Chapter 10 - The Flight Was Part of the Plan
Ethan’s body went cold in a way anger could not explain.
Flight 608 had not simply been Natalie’s last trip before treatment.
It had been a deadline.
Somebody expected to control what happened when she landed.
Nolan stared at the paper.
“I’ve never seen that.”
Moreno said, “Convenient.”
“I’m serious.”
Ethan pointed at the handwriting.
“Is it Allison’s?”
Nolan hesitated.
“Yes.”
The plan became visible in pieces.
Allison knew Natalie’s flight schedule.
She knew Natalie planned to begin treatment the next morning.
She had already tried to cancel it.
She had arranged a transfer to New Horizons.
She had a forged healthcare proxy.
She had access to Natalie’s money and identity documents.
And she believed Ethan would not be on Flight 608.
Because he never was.
Twelve years of missed anniversaries had made him predictable.
Except this time.
He had bought a ticket.
The surprise that was supposed to make Natalie laugh had shattered whatever Allison intended to do after landing.
Moreno stepped outside to make calls.
Ethan sat across from Nolan.
“Did she ever say she wanted Natalie dead?”
Nolan looked horrified.
“No.”
“That answer came fast.”
“Because she’s her sister.”
“She forged papers after their dead aunt’s name. She changed insurance beneficiaries.”
Nolan rubbed his face.
“Allison doesn’t think like normal people.”
“What does that mean?”
“She thinks if she can justify the reason, the method doesn’t count.”
Ethan stared.
Nolan went on.
“Maria Chen’s husband was drinking after she died. Allison decided he would waste the insurance. So she moved money into an account ‘for the kids.’”
“And kept some.”
“She called it management.”
“How much?”
Nolan said nothing.
“Exactly.”
Ethan’s phone rang.
Dr. Shah.
He answered immediately.
“The pharmacy finished preliminary testing.”
Ethan stood.
“And?”
“One of the capsules Natalie was taking contains concentrated kava and another sedating compound not listed on the label.”
“Dangerous?”
“Potentially, especially combined with her anti-nausea medication. It could worsen dizziness and affect liver function.”
“Could it make her seem confused?”
“Yes.”
The room seemed to shrink.
“Could somebody use that confusion to claim she couldn’t make medical decisions?”
Dr. Shah was silent.
Then: “In theory.”
Ethan looked at Nolan.
The forged proxy.
The private clinic.
The capacity doctor.
The supplements.
This was not a murder plan.
It was a control plan.
Make Natalie sick enough to appear impaired.
Move her somewhere private.
Have a cooperative doctor declare her temporarily unable to manage decisions.
Use the proxy.
Move the money.
Maybe keep delaying treatment.
Maybe tell everyone Natalie wanted privacy.
And if she eventually died, the insurance would pay.
Ethan felt physically ill.
“Where did Allison get the supplements?”
Nolan stared at the evidence bag.
“New Horizons sells them.”
Moreno came back inside.
“We have a warrant request moving.”
Ethan asked, “For the clinic?”
“And for Allison’s apartment.”
Then Moreno’s phone buzzed.
He read the message.
His face tightened.
“What?”
“Boston Police just got a call from the hospital.”
Ethan’s heart stopped.
“What happened?”
“Natalie is missing.”
— — —
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