Chapter 8 - The Story Serena Prepared
Police arrived at the estate twenty minutes later.
Serena walked through the front gate at the same time.
She was no longer wearing the red dress. A gray coat covered her body, and her hair had been pulled into a loose knot. Conrad walked beside her carrying his leather document case.
Victor watched from the entrance.
Serena approached with both hands visible.
“I escaped through the garden,” she announced. “I was afraid Lily would attack me.”
Victor said nothing.
Conrad stepped forward.
“My client has suffered a serious assault and is prepared to cooperate.”
“Your client dragged my son across the floor.”
“According to whom?”
“I saw it.”
Conrad’s expression remained calm.
“You entered during a chaotic confrontation. Serena says Lily had already harmed the child and forced her to intervene.”
“There was a recording.”
“Which no longer exists.”
Lily stood behind Victor.
Conrad looked at her.
“Miss Bennett has displayed obsessive behavior toward this family for years. She believed Mrs. Hale’s death was a conspiracy. She has repeatedly entered restricted rooms, stolen personal records and attempted to influence Ethan.”
“That is a lie,” Lily said.
Conrad opened his case.
“I have six written reports signed by members of staff.”
He handed the documents to a detective.
Each report accused Lily of misconduct.
Broken valuables.
Missing medication.
Unauthorized contact with Ethan.
Threatening comments about Serena.
Victor recognized several staff signatures.
“Bring them here,” he ordered.
The detective shook his head. “We will interview everyone separately.”
Serena looked at Victor with tears gathering in her eyes.
“I tried to warn you.”
“About what?”
“Lily’s fixation on Celeste.”
Lily stepped forward, but Victor raised one hand.
Serena continued.
“She blames me for replacing her. She told Ethan that his mother was trapped inside the mansion. She created that recording by editing my conversations.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“She had access to private calls.”
Conrad removed another document.
“This is a preliminary assessment from Ethan’s counselor. It notes that the child has repeated phrases likely introduced by an adult caretaker.”
Victor read the report.
The counselor’s name was unfamiliar.
“Ethan has never seen this person.”
Serena looked shocked.
“Lily must have canceled the appointments.”
“There were no appointments.”
Conrad spoke calmly. “These arguments belong in court. Until the situation is resolved, Serena is requesting temporary protective control under the Hale Trust.”
Victor looked up.
The petition had already been filed.
It claimed Ethan had suffered harm while under Victor’s supervision. It requested that the child be placed in a private care facility for seventy-two hours while the family court reviewed the allegations.
The supporting statement bore Marcus’s signature.
Marcus read it over Victor’s shoulder.
“I never signed this.”
Conrad shrugged.
“You can challenge it.”
“When was this filed?” Victor asked.
“Eight forty-five this morning.”
Before the confrontation.
Before Victor returned.
Before Serena could claim an emergency had occurred.
She had prepared the story in advance.
Victor handed the petition to the detective.
“This proves planning.”
“It proves concern,” Conrad replied.
Lily looked at Serena.
“You knew Victor’s flight would be canceled.”
Serena’s gaze flickered.
Victor remembered the aircraft security incident.
“You arranged the cancellation,” he said.
“I did nothing of the kind.”
His assistant entered the hall holding a phone.
“Mr. Hale, airport security found a device attached near the aircraft’s communication system. It was harmless, but someone placed it there to trigger the inspection.”
Conrad’s confidence weakened.
The assistant continued.
“The person who accessed the hangar used a Hale Foundation credential.”
Victor looked at Serena.
She looked toward Lily.
Then Ethan spoke from the staircase.
“It was the man from Mommy’s picture.”
Victor turned.
Ethan held an old photograph from the red room.
The image showed Celeste standing beside Victor’s father, Conrad and a fourth man.
The fourth man wore a Hale Foundation badge.
His face had been cut from the photograph.
May you like
On the back, Celeste had written three words.
The first traitor remains.
