Chapter 14 - The Last Trap
Morgan didn't sleep that night.
She sat at Peter's guest-room window watching headlights pass along the road.
Clara had died eighteen months earlier.
At the time, the family believed her death was natural.
She'd been seventy-eight.
She'd suffered from heart disease.
She'd been tired in the final weeks.
Morgan had accepted it because the doctors had.
Because Clara was old.
Because sometimes people died.
Now every memory had changed.
Had Grandma been frightened?
Had she known someone was following her?
Had she spent her final months trying to protect Morgan while Morgan defended Julian?
The thought was unbearable.
At eight the next morning, Detective Kim called.
"Mrs. Bennett, we'd like you to come to the station."
Morgan's pulse quickened.
"Why?"
"We need to discuss a new development."
Peter accompanied her.
The interview room was small and plain.
Kim sat across from Morgan with a folder.
A second detective, Marcus Bell, stood near the door.
Kim opened the folder.
"We've obtained records connecting Julian Bennett, Adrian Vale, Christopher Mercer, and Samuel Whitcomb to Crownbridge Holdings."
Morgan nodded.
"I expected that."
"We've also identified an associate named Angela Price."
Morgan's heart jumped.
"She introduced me to Julian."
Kim nodded.
"She was paid by one of the companies."
Morgan stared.
"To introduce us?"
"That appears to be part of the arrangement."
Morgan looked down.
Eleven years.
Eleven years of marriage.
Birthdays.
Anniversaries.
Family vacations.
Fights.
Reconciliations.
Promises.
She'd built her life with a man who might have approached her because someone paid him to.
Kim waited until Morgan looked up.
"There's more."
Morgan gave a bitter laugh.
"Of course there is."
"We have evidence that Julian was preparing to transfer or obtain control over assets connected to your grandmother's property."
"The guardianship petition?"
"Among other things."
"What about the necklace?"
"The laboratory has confirmed it contained a harmful substance."
Morgan closed her eyes.
"Was it the same as Rachel's?"
"We're comparing the evidence."
"Did Julian know what was inside?"
"That's something we intend to establish."
Morgan looked up.
"And Grandma?"
Kim exchanged a glance with Bell.
"We're reviewing the circumstances of her death."
Morgan's throat tightened.
"Do you think he killed her?"
"We don't have enough evidence to make that conclusion."
The detective's answer was careful.
But Morgan noticed she hadn't dismissed the possibility.
Then Kim slid a photograph across the table.
It showed a security camera image.
Julian.
Entering a bank building.
The timestamp was from yesterday.
Morgan frowned.
"Where is that?"
"Milwaukee."
"What was he doing there?"
"Attempting to access a safe-deposit box associated with one of the companies."
"Did he get anything?"
"No."
Kim leaned forward.
"We believe he's running out of options."
Morgan studied the photograph.
Julian looked different.
His expensive clothes were wrinkled.
His hair was uncombed.
He looked frightened.
For the first time, Morgan felt no urge to protect him.
Only a terrible sadness for the woman she'd been.
Kim continued.
"We've issued alerts and are coordinating with other agencies."
"Do you know where he is?"
"Not yet."
Morgan nodded.
Then her phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
Morgan. It's me.
She stared.
Another message.
I know you hate me. But please listen.
Morgan showed the detective.
Kim immediately signaled Bell.
A third message arrived.
Whitcomb is going to kill me.
Morgan felt no sympathy.
Not anymore.
Then another.
I have proof of what happened to your grandmother.
Morgan's hand began shaking.
Kim studied the screen.
"Don't respond yet."
A fifth message appeared.
Meet me at the old orchard tonight. Come alone.
Morgan stared at the words.
The old orchard.
Grandma's property.
The place Julian had tried to destroy.
Kim looked at Morgan.
"This is an opportunity."
Morgan swallowed.
"To arrest him?"
"Potentially."
Morgan looked at her phone.
She knew Julian.
He was manipulative.
Desperate.
And dangerous.
But he was also arrogant.
He believed he could still make her listen.
Perhaps he believed he could still make her love him.
Morgan looked at Detective Kim.
"What do you need me to do?"
That evening, the orchard stood beneath a cold gray sky.
The damaged cottage was visible beyond the trees.
Its rear windows had been boarded shut.
Its roof was covered with temporary protective sheeting.
Morgan stood near an old apple tree wearing a thick navy coat.
Her phone rested in her pocket.
She could feel her heart hammering.
The police had planned the meeting.
Officers were positioned nearby.
Morgan knew they were watching.
But knowing she was protected didn't make the fear disappear.
At eight seventeen, headlights swept across the dirt road.
A black sedan stopped near the gate.
Julian stepped out.
He looked older than he had a week earlier.
His beard had grown unevenly.
His eyes were red.
He stared at Morgan.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then he smiled weakly.
"Hey, beautiful."
Morgan felt something inside her turn to ice.
"Don't call me that."
Julian lowered his eyes.
"Fair enough."
He approached slowly.
Morgan stayed where she was.
"Why did you ask me here?"
"Because I needed to see you."
"Try again."
Julian sighed.
"Because there's something you deserve to know."
Morgan folded her arms.
"About Grandma?"
He nodded.
"Yes."
"Then tell me."
Julian looked toward the cottage.
"Your grandmother was smarter than all of us."
Morgan said nothing.
"She found the records."
"She knew about the property transfers."
"She knew Whitcomb was stealing from people."
"She knew you were connected to him," Morgan said.
Julian winced.
"Yes."
"And she knew you married me for the land."
He looked at the ground.
Morgan's voice shook.
"Did you?"
Julian didn't answer.
She felt tears rising.
"Eleven years, Julian."
He closed his eyes.
"At first."
Morgan went still.
"What?"
"At first, yes."
The words hit harder than she expected.
Julian looked at her.
"But things changed."
Morgan laughed bitterly.
"Did they?"
"I fell in love with you."
"No."
"I did."
"Then why did you put something dangerous inside my necklace?"
Julian's eyes filled.
"Because I made a mistake."
"A mistake?"
Morgan stepped forward.
"You had a necklace altered so it could hurt me."
"You prepared fake medical documents."
"You forged my signature."
"You tried to take the only home my grandmother left me."
"And you burned down half her house."
Julian shook his head.
"I didn't start that fire."
"Adrian says you locked him inside."
"Adrian is a liar."
Morgan stared at him.
"And you aren't?"
Julian looked away.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he whispered, "I was supposed to make you sign the papers."
Morgan felt sick.
"Who ordered you?"
"Whitcomb."
"Why?"
"Because the land is worth more than anyone knows."
"Seven million?"
Julian shook his head.
"More."
Morgan stared.
"How much more?"
"Almost thirty."
She felt her knees weaken.
"Thirty million dollars?"
Julian nodded.
"A development company wants the entire parcel."
"They need your land to complete the project."
Morgan looked toward the dark trees.
Grandma had known.
She'd protected the land because she understood what people were willing to do for it.
Julian continued.
"Whitcomb promised me a percentage if I got control."
"And if I refused?"
He said nothing.
Morgan's breath caught.
"And if I refused, Julian?"
His eyes filled with tears.
"I was supposed to make sure you couldn't refuse anymore."
Morgan felt the cold air against her cheeks.
For a moment, all she could hear was the wind.
Then she asked the question that had haunted her for days.
"Did you hurt my grandmother?"
Julian began crying.
Morgan stared at him.
"Answer me."
He shook his head.
"I didn't kill Clara."
Morgan's throat tightened.
"But you know who did."
May you like
Julian looked at her.
And his silence told her everything.
