Chapter 8 - THE MAN WHO STOOD BESIDE ETHAN AT THE MEMORIALEthan did not call Daniel.
He drove back to Malibu with Grace's words repeating in his head.
Ask him what he did to Grace's car.
Vanessa might be telling the truth.
She might be redirecting blame.
At this point, either was possible.
He stopped at Mrs. Rivera's first.
Sophie ran to him.
"Did you see Mommy?"
Ethan knelt.
"Yes."
Her entire face changed.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Does she remember me?"
He smiled through tears.
"Yes."
Sophie burst into tears.
Not sad tears.
Something more complicated.
Relief.
Hope.
Grief for years she couldn't name.
"When can I see her?"
"Soon."
"Tomorrow?"
"We need to make sure Mommy is ready."
Sophie nodded.
"Can I send her something?"
"Absolutely."
She ran inside to make a drawing.
Mrs. Rivera touched Ethan's arm.
"You look terrible."
"I feel worse."
She poured him coffee.
Ethan told her part of the truth.
Grace alive.
Vanessa knew.
Mrs. Rivera sat down slowly.
"That woman."
"You noticed something?"
"Vanessa?"
"Yes."
Mrs. Rivera hesitated.
"I didn't want to interfere."
Ethan felt shame immediately.
"What?"
"She was different when you traveled."
"How?"
"Short-tempered."
"With Sophie?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I asked Sophie if she felt unsafe. She always said no."
Because Vanessa had trained her to.
Mrs. Rivera continued.
"Three months ago I heard Vanessa arguing with a man in the driveway."
Ethan's pulse changed.
"Who?"
"I couldn't see clearly. Tall. Dark hair."
Daniel.
Maybe.
"What did they say?"
"Something about a car."
Ethan stared.
"Exact words?"
"She said, 'You said nobody would ever prove it.'"
His stomach tightened.
"And the man?"
"He told her to keep her voice down."
Ethan stood.
"When?"
Mrs. Rivera found the date on her calendar.
May 14.
Ethan remembered that day.
Daniel had supposedly been in San Francisco.
He texted his office manager.
Was Daniel in SF May 14?
Reply came minutes later.
Trip canceled. He worked remotely.
Ethan's heartbeat accelerated.
At home, he checked security archives.
Their system stored only sixty days.
May was gone.
Unless backups existed.
Ethan called the installer.
Cloud backups could be retrieved for ninety days under certain subscriptions.
He paid for premium storage.
They would investigate.
Then Daniel called again.
Ethan finally answered.
"Where are you?"
Daniel sounded relieved.
"Jesus, Ethan. I've been trying to reach you."
"Where are you?"
"Office."
"I'll come."
"No."
Ethan went still.
Daniel quickly added:
"I mean, let's meet somewhere private."
"Why?"
"Because Vanessa is losing her mind."
Ethan almost laughed.
"You knew Grace was alive."
Silence.
Then:
"What?"
"Don't."
"Ethan—"
"You knew."
Daniel exhaled.
"Vanessa told me recently."
"How recently?"
"Couple months."
"And you didn't tell me."
"I wanted to."
Of course.
Everyone wanted to.
Nobody did.
"Did you sleep with Vanessa while Grace was alive?"
Another silence.
"Ethan."
"Yes or no."
"Yes."
The answer hurt less than Ethan expected.
Maybe because Daniel's betrayal was now one item among dozens.
"How long?"
"Ten months."
"Did Grace know?"
"Yes."
"Did Vanessa tell you Grace had recorded her?"
Silence.
"Daniel."
"Yes."
Ethan closed his eyes.
"What happened to Grace's brakes?"
Daniel's breathing changed.
"What are you talking about?"
"Vanessa says you know."
"Vanessa is trying to save herself."
"Then tell me."
"I didn't touch Grace's car."
"Did Vanessa?"
"I don't know."
"Did you help cover anything?"
"No."
Ethan heard something.
Too quick.
Too polished.
"Where were you the night Grace crashed?"
"Home."
"Can anyone verify?"
"My girlfriend."
"What's her name?"
Daniel paused.
They both knew the answer.
Vanessa.
Ethan laughed bitterly.
"So your alibi is the woman who lied about being with Grace."
"I wasn't with Vanessa that night."
"Then who?"
Daniel went silent.
Ethan's voice hardened.
"Where were you?"
"Driving."
"Where?"
"Malibu."
Ethan's entire body went still.
"Near Point Dume?"
"No."
"Near PCH?"
"Everyone in Malibu is near PCH."
"Did you see Grace?"
Daniel said nothing.
Ethan whispered:
"You did."
Daniel exhaled.
"I saw her car."
"When?"
"After midnight."
"The crash was estimated around eleven forty."
"I know."
"How?"
Daniel immediately realized the mistake.
The estimated crash time had not been publicly released.
Police told Ethan privately.
Daniel should not have known.
"How did you know the time?"
No answer.
"Daniel."
"Vanessa told me."
"When?"
"Later."
"How did she know?"
Another silence.
Ethan felt nausea rise.
"Daniel, what happened that night?"
His former best friend spoke quietly.
"I found Vanessa on the side of the road."
Ethan froze.
"Where?"
"About two miles from Grace's crash."
"Why?"
"Her car had broken down."
"Was she hurt?"
"No."
"Was Grace's phone with her?"
Daniel whispered:
"Yes."
Ethan closed his eyes.
There it was.
Proof Vanessa had lied.
"What did you do?"
"I drove her home."
"And said nothing."
"She told me Grace had driven away."
"Then why hide it?"
"Because we were having an affair."
Daniel's voice cracked.
"I thought the worst thing I'd done was sleep with my best friend's wife's former friend."
Ethan almost laughed at the absurdity.
"Did Vanessa mention Grace's brakes?"
"No."
"Did she ask you to do anything to Grace's car?"
"No."
"Did you?"
"No."
Ethan believed that answer more than the others.
Then Daniel said:
"There's something I never told police."
Ethan waited.
"When I picked Vanessa up, she had blood on her blouse."
Ethan stopped breathing.
"Whose?"
"I asked."
"What did she say?"
"Grace slapped her."
"And you believed her?"
"At the time."
"What do you believe now?"
May you like
Daniel's voice became very quiet.
"I think Grace was already hurt before her car went over that cliff."
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