosed food poisoning."
Aaron almost laughed from disbelief.
"Food poisoning."
Ortiz slid a photocopy toward him.
Thomas had listed emergency contact as Florence.
"Your mother picked him up."
Aaron stared.
The timeline was forming.
Thomas discovered financial theft.
Thomas followed Lucas and Calvin.
Something happened.
Thomas became ill.
Weeks later, he died.
Aaron picked up the envelope his father had written to Lucas.
Tell Aaron what happened in December before she destroys both of you.
"Lucas knows."
Ortiz nodded.
"And your mother knows he knows."
By afternoon, police located Florence's phone signal near an industrial district.
The device was found in a trash bin.
No Florence.
No Lucas.
But security cameras showed them entering a warehouse owned by Bellweather Holdings.
They left two hours later in Calvin Reed's truck.
Ortiz obtained a warrant.
Aaron was not permitted inside during the search.
He waited across the street.
Forty minutes later, Ortiz emerged holding an evidence bag.
Inside was a laptop.
Another officer carried boxes.
"What did you find?"
Ortiz looked serious.
"Enough to make them run faster."
"What does that mean?"
"There are financial records going back sixteen years."
"What else?"
She hesitated.
"A handwritten journal."
"Whose?"
"Calvin's."
Aaron stared.
That evening Ortiz called him.
"We found the entry for December 18."
Aaron sat upright on Nina's couch.
Maya looked over.
Chloe was asleep down the hall.
"What does it say?"
Ortiz read from the journal.
Lucas came tonight. F panicked because T followed him. L hit the bumper at the intersection. T got out. He saw the documents. F says she'll handle him.
Aaron's throat tightened.
"F is Florence."
"Likely."
"T is Dad."
"Likely."
"L is Lucas."
"Likely."
Aaron closed his eyes.
"What happened next?"
"The next entry is December 20."
Ortiz paused.
"Read it."
She did.
F says T won't remember much. L sick with guilt. Told him accidents happen.
Aaron stood.
Maya reached for his hand.
"There's another entry in January," Ortiz said.
Aaron waited.
T asking questions again. F says dosage too low last time.
The room became completely silent.
Maya's fingers tightened around Aaron's.
Ortiz continued.
"That's enough for us to reopen your father's death as a suspected homicide."
Aaron could not answer.
He had spent twelve years believing Thomas Mercer died because his heart failed.
Now he had to consider that his mother had slowly killed him.
And Lucas had known.
A knock came at Nina's door.
Aaron stiffened.
Nina checked the security screen.
"It's police."
Two officers entered.
One carried an envelope.
It had been delivered to Aaron's house thirty minutes earlier by courier.
No return address.
Aaron opened it.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
The handwriting was Lucas's.
Aaron,
I didn't kill Dad.
But I know who did.
Mom won't let me testify.
If you want the truth, come alone to the old train depot at nine tonight.
Do not call the police.
If I see them, I'm leaving.
Under the note was a second line.
Bring the memory card.
Maya stared at him.
"No."
Aaron folded the note.
"I'm not going alone."
Ortiz arrived twenty minutes later.
They built a plan.
Aaron would go.
Police would remain out of sight.
He would carry a duplicate memory card.
At 8:58 p.m., Aaron entered the abandoned train depot.
Rain hit the broken windows.
Lucas stood near the old ticket counter.
He looked exhausted.
His clothes were dirty.
His eyes were bloodshot.
"You're alone?"
Aaron looked at him.
"Are you?"
Lucas laughed nervously.
"No."
Aaron's muscles tightened.
"Where is she?"
Lucas shook his head.
"Not Mom."
A shadow moved behind the ticket counter.
Calvin Reed stepped into view.
He held a pistol.
Aaron's breath stopped.
Lucas looked terrified.
"I told him not to bring that."
Calvin smiled.
"You tell people a lot of things."
Aaron looked at Lucas.
"You said you know who killed Dad."
Lucas's face crumpled.
"I do."
"Say it."
Lucas glanced at Calvin.
Calvin raised the gun slightly.
"Careful."
Aaron realized something then.
Lucas had not arranged this meeting.
Not completely.
He had been allowed to arrange it.
Calvin wanted the memory card.
Aaron reached slowly toward his pocket.
Calvin extended his free hand.
"The card."
Aaron held up the duplicate.
Lucas stared at him.
Then suddenly yelled, "Don't give it to him."
Calvin turned.
That second was enough.
Police floodlights exploded through the windows.
"Police. Drop the weapon."
Calvin grabbed Lucas around the neck.
The gun pressed against his jaw.
Aaron froze.
Lucas began shaking.
Calvin shouted toward the windows.
"Back off."
Then Lucas looked at Aaron.
For the first time in years, he looked like the frightened younger brother Aaron remembered.
"I saw Mom put it in Dad's tea," Lucas whispered.
Calvin tightened his grip.
"Shut up."
May you like
Lucas kept talking.
"The night he died."
