Chapter 10 - The Funeral Photograph
Gideon invited me to my mother’s old office.
He looked twenty years older.
“I called the vote because Helena forced it.”
“She has no authority over you.”
“She has evidence.”
“Of what?”
“My crimes.”
He confessed.
Years earlier, he had signed false reports to conceal Helena’s debt scheme.
At first, he believed he was protecting Solmere.
Later, he realized he was protecting himself.
Helena kept the documents.
Every time Gideon tried to expose her, she threatened prison.
“You still had a choice.”
“I know.”
“Why call the sale vote?”
“Because she threatened your father.”
I went cold.
Helena knew we found him.
Then Gideon gave me a photograph from my mother’s funeral.
In the background stood Dr. Reddick.
The physician who signed her death certificate.
He had attended the funeral.
Beside him stood Helena.
They were speaking.
The picture caught something else.
Reddick was handing Helena a small black case.
Daniel enhanced the image.
On the case was a pharmacy label.
My mother’s name.
That afternoon investigators located Reddick in Portugal.
He agreed to speak.
My mother had not died from a natural cardiac event.
Her medication had been deliberately replaced.
Helena had ordered it.
But Reddick added one detail none of us expected.
Helena had not delivered the replacement medication.
Someone else had.
“Who?” I asked.
Reddick looked into the camera.
“Marcus Hale.”
I turned slowly.
May you like
Marcus stood behind me.
For the first time since this began, the man I trusted more than almost anyone had nowhere to hide.
