Chapter 17 - The Man Who Taught Ethan EverythingEthan survived the gunshot.
The bullet passed through his upper chest without striking his heart.
Claire felt no relief when the doctor told her.
At least that was what she told herself.
Thomas Coleman was captured near the lower trail after slipping on wet rock and breaking his ankle.
The irony wasn’t lost on anyone.
He was charged immediately.
Ethan remained under guard at the hospital.
Mara was transferred to federal custody.
Michael faced fraud, conspiracy, forgery, and obstruction charges while prosecutors determined how deeply he had participated.
For the first time since Raven Falls, Ava slept.
Claire didn’t.
She sat at the kitchen table in a federal safe house reading the ledger.
Names.
Dates.
Amounts.
Victims.
Accomplices.
Rebecca Holloway appeared on page forty-two.
Beside her name:
E.C. RELATIONSHIP.
T.C. OVERSIGHT.
M.P. POLICY.
M.B. ACCESS.
Michael’s initials.
Claire closed her eyes.
He hadn’t killed Rebecca directly.
But he had supplied financial information.
That was enough.
Then Claire found herself.
CLAIRE BENNETT.
Under remarks:
ORIGINAL OBJECTIVE: FINANCIAL / RETALIATORY.
UPDATED OBJECTIVE: TERMINATION.
AUTHORIZED: T.C.
RESISTED BY: E.C.
Claire read the last line again.
Ethan had resisted.
It changed nothing.
But it mattered.
That angered her.
The next morning, she visited him.
Two federal agents stood outside the hospital room.
Ethan was handcuffed to the bed.
He looked pale.
When Claire entered, surprise filled his face.
“You came.”
“Don’t make it romantic.”
His mouth closed.
Claire sat.
“I read the ledger.”
“Then you know.”
“I know your father ordered my death.”
“Yes.”
“I know you initially refused.”
“Yes.”
“And then you pushed me anyway.”
Ethan looked toward the window.
“Yes.”
Claire waited for an excuse.
He didn’t give one.
“Why?”
He took a long breath.
“I spent my whole life becoming whatever he needed me to be.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“No.”
“Try again.”
Ethan looked at her.
“Because when he threatened Ava, I believed him.”
“So you chose me.”
“Yes.”
The honesty hurt more than a lie.
Claire nodded slowly.
“At least you finally said it.”
“I thought if you died fast, he’d leave her alone.”
“You thought murdering me was protecting my daughter?”
“I was sick.”
“Are.”
“Yes.”
Claire studied him.
“Did you ever love me?”
He closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
She hated the answer.
“Don’t.”
“You asked.”
“I wanted you to say no.”
“I know.”
“That would make this easier.”
“I know.”
Claire stood.
“You don’t get to love someone and murder them.”
“I know.”
“Love isn’t what you feel in private. It’s what you refuse to do to someone even when it costs you.”
Ethan looked shattered.
Claire felt no satisfaction.
She walked toward the door.
“Claire.”
She stopped.
“The proposal.”
Her shoulders stiffened.
“What about it?”
“There was a ring.”
She turned.
Ethan gave a sad smile.
“I bought it.”
“Why?”
“Because three weeks before Raven Falls, I was going to ask you.”
Claire stared.
“While married.”
“I was going to leave Mara.”
“And your father?”
“I thought I could.”
Claire shook her head.
“You built one lie on top of another until even you didn’t know what was real.”
“Probably.”
“Where’s the ring?”
“In your backpack.”
Claire remembered the backpack beside Ethan’s feet after the fall.
“There was no ring when police searched it.”
“I hid it in the lining.”
“The same place as the phone?”
“Yes.”
Claire thought of Ethan’s message.
She trusts me completely.
“Who received that message?”
“My father.”
“Why tell him that?”
“He demanded proof I was going through with it.”
Claire felt sick.
Ethan looked away.
“I almost didn’t.”
“But you did.”
“Yes.”
Claire opened the door.
“Goodbye, Ethan.”
“Claire.”
She didn’t turn.
“I’m sorry.”
Claire’s voice remained calm.
“Spend the rest of your life being sorry.”
Then she left.
Outside, Ava waited.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Want coffee?”
“Yes.”
They walked together.
For once, no mystery followed them.
Then Ruiz called.
“We opened the backpack lining.”
Claire stopped.
“The ring?”
“We found that.”
“What else?”
A pause.
“A flash drive.”
Claire looked at Ava.
“What’s on it?”
Ruiz answered:
“A video recorded at your house six months before Ethan met you.”
Claire’s stomach tightened.
“Of what?”
“Your ex-husband.”
“What is Michael doing?”
Ruiz’s voice went quiet.
“He’s meeting Thomas Coleman.”
Claire stopped breathing.
Michael had claimed Ethan forced him into the scheme after they met.
May you like
But six months before Claire met Ethan, Michael was already sitting across from Ethan’s father.
And in the video, Michael was the one handing Thomas Claire’s photograph.
