Chapter 17 - THE SECRET THAT STARTED BEFORE RICHARD
Police surrounded the lake house silently.
Ortiz refused to move until she knew where Ethan was inside.
Mercer had chosen the location well.
Only one road approached it.
The rear of the house faced the water.
Dense trees blocked visibility from both sides.
Inside, Ethan stared at his father’s name.
“You knew my dad?”
Mercer’s expression changed.
“Call your mother.”
“How did you know Daniel Parker?”
Mercer said nothing.
That silence was enough.
Ethan’s father had died eight years earlier in what everyone believed was a boating accident.
His body had been recovered two days later.
Claire had never questioned the investigation.
Neither had Ethan.
He had been four.
Mercer pushed the phone closer.
“Call her.”
Ethan dialed.
Claire answered immediately.
“Ethan?”
“I’m okay.”
Claire nearly collapsed with relief.
Mercer grabbed the phone.
“Bring me the ledger.”
“There is no ledger.”
“Then bring the blue folder.”
“The police have it.”
“Copies.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Ortiz gestured for her to keep him talking.
“Why do you want it?”
“Insurance.”
“Against Richard?”
“Against everyone.”
Claire heard Ethan in the background.
“Ask him about Dad.”
Mercer went still.
Claire’s face changed.
“What did he say?”
Mercer ended the call.
He turned toward Ethan.
“That was stupid.”
“What happened to my father?”
Mercer stared at him for several seconds.
Then he laughed once.
Not because anything was funny.
Because a secret had become too heavy to protect.
“Richard didn’t meet your mother by accident.”
Ethan’s skin went cold.
“What?”
“Daniel was investigating him.”
“My dad?”
“Your father owned properties Richard wanted.”
Mercer walked to the evidence box.
“He found irregularities.”
“What irregularities?”
“Fraud.”
Mercer opened the lid.
Inside were old documents.
Emails.
Photographs.
Daniel Parker had discovered that Richard and Mercer were using shell companies to buy distressed property through false bids.
He intended to report them.
Two weeks later, Daniel died.
Ethan stared at Mercer.
“You killed him.”
Mercer did not answer.
That frightened Ethan more than a denial would have.
Outside, Ortiz received a signal from the listening device hidden inside Ethan’s shoe tracker.
Audio was weak.
But one sentence came through.
Daniel was investigating him.
Claire heard it.
Her knees almost gave out.
The entire story had just changed.
Richard had not entered Claire’s life two years after Daniel’s death by coincidence.
He had approached the widow of a man who had once threatened his criminal operation.
Then Mercer made his mistake.
He picked up the handgun.
At the same moment, Ethan heard a branch snap outside.
Mercer heard it too.
He dragged Ethan toward the back door.
“Police.”
He knew.
May you like
The trap had closed.
But Mercer was taking Ethan with him.
