Chapter 7 - THE AFFAIR GRACE DISCOVERED BEFORE THE CRASHEthan stared.
"My business partner?"
Grace nodded.
"Daniel Mercer."
Ethan almost laughed from disbelief.
Daniel had been his closest friend for fifteen years.
They had started Carter-Mercer Development together.
Daniel had attended Grace's memorial.
He had stood beside Ethan at his wedding to Vanessa.
"You're saying Vanessa and Daniel were together?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Before my accident."
"How do you know?"
Grace looked exhausted.
"I saw them."
"Where?"
"At Daniel's condo."
Ethan rubbed his forehead.
None of this fit.
"Why were you there?"
"Because Daniel called me."
Ethan looked up.
"He told you?"
"No. He was drunk."
Grace's memory arrived in fragments.
She explained slowly.
Daniel and Vanessa had been involved for nearly a year.
Vanessa wanted him to leave his girlfriend.
Daniel refused.
Grace discovered them accidentally after Daniel called her during an argument with Vanessa, apparently hoping Grace could "talk sense into her."
"Why you?"
"Because Vanessa and I had known each other."
Ethan nodded.
"And you recorded her?"
"Later."
Grace had confronted Vanessa.
Vanessa admitted the affair.
She also admitted something else.
She wanted Ethan.
Not immediately.
Not necessarily physically.
But she'd developed an obsession with Ethan's life.
His house.
His career.
His family.
"She said I didn't appreciate you."
Ethan looked away.
Grace continued.
"She said she could make you happier."
His stomach turned.
"And you threatened to tell me?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you?"
"I was going to."
"What stopped you?"
Grace looked down.
"Our marriage."
Ethan understood.
They had been fighting.
Grace feared that bringing Vanessa's confession to Ethan might look like another accusation during an already unstable period.
Then Vanessa discovered Grace had recorded part of their confrontation.
"She wanted the phone."
"The night of the crash."
"Yes."
Grace's hands tightened.
"We met because she said she'd leave me alone if I deleted it."
"Did you?"
"No."
A faint smile appeared.
"I didn't trust her."
Ethan almost laughed.
Smart.
"Where was the recording?"
"Cloud backup."
His heart jumped.
"Account?"
Grace shook her head.
"I don't remember."
Of course.
"Then what happened?"
Grace closed her eyes.
"We argued."
"She took your phone."
"Yes."
"Did she hit you?"
"No."
"Touch your car?"
Grace became uncertain.
"I don't know."
Ethan waited.
"I remember driving."
"After Vanessa?"
"Yes."
"Was she following?"
"At first."
Grace's breathing became faster.
Dr. Levin stepped closer.
"We can stop."
Grace shook her head.
"No."
She looked at Ethan.
"I remember the brakes."
His stomach dropped.
"What about them?"
"They felt wrong."
"Wrong how?"
"Soft."
Ethan went still.
The police report had mentioned possible brake failure after impact.
Investigators believed damage happened during the crash.
"What happened next?"
"I couldn't slow down."
Grace began trembling.
"I remember headlights behind me."
"Vanessa?"
"I don't know."
"Then?"
"Guardrail."
She touched the scar on her forehead.
"After that, pieces."
Ethan leaned back.
Had Vanessa tampered with the brakes?
It was possible.
But he refused to jump simply because he hated her now.
"What happened to your phone?"
"Vanessa had it."
Grace looked certain.
"Before I drove away."
Ethan frowned.
"You left without getting it back?"
"She threw it."
"Where?"
"I don't know."
Grace squeezed her eyes shut.
"Maybe over the cliff."
If so, the recording might still exist in a cloud account.
Ethan asked:
"Why did Vanessa find you last year?"
Grace looked toward Dr. Levin.
He answered.
"We believe she learned through the Weston Foundation."
Grace explained that the foundation had posted a private donor report containing a blurred photograph from Bellora.
Vanessa recognized her.
She arrived days later.
"How did you feel?"
"I thought she was my friend."
Ethan's throat tightened.
Memory injury had made Grace vulnerable again.
Vanessa told Grace Ethan had remarried.
That Sophie was happy.
That reappearing would destroy them.
"Did she tell you she married me?"
"Not at first."
"When?"
"Three months later."
Grace laughed sadly.
"She said you fell in love after I died."
Ethan looked away.
Technically true.
Everything around it was poison.
Grace continued.
"Then I started remembering things."
"Vanessa?"
"Yes."
"The argument."
"Yes."
"Daniel?"
"Yes."
Ethan stood.
"I need to call him."
Grace immediately grabbed his wrist.
The contact shocked both of them.
"Don't."
"Why?"
Her face went pale.
"Vanessa said Daniel knows."
"Knows what?"
"That I'm alive."
Ethan froze.
"How?"
"She called him from here once."
Ethan stared.
"When?"
"Maybe two months ago."
"Did you hear?"
"Part."
"What did she say?"
Grace swallowed.
"She told him Grace remembered the phone."
Ethan's skin prickled.
"And Daniel?"
"I couldn't hear him."
"What happened after?"
"Vanessa got angry."
Grace looked toward the window.
"She said, 'If Ethan finds out, we both lose everything.'"
We both.
Not Vanessa alone.
Daniel was involved.
Ethan took out his phone.
Thirty-two missed calls.
Work.
His attorney.
One from Daniel.
Received twelve minutes ago.
Voicemail.
Ethan played it.
Daniel's familiar voice filled the room.
"Hey, man. Vanessa just called me completely hysterical. She says you're accusing her of something involving Grace. Call me before you do anything stupid."
Ethan looked at Grace.
Grace looked back.
Then another message appeared.
From Vanessa.
Daniel is lying to you.
Immediately after—
May you like
A second message.
Ask him what he did to Grace's car.
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