Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN ON THE STAIRS
Ethan watched Claire's video without moving.
Her voice filled the bedroom.
She explained that she had overheard Celeste and Richard arguing in the garden house.
Claire had initially believed their affair was the betrayal.
Then she discovered the money.
Richard had been routing small amounts from several Cole Holdings subsidiaries into consulting companies connected to Celeste.
Individually, the transfers looked legitimate.
Together, they exceeded eight million dollars.
Claire suspected the financial scheme was only part of the plan.
“If they can manipulate Sophie's trust, they don't need Ethan to lose everything.”
“They only need him to remain distracted.”
Claire paused on the recording.
“And grief creates distraction.”
Ethan shut the laptop.
He couldn't hear more.
Not yet.
Marcus stood beside the window.
“What do you want to do with Celeste and Richard?”
“Separate them.”
“They already are.”
“No phones.”
“Done.”
“No private conversations.”
Marcus nodded.
Ethan walked downstairs.
Celeste waited in the drawing room.
The scattered tickets and passports had been collected into evidence bags.
She stood beside the fireplace, arms folded.
“Are you finished invading my privacy?”
Ethan almost laughed.
Instead he placed Sophie's Zurich ticket on the table.
“Why Switzerland?”
Celeste's expression softened.
“I was taking her to a specialist.”
“For what?”
“Anxiety.”
“At ten forty tonight?”
“It was supposed to be temporary.”
“Without telling me?”
“You weren't answering your phone.”
“I was in Boston for twelve hours.”
Celeste looked away.
Ethan stepped closer.
“You packed my child into luggage?”
“I did not.”
“She says you did.”
“She is six.”
“And you're an adult.”
Celeste's jaw tightened.
“Children misunderstand things.”
Ethan watched her carefully.
“Then explain Richard.”
Celeste said nothing.
“The watch in Claire's room.”
Silence.
“His shirt open.”
Silence.
“His luggage in the closet.”
Her eyes flickered.
That was enough.
Ethan leaned against the desk.
“How long?”
Celeste's voice became cold.
“You want to interrogate me based on the imagination of a frightened child and the paranoia of a dead woman?”
Ethan's expression changed.
Celeste immediately realized her mistake.
He had never told her about Claire's files.
Ethan straightened.
“What paranoia?”
Celeste swallowed.
“You said Claire left a message.”
“I said nothing about what it contained.”
A long silence followed.
Then Richard's voice came from the hallway.
“Celeste, don't say another word.”
Marcus grabbed his arm before he entered.
Richard stared at Ethan.
His face no longer showed embarrassment.
It showed calculation.
That frightened Ethan more.
Richard looked toward the airline ticket.
Then toward Celeste.
Finally, he smiled.
“You're already too late.”
Ethan's stomach dropped.
“For what?”
May you like
Richard's smile disappeared.
“The transfer cleared this morning.”
