Chapter 15 - The Second Fall
Grant asked for a lawyer before Castillo played the video.
Then he asked for a deal.
Jason sat across from him this time.
"Tell me how my father died."
Grant's eyes were red.
"He and Vanessa argued on the dock. David said he was leaving her. He said he would expose the accounts."
"And?"
"She grabbed him. He pulled away. He fell."
Mia whispered, "Into the lake?"
Grant nodded.
"He hit the edge of the dock on the way down. I jumped in. I tried to help."
Jason's face went hard. "You called it an accident."
"Vanessa said it was. She said David slipped. She said if I told anyone about the argument, the company would collapse and thousands of people would lose their jobs."
"So you lied."
"Yes."
"Then you spent years helping her."
Grant looked down.
"Yes."
Rachel stood at the back of the room. She had wanted the truth to feel like victory.
It did not.
It felt like a grave opening.
Castillo entered with a new report.
"We found Gwen Mercer."
Rachel turned.
"Where?"
"Bus station. She was trying to leave the state."
"Did she talk?"
"A lot."
Gwen had helped falsify access logs and insert the psychiatric note. She claimed Vanessa paid her and promised legal protection.
Then Castillo's expression changed.
"Gwen says Vanessa contacted her this morning."
Jason stood. "From where?"
"Burner phone. She told Gwen to destroy everything and said she had one more chance to fix the problem before Friday."
Rachel's hand went to her belly.
"Friday is the court hearing."
Castillo nodded.
Mia's phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
"It's Mom."
Everyone stared.
Castillo gestured for her to answer on speaker.
Mia did.
Vanessa's voice was calm.
"Mia, sweetheart. I need you to come home."
"Which home did you not set on fire?"
A pause.
Then Vanessa said, "Bring Rachel."
Jason stepped closer.
May you like
Mia asked, "Why?"
"Because if she doesn't come, Jason will never see his father's last letter."
