Chapter 16 - THE RECORDING
They returned to the penthouse that evening.
Gavin placed the cassette inside the recorder.
Turned it over.
Pressed PLAY.
Static.
Then William’s voice.
“If you are listening to Side B, something has gone very wrong.”
Gavin closed his eyes.
Evelyn took his hand.
William continued.
“I need to correct something I said earlier.”
Static.
“I have made a decision Evelyn will hate.”
She began crying before he finished.
“I am going to force Charles and Thomas into the open.”
Gavin stared at the recorder.
“I have asked a mechanic I trust to create a visible defect in the rear brake system.”
Nora covered her mouth.
William continued.
“The vehicle will not be unsafe.”
Gavin leaned closer.
“The defect is cosmetic and will be discovered during inspection.”
Relief.
Then fear again.
William had staged evidence of intimidation.
But not a dangerous failure.
The recording continued.
“If Charles believes someone inside the circle is escalating, he may panic.”
Marcus whispered—
“He wanted them turning on each other.”
William said—
“Henry believes this is reckless.”
Static.
“He is right.”
Then another voice.
Henry.
“Bill, stop the tape.”
William laughed softly.
“If I stop now, nobody will understand later.”
There was movement.
Then William’s voice lowered.
“The real danger is Raymond Cole.”
Everyone looked at each other.
William continued.
“Raymond knows I have been documenting the money.”
Static.
“He is younger than Charles.”
“Less visible than Thomas.”
“And far more willing to do things neither man wants directly connected to them.”
Gavin turned toward the federal agents.
They were already recording.
William’s voice continued.
“If anything happens to me, look at Raymond.”
Raymond Cole had lied in the boardroom.
The cosmetic brake defect had been William’s own plan.
But someone could still have turned it into something deadly.
The tape continued.
“The mechanic is Samuel Cross.”
Gavin froze.
The retired investigator from the payment ledger.
“Cross knows exactly what modification he made.”
Then William gave an address.
The recording ended.
An agent immediately searched.
Samuel Cross was alive.
Seventy-three.
Living outside Palm Springs.
By midnight, federal agents had spoken to him.
At 1:18 a.m., Gavin received the preliminary report.
Cross confirmed William hired him to create a harmless visible mark on the brake line.
Cross completed the work.
Two days later, someone contacted him again.
Raymond Cole.
Cross refused to make the vehicle unsafe.
According to Cross, Raymond became angry.
The night William died, Cross saw Raymond near the company garage.
There was no proof Raymond touched the brakes.
But now there was a witness placing him near the vehicle.
Gavin stared at the report.
Evelyn sat across from him.
“All these years.”
“I know.”
“I thought Charles killed him.”
“He may still have known.”
She nodded.
Gavin looked at her.
“Why didn’t you tell me about any of this?”
“Because after William died, I was terrified.”
She touched his face.
“You were twenty-nine.”
“I was not a child.”
“To me, you were.”
Gavin smiled sadly.
“That was part of the problem.”
Evelyn looked hurt.
He continued gently.
“You protected me until I couldn’t see anything for myself.”
She nodded.
“You’re right.”
Gavin swallowed.
“And when I finally pushed back, Priscilla used it.”
Evelyn looked toward the bedroom hallway.
“Do you still love her?”
The question surprised him.
He thought carefully.
“I loved the person I believed she was.”
“And now?”
“I don’t know who she is.”
Priscilla stood in the doorway.
Neither had heard her enter.
“That makes two of us.”
Gavin looked at her.
She held the gold signet ring.
“I listened to the recordings again.”
“What did you find?”
Priscilla placed it on the table.
“One conversation from eight months ago.”
“With your father?”
“No.”
“Thomas?”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“Raymond.”
Gavin pressed play.
Priscilla’s recorded voice.
My father says Gavin’s mother is becoming a problem.
Raymond answered.
Then make Gavin think cutting her off was his idea.
Priscilla asked—
And if that doesn’t work?
Raymond laughed.
Then we use Bennett.
Gavin’s jaw tightened.
Then the recording continued.
Priscilla said—
My father doesn’t want another William situation.
Raymond became silent.
Then—
Your father never understood the William situation.
Priscilla asked—
What does that mean?
Raymond answered.
It means Charles still thinks the crash was an accident.
The room froze.
Gavin replayed it.
Again.
Charles still thinks the crash was an accident.
If true—
Senator Ashford had not ordered William’s death.
Thomas might not have.
Raymond had acted beyond them.
Priscilla whispered—
“My father is corrupt.”
She looked at Gavin.
“But I don’t think he killed your father.”
Gavin stared at the ring.
“No.”
Then he looked toward the federal agents.
“I think Raymond did.”
One agent’s phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“What?”
He listened.
Then looked at Gavin.
“Raymond Cole escaped transport.”
Silence.
Gavin stood.
The agent continued.
“And we believe he took a vehicle registered to a shell company.”
“Which shell company?”
The agent checked.
“Ashford Meridian Holdings.”
Gavin looked toward Nora.
Then Taylor.
If Raymond was running—
There was only one reason he would stay in San Diego.
Something remained unfinished.
May you like
And Gavin already knew exactly who had ruined every plan Raymond had made.
The three-year-old girl sleeping down the hall.
