Chapter 4 - The Man Behind the Camera
Carter disappeared.
His phone was found abandoned at a gas station forty miles from the estate.
Police issued a warrant.
Ethan blamed himself.
“I trusted him.”
Marcus replied,
“That's why criminals use trust.”
Grace had been moved to a guest room for her safety.
She wanted to leave.
But Ethan insisted.
“You saved Noah. Until we know who's behind this, you're safer here.”
Grace wasn't convinced.
“Your house is where someone tried to hurt your son.”
“Exactly.”
He looked at her.
“They won't expect me to keep the one person who can identify the scene.”
Grace stayed.
That night, she heard a noise outside.
She opened the curtain.
A shadow stood near the trees.
Then disappeared.
She called security.
Nobody found anyone.
But when Grace returned to bed, she saw an envelope beneath the door.
Inside was a note.
STOP ASKING QUESTIONS.
She immediately called Ethan.
He arrived seconds later.
His face became furious.
“Did you touch anything else?”
“No.”
He called Marcus.
The investigation escalated.
Fingerprints were found on the envelope.
They belonged to Carter.
But Carter wasn't acting alone.
A second fingerprint matched someone else.
Vanessa.
Ethan stared at the report.
“She lied to me.”
Marcus nodded.
“She's been lying to everyone.”
Vanessa was brought back for questioning.
This time, she broke.
She admitted she had planned the pool incident.
But she insisted she never intended Noah to die.
“I wanted Ethan to think Grace was responsible.”
“Why?”
“Because Ethan was going to leave me.”
Ethan stared at her.
“You almost killed my son because you were afraid I'd leave you?”
Vanessa cried.
“I wanted you to hate Grace.”
“You risked Noah.”
“I thought the stroller would stop at the edge.”
Marcus looked at her.
“You pushed it.”
“I panicked.”
“Then why did you wait?”
Vanessa had no answer.
Then Marcus asked,
“Who told you to do it?”
Vanessa looked terrified.
“Carter.”
Ethan whispered,
“Why?”
“He said if Noah died, everything would change.”
“What does that mean?”
Vanessa looked at Ethan.
“Your inheritance.”
Silence.
Ethan's father's estate had a clause.
If Ethan died, Noah would inherit everything.
But if Noah also died before reaching adulthood, control would pass to a designated trustee.
That trustee was...
Lucas.
Ethan's brother.
He stared at Vanessa.
“Lucas.”
Vanessa nodded.
But Marcus wasn't satisfied.
“Why would Lucas want the inheritance?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Then she whispered,
“Because someone promised him more.”
“Who?”
Vanessa looked toward the door.
“Your father's old lawyer.”
Ethan froze.
“Richard Vale?”
“Yes.”
Richard Vale had supposedly died five years earlier.
But Vanessa had seen him.
May you like
Alive.
Running the entire scheme from the shadows.
