Chapter 13 - THE FIRST CONFESSION
Preston asked again to see Emily.
She refused twice.
On the third request, he sent a message through Margaret.
I know where Caroline is.
Emily changed her mind.
Security searched him.
Detective Bennett observed.
Raymond remained in the room.
Preston entered wearing a plain gray sweater and no wedding ring.
Emily noticed.
She hated herself for noticing.
He stopped beside the window.
“How is Caleb?”
The use of their son’s name hit her.
“Stable.”
“Can I see him again?”
“Later.”
Preston nodded.
His eyes were red.
“Thank you for letting me see him.”
Emily did not answer.
“Where is Caroline?”
Preston looked at Raymond.
“I want immunity.”
Detective Bennett spoke from the corner.
“That’s not something you negotiate here.”
“I want consideration.”
“For what?”
“For everything.”
Emily stared.
“Everything?”
Preston looked at her.
“I’m done protecting them.”
A bitter laugh escaped her.
“You protected them?”
“I protected myself.”
“Same result.”
“Yes.”
He lowered his head.
“Yes.”
Detective Bennett activated a recorder.
“Start.”
Preston inhaled.
“Caroline has a cabin in West Virginia.”
“Address?”
He gave it.
“Why would she go there?”
“It belongs to Miriam.”
“How do you know?”
“I went once.”
“When?”
“Last winter.”
“Why?”
“Miriam wanted to meet without Vanessa.”
Emily listened.
“What did she want?”
“My debt.”
“Explain.”
Preston looked at her.
“The fund lost eighty-two million.”
“Harold told us.”
“I covered some losses using short-term debt.”
“Then?”
“Vanessa offered capital.”
“Cross money.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I thought she wanted returns.”
“You believed that?”
“At first.”
Emily shook her head.
“Keep going.”
“The money came with covenants.”
Raymond frowned.
“What covenants?”
“Access to Whitmore development deals.”
“Board information.”
“Potential Saint Claire opportunities.”
Emily’s voice turned cold.
“You sold information about my family.”
Preston closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“A lot.”
“What does that mean?”
“Meeting schedules.”
“Director disagreements.”
“Capital needs.”
“Property valuations.”
“Who was vulnerable.”
Raymond stared at him.
“You gave an enemy intelligence on our board.”
“Yes.”
Emily felt disgust.
“What happened next?”
“Miriam showed me evidence she had been collecting for years.”
“About Saint Claire?”
“About everyone.”
“Raymond.”
“Harold.”
“Board members.”
“Me.”
“Eventually you.”
Emily’s skin prickled.
“What about me?”
“Photos.”
“Schedules.”
“Your teaching job.”
“Your father.”
“Your doctors.”
Emily swallowed.
“How long?”
Preston looked at her.
“Before we met.”
The room froze.
Emily’s voice came out thin.
“What?”
Preston looked miserable.
“They were watching you before you met me.”
Raymond stepped forward.
“How long?”
“At least two years.”
Emily felt dizzy.
She had met Preston ten years ago.
Meaning Cross had been tracking her since her mid-twenties.
Before Preston.
Before marriage.
Before Caleb.
“Why?”
“Because you were Catherine’s heir.”
Emily whispered.
“So meeting you wasn’t random.”
“No.”
Her eyes filled.
Preston continued quickly.
“I didn’t know that then.”
Emily looked at him.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s true.”
He stepped closer.
Security shifted.
Preston stopped.
“I met you at that fundraiser because Harold introduced us.”
Emily remembered.
She had forgotten that detail.
Harold had brought Preston across the room.
“This is my son.”
“Preston, this is Catherine Saint Claire’s daughter.”
Harold had known.
But had he been trying to connect them intentionally?
Preston continued.
“I fell in love with you.”
Emily looked away.
“I did.”
“Stop.”
“I need you to know.”
“No.”
“Emily.”
“No.”
Her voice cracked.
“You do not get to turn this confession into a love story.”
Preston closed his mouth.
She breathed.
“Continue.”
“Years later, when the fund started failing, Vanessa contacted me.”
“Did she know who I was?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know who she was?”
“Not fully.”
“When did she tell you?”
“After we slept together.”
Emily felt the wound reopen.
Preston looked ashamed.
“She said her father had history with Catherine.”
“What else?”
“She said Miriam wanted justice.”
“Meaning my family’s property.”
“At first I thought it was only business.”
“You keep saying at first.”
“I was stupid.”
“No.”
Emily looked at him.
“You were greedy.”
He accepted it.
“Yes.”
“What happened to the proxy?”
Preston swallowed.
“Miriam wanted your shares.”
“Did you forge my signature?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
“Caroline.”
Emily stared.
“How?”
“She practiced it.”
A chill moved through the room.
“What?”
“Vanessa had samples.”
“From where?”
“Birthday cards.”
“Charity letters.”
“Old school documents.”
Emily felt violated in a way she could not describe.
“They practiced my handwriting.”
“Yes.”
“Did Laura know?”
“Yes.”
“And you?”
Preston’s eyes lowered.
“I knew they were preparing a proxy.”
Emily closed hers.
“But?”
“I told myself it would never be used.”
Raymond laughed harshly.
“That is your defense?”
“No.”
Preston looked broken.
“It’s the lie I told myself.”
Detective Bennett leaned forward.
“The induction.”
Preston’s face changed.
“Caroline arranged it.”
“Did you know?”
“Three days before Emily was assaulted.”
“Did you stop it?”
“I confronted Vanessa.”
“What did she say?”
“That Miriam was done waiting.”
Emily’s heart pounded.
“What was supposed to happen to me?”
Preston stared at the floor.
“I don’t know.”
Emily’s voice rose.
“Look at me.”
He did.
“What was supposed to happen?”
“I swear I don’t know.”
“Was I supposed to survive?”
Preston’s face collapsed.
“I don’t know.”
Silence.
Emily felt Raymond’s hand on her shoulder.
Preston began crying.
Not dramatically.
Quietly.
“I told Vanessa if anything happened to you, I’d go to police.”
Emily stared.
“And then?”
“She laughed.”
“What did she say?”
Preston wiped his face.
“She said I had already given them enough evidence to put me in prison for twenty years.”
He looked at Emily.
“She said nobody would believe I suddenly grew a conscience.”
Emily almost whispered.
“She was probably right.”
Preston nodded.
“I know.”
Detective Bennett asked.
“Caroline’s cabin.”
“Is she there now?”
“I don’t know.”
“How could you know where she is?”
“Vanessa called me last night.”
Emily’s eyes narrowed.
“What did she want?”
“She said Caroline had disappeared.”
“Why tell you?”
“She thinks Caroline took something.”
“What?”
Preston looked toward Detective Bennett.
“A drive.”
“What’s on it?”
“Records.”
“What records?”
“Everything Miriam kept.”
Raymond leaned forward.
“About Catherine?”
“Yes.”
“Financial transfers?”
“Yes.”
“Medical records?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
Preston hesitated.
“Audio.”
Emily felt cold.
“Audio of what?”
“Calls.”
“Meetings.”
“Confessions.”
Detective Bennett stood.
“Why would Caroline take it?”
Preston shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
“Where is Miriam now?”
“I don’t know.”
“Vanessa?”
“She disappeared after calling.”
Emily looked at Marcus.
“When was Vanessa last physically seen?”
He checked.
Her attorney had claimed she was at home.
Security sent officers.
Vanessa was gone.
Within ten minutes, police units were moving toward the West Virginia cabin.
Preston was escorted out again.
Before leaving, he turned.
“Emily.”
She looked at him.
He stared at her for a long moment.
“I know there is no version of this where you forgive me.”
Emily said nothing.
He nodded.
“But if Caroline has that drive, find it before Miriam does.”
The door closed.
Emily looked at Detective Bennett.
“What are the odds Caroline is still at the cabin?”
“Low.”
“Then why go?”
“Because people leave evidence.”
Raymond looked at Emily.
“And if the drive exists?”
She looked toward the NICU where Caleb was sleeping beneath warm lights.
“Then we find out whether my mother died because of what she knew.”
Three hours later, Detective Bennett called from West Virginia.
Caroline was not at the cabin.
But the place had been searched recently.
Drawers emptied.
Floorboards lifted.
Walls cut open.
Someone else had been looking for the drive.
Police found blood in the kitchen.
Not enough to prove someone died.
Enough to prove someone was hurt.
May you like
And on the bathroom mirror, written in red lipstick, were four words.
CATHERINE WASN'T THE FIRST.
