“Where?”
“Gas station off Route 17.”
“Before or after Rachel met Laura Price?”
“Before.”
“Describe it.”
Caleb had followed Rachel west from the house.
At a gas station she stopped.
He parked beside her.
Approached.
Rachel recognized him.
She had seen his car before.
She started photographing him.
Caleb told her Vivian wanted the documents.
Rachel told him to get away.
He reached for the folder on the passenger seat.
Rachel pushed his arm away.
Then got back into her car.
She drove off.
Caleb followed.
The agent’s voice changed.
“How closely?”
Caleb swallowed.
“Too closely.”
Ethan stood so fast his chair hit the wall.
Patricia grabbed his arm.
Behind the glass, the interview continued.
“It was raining,” Caleb said.
“She was driving fast.”
“You were chasing her.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I wanted the folder.”
“Did Vivian tell you to chase her?”
“No.”
“Did Vivian know you were?”
“I called her.”
Ethan stared.
“What did she say?” the investigator asked.
Caleb looked sick.
“She said don’t let Rachel reach whoever she was meeting until I got the documents.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
The room seemed to move.
“What happened?”
Caleb’s voice became quieter.
“Rachel turned onto Old Mill Road.”
The road where she died.
“There was standing water.”
“I saw her brake.”
Caleb stopped.
The agent waited.
“She lost control.”
No one spoke.
“She went through the barrier.”
Ethan put one hand against the wall.
Patricia remained beside him.
Caleb continued.
“I stopped.”
“Did you call 911?”
“No.”
Ethan’s face twisted.
“You left her?”
The words escaped even though Caleb could not hear him.
The agent asked the same thing.
“You left?”
“I panicked.”
“You approached the vehicle?”
“No.”
“You knew she went down the embankment?”
“Yes.”
“You knew someone could be injured?”
“Yes.”
“What did you do?”
“I called Vivian.”
Ethan looked at Patricia.
She had tears in her eyes now.
“What did she say?”
Caleb stared at his hands.
“She told me to go home.”
Ethan’s knees weakened.
The agent’s voice sharpened.
“She told you to leave the scene?”
“Yes.”