Chapter 9
Marcus examined the anonymous letter.
No fingerprints.
No DNA.
Printed on ordinary paper.
The envelope had been dropped into a public mailbox.
“Could be someone trying to create confusion,” he said.
Evelyn nodded.
“But you’re going to check.”
“Yes.”
The question seemed strange.
If Rachel had been driving, why would anyone say otherwise?
Investigators reviewed every photograph from the crash.
They noticed something.
The driver’s seat had been pushed farther back than Rachel normally kept it.
Rachel was five feet four.
Grant was over six feet.
But there was no proof Grant had driven the car.
Then Vanessa was questioned again.
At first, she denied everything.
Marcus placed the anonymous letter in front of her.
Her face changed.
“Who sent this?”
“We hoped you could tell us.”
“I don’t know.”
“Who was driving Rachel’s car?”
Vanessa said nothing.
Marcus waited.
Finally she whispered, “Thomas.”
Marcus stared.
“Thomas was driving?”
“Before the crash.”
“Explain.”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
After Rachel left the blue cottage with Maisie, Grant followed her.
Vanessa followed Grant.
Thomas met them near the old road.
Grant forced Rachel to stop.
An argument followed.
According to Vanessa, Thomas took Rachel’s keys.
Grant took Maisie from her car.
Rachel fought him.
Thomas told everyone to calm down.
Then he offered to drive Rachel home.
But Rachel refused to get into Grant’s SUV.
So Thomas drove Rachel’s car.
Rachel sat in the passenger seat.
Vanessa followed in her own vehicle.
Grant drove away with Maisie.
“What happened next?” Marcus asked.
Vanessa began shaking.
“Thomas stopped near the curve.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“You were following him.”
“I stopped farther back.”
“What did you see?”
“Rachel got out.”
“And?”
“They were arguing.”
“Then?”
“Thomas grabbed her.”
Marcus leaned forward.
“What did he do?”
Vanessa looked sick.
“They fought beside the car.”
“And Grant?”
“He came back.”
That changed everything.
Grant had returned after leaving Maisie briefly with Vanessa.
Vanessa stayed with the child while Grant joined Thomas and Rachel.
“What happened to Rachel?”
“I couldn’t see clearly.”
“But you saw something.”
Vanessa started crying.
“I saw Grant push her back into the car.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Are you certain?”
“She was yelling.”
“Then what?”
“Grant got behind the wheel.”
Marcus’s expression hardened.
“Grant drove the car?”
“For a short distance.”
“Rachel was inside?”
“Yes.”
“Thomas followed on foot?”
“Yes.”
“What did Grant do?”
Vanessa could barely speak.
“He accelerated toward the damaged guardrail.”
Marcus remained silent.
Vanessa wiped her face.
“Then he jumped out.”
The room froze.
“He jumped from the moving vehicle?”
“Yes.”
“And Rachel?”
“She was still inside.”
Grant’s SUV had later been captured following Rachel’s car because Thomas had driven it after Grant returned to retrieve it.
The timeline was complicated.
But suddenly, old evidence made sense.
Grant had caused the crash intentionally.
Thomas helped stage the scene.
Vanessa helped hide evidence.
Patrick later helped move Rachel’s belongings.
Four people had built the lie.
Evelyn listened as Marcus explained it.
Her hands did not shake this time.
She had passed beyond shock.
“What happens now?”
“Thomas is being charged in connection with Rachel’s death too.”
“And Vanessa?”
“Additional charges are being considered despite her cooperation.”
“Good.”
Marcus nodded.
“There’s one more thing.”
The anonymous letter had been sent by Patrick.
He admitted it after investigators confronted him.
“Why anonymously?”
“He was afraid Thomas still had people helping him.”
Evelyn almost laughed bitterly.
Cowards everywhere.
Everyone afraid.
Everyone protecting themselves.
Except Rachel.
Rachel had been afraid too.
But she had tried to leave anyway.
The jury received the case three days later.
Grant waited at the defense table.
Evelyn sat behind the prosecution with Claire.
The jury returned after nine hours.
Guilty.
Murder.
Child endangerment.
Fraud.
Conspiracy.
Evidence tampering.
Count after count.
Grant’s face remained blank until the judge ordered him taken into custody pending sentencing.
Then he turned.
“Mom!”
Evelyn did not respond.
“Mom!”
A deputy grabbed his arm.
Grant shouted across the courtroom.
“You think Rachel was innocent?”
Evelyn finally looked at him.
Grant smiled strangely.
“She lied to you too.”
The prosecutor ordered deputies to remove him.
But Grant kept shouting.
“ASK CLAIRE!”
Evelyn turned toward Claire.
Claire had gone pale.
Grant laughed as he disappeared through the door.
“ASK HER WHY RACHEL REALLY WENT TO THE BLUE HOUSE!”
Silence filled the courtroom.
Evelyn stared at Claire.
“What is he talking about?”
Claire looked toward the exit.
“Evelyn…”
“What did Rachel lie about?”
Claire’s eyes filled with tears.
“She wasn’t only hiding evidence at the cottage.”
“What else was she doing?”
May you like
Claire whispered:
“She was preparing to disappear with Maisie.”
