Chapter 16 - THE WOMAN EVELYN CALLED MOM DIDN’T DIE NATURALLYElizabeth Mercer died when Evelyn was four.
Cancer.
That was what Charles had always said.
Evelyn remembered hospitals.
Scarves around Elizabeth’s head.
Medication bottles.
So when Laura implied something else, Evelyn expected another manipulation.
Then Charles whispered:
“Elizabeth wasn’t sick.”
The chapel became silent.
“What?”
“She was being poisoned.”
Evelyn stared.
“No.”
“Slowly.”
“You told me cancer.”
“We told everyone cancer.”
“Why?”
“To hide what was happening while we investigated.”
“Who poisoned her?”
Charles looked sick.
“We never proved it.”
“You keep saying that.”
“I know.”
“Richard?”
“I thought so.”
“Eleanor?”
“Possibly.”
“Laura?”
“She was sixteen.”
Evelyn paced.
“Did Elizabeth know?”
“At the end.”
“And?”
“She discovered someone had been adding small amounts of thallium to supplements.”
Evelyn’s skin crawled.
“Why didn’t you take her to police?”
“I did.”
“And?”
“The sample disappeared.”
Again.
Evidence.
Records.
People paid.
Everything vanished around money.
Charles continued.
“Elizabeth died before we could identify who had access.”
“Did Laura know?”
“No.”
“Now she thinks you killed her?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Martin told her.”
“Why would Martin lie?”
“To turn Laura against me.”
“But Martin is dead.”
“Yes.”
Evelyn suddenly understood.
“And Laura killed him?”
Charles hesitated.
“I believe so.”
A message arrived.
RIVERFRONT STORAGE. UNIT 206. COME ALONE.
Laura.
Evelyn showed Charles.
He shook his head.
“No.”
“You don’t get to tell me no.”
“She’s dangerous.”
“She was my therapist for a year.”
“She abducted your son.”
“And I’m done having men decide what information I can handle.”
Charles flinched.
Good.
Victor and Reed were informed despite Laura’s demand.
Evelyn went inside alone while tactical officers waited nearby.
Unit 206 was open.
A lamp illuminated the center.
Laura sat at a folding table.
No weapon visible.
Evelyn entered.
“Where’s the archive?”
“Safe.”
“Why did you bring me here?”
Laura looked tired.
Not like the composed psychiatrist.
Like a woman carrying decades of rage.
“You remember Elizabeth?”
“Pieces.”
“She was my mother.”
“I know.”
Laura’s eyes changed.
“Charles told you.”
“Yes.”
“Did he tell you he abandoned me?”
“He said your father had custody.”
“My father beat me.”
Evelyn said nothing.
“Mother begged Charles to help.”
“Did he?”
“No.”
Laura smiled bitterly.
“He was too busy protecting his reputation.”
Evelyn believed parts of it.
Charles had admitted enough ugliness.
“Why target me?”
“At first, I didn’t.”
“You became my therapist accidentally?”
“No.”
Laura looked ashamed.
“I wanted to know you.”
“By pretending?”
“I hated you before I met you.”
Evelyn’s throat tightened.
“Because Elizabeth raised me.”
“Because you got the mother I wanted.”
“That wasn’t my choice.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Laura’s eyes filled.
“I do now.”
“Then why help Garrett?”
“To get access to the trust.”
“For Charles?”
“At first.”
“And later?”
“I discovered the archive contained Elizabeth’s medical records.”
Evelyn froze.
“The poisoning.”
Laura nodded.
“I thought Charles killed her.”
“Did he?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
Laura reached into a bag.
Evelyn tensed.
Laura placed a laboratory report on the table.
Fingerprints recovered from an old supplement container.
One match.
Eleanor Blackwood.
Evelyn stared.
“Eleanor poisoned Elizabeth.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Elizabeth knew Garrett was Charles’s son.”
The pieces connected.
Eleanor feared exposure.
Richard would kill her.
Or Garrett.
Or both.
“So Eleanor murdered my mother to protect her secret.”
Laura nodded.
Evelyn felt grief for a woman she barely remembered.
“Did you kill Eleanor?”
Laura looked at her.
“No.”
“Who did?”
“Richard.”
Evelyn froze.
“Why?”
“She was going to confess.”
“Confess what?”
“Everything.”
Laura pushed Eleanor’s handbag across the table.
Inside was a recording device.
Evelyn pressed play.
Eleanor’s voice.
Trembling.
Nothing like the cold woman Evelyn knew.
Garrett, if you hear this, I failed you. Richard is alive. He has always been alive. I did terrible things because I was afraid he would discover you were Charles’s son.
Evelyn stared.
Eleanor continued.
I poisoned Elizabeth Mercer. I helped falsify Richard’s death. I helped isolate Evelyn. But I did not order Charles’s plane destroyed. Richard did.
Then:
And Garrett, there is something you must know about the twins’ trust. Richard has misunderstood it.
Evelyn leaned closer.
The trust does not belong to Evelyn alone.
A pause.
Charles added a second heir years ago.
Laura stopped the recording.
Evelyn looked at her.
“Who?”
May you like
Laura’s expression became almost amused.
“Garrett.”
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