Chapter 9 - Everett Had Another SonBeatrice denied it immediately.
“No.”
Genevieve stared.
“You didn't even let me finish.”
“There is no other son.”
Callum looked at her.
“You sound very sure.”
“I am.”
“Why?”
“Because Everett told me.”
Laurel almost laughed.
“Dad told everyone whatever made his life easier.”
Beatrice glared.
The rumor began thirty-five years earlier.
A woman named Celeste Ward claimed she had a relationship with Everett before he married Beatrice.
She later had a son.
Jonah.
Everett denied paternity.
No test was done.
The Ashfords paid Celeste a settlement to stop speaking publicly.
“Who arranged it?” Genevieve asked.
Beatrice looked away.
“Malcolm.”
Of course.
“Where is Jonah?”
“I don't know.”
Detective Morgan searched.
Jonah Ward existed.
Born 1986.
Changed surname at eighteen.
Current name—
Sebastian Reed.
Silence.
Maribel covered her mouth.
Callum stared at the wall.
“No.”
But records aligned.
Sebastian’s legal mother was Monica Bell Reed.
Not Celeste Ward.
How?
Further digging revealed Celeste and Monica were cousins.
Celeste died when Jonah was four.
Monica adopted him.
His name changed.
Sebastian Reed was not only Timothy Bell’s nephew through Monica.
He might also be Everett’s son through Celeste.
Genevieve felt dizzy.
“So Sebastian could be our half-brother.”
Callum whispered:
“And Timothy was his adoptive uncle.”
He had two reasons to enter their family.
Inheritance.
Revenge.
Truth.
Maybe all three.
“Did Dad know?” Genevieve asked Beatrice.
She shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“Stop saying that.”
“I truly don't.”
Then Maribel’s phone rang.
Mateo.
She answered immediately.
“Where are you?”
Static.
Then her brother’s voice.
“Don't say my name.”
Too late.
Police began tracing.
Maribel put it on speaker.
“I’m scared.”
“I know.”
“Where are you?”
“Safe for the moment.”
“What happened to Sebastian?”
Pause.
“He’s alive.”
Everyone exhaled.
“Did you hurt him?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
“Malcolm’s people.”
Genevieve stepped forward.
“Mateo, this is Genevieve.”
Silence.
“I know.”
“Where is Sebastian?”
“I can't tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because if Malcolm finds him first, he's dead.”
“Why?”
“Sebastian has the original Orchard recording.”
The one Malcolm used to blackmail Everett?
“No.”
Mateo continued.
“Not Malcolm’s edited version.”
Genevieve's pulse accelerated.
“Edited?”
“The recording that made Everett think he caused Timothy’s fall was manipulated.”
Callum swore.
“Where’s the original?”
“Sebastian found it.”
“What does it show?”
“Audio only.”
“Then what does it prove?”
Mateo’s voice lowered.
“It proves Everett left before Timothy died.”
Silence.
“And Malcolm?”
“He stayed.”
The original recording captured Everett being dragged away by staff after fighting with Timothy.
Minutes later, Timothy confronted Malcolm.
He threatened to expose the identity-theft scheme.
Then sounds of a struggle.
Timothy yelling:
“Get off me!”
Malcolm saying:
“You should’ve kept your mouth shut.”
Then the crash.
Everett had spent almost forty years believing he might have caused a death that occurred after he left.
Malcolm built an empire on that guilt.
“Why didn't Sebastian give Dad the recording?”
“He found it after Everett died.”
“Then why not give it to police?”
“He wanted the financial network first.”
Revenge.
He wanted Malcolm destroyed completely.
“Where does Maribel fit?”
Mateo hesitated.
“She doesn't.”
Maribel looked stunned.
“Then why use my bag?”
“I didn't.”
“Sebastian?”
“Yes.”
Genevieve felt anger.
“He planted the recorder.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He wanted Genevieve to hear Everett’s warning.”
“So he drugged Maribel?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Mateo went silent.
“Mateo.”
“I don't know for sure.”
“Guess.”
“Someone in the house who knew the recorder would appear.”
Genevieve looked at Beatrice.
Callum.
Laurel.
But one person had been overlooked.
Yolanda?
No.
Another household member.
Genevieve’s estate manager, Harrison Pike.
He handled staff schedules.
Medication deliveries.
Security access.
And he had worked for Everett for twenty-five years.
Mateo whispered:
“Look at Harrison’s accounts.”
The call ended.
Detective Morgan did.
Six months of deposits.
Small enough to avoid immediate attention.
Total:
$340,000.
From a shell company linked to Malcolm Voss.
Genevieve felt sick.
Harrison had been inside her home every day.
He knew Rowan’s routines.
Maribel’s schedule.
Beatrice’s medications.
Callum’s prescriptions.
Everything.
They went to his apartment above the estate garage.
Empty.
On the desk—
a printed plan.
TODAY.
1: Bring M bag inside.
2: Tea at 2.
3: Pills on rug.
4: G home 3:20.
5: Recorder discovered.
6: Police focus on C.
Genevieve stared.
It had been staged.
Maribel was drugged.
Rowan placed near pills.
Callum framed.
Recorder planted.
But why bring Everett’s warning back if Malcolm wanted it buried?
Then Rachel, Everett’s former lawyer, read the final handwritten line.
After family fractures, retrieve recorder.
Genevieve understood.
The recorder wasn't meant to help her.
It was bait.
Malcolm wanted the family to turn on Callum.
While everyone panicked—
Harrison would steal the recorder back.
Except Rowan heard it too soon.
Genevieve arrived before the plan finished.
And Harrison lost control.
Then police found something else.
A photograph of Rowan.
Taken through his bedroom window.
On the back:
If G doesn’t cooperate, use the boy.
Genevieve stopped breathing.
May you like
The mystery was no longer about the dead.
Someone had begun planning around her son.
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