“Did she know Rachel’s car had gone off the road?”
“Yes.”
“Did she call emergency services?”
“I don’t know.”
Ethan knew.
Rachel’s crash was not reported until almost an hour later.
A passing truck driver saw damaged guardrail.
Emergency crews arrived.
Rachel was already dead.
Caleb was crying now.
“I didn’t mean for her to crash.”
The agent remained expressionless.
“You still followed her.”
“Yes.”
“You still left.”
“Yes.”
“What happened to the folder?”
“I never got it.”
“Did Vivian pay you afterward?”
Caleb nodded.
“How much?”
“Seventy-five thousand.”
“For what?”
“Silence.”
Ethan left the viewing room.
He made it to a restroom before he became sick.
Patricia waited outside.
When Ethan emerged, she handed him water.
He did not drink.
“My mother knew.”
Patricia said nothing.
“She knew Rachel was down there.”
“Yes.”
“She could have called.”
“Yes.”
“Maybe Rachel was alive.”
Patricia looked at him.
“We don’t know.”
“That’s worse.”
“I know.”
He leaned against the wall.
“Do not tell me not to blame myself.”
Patricia studied him.
“I wasn’t going to.”
“Good.”
“You can blame yourself for the argument if you want.”
He looked at her.
“You believed something false.”
“Yes.”
“You said things you regret.”
“Yes.”
“But Rachel’s death belongs to the adults who chose to pursue, intimidate, conceal, and walk away.”
Ethan stared ahead.
“I should have believed her.”
“Yes.”
The honesty hurt.
“But failing someone once does not make you responsible for every person who failed them afterward.”
Ethan finally drank the water.
Vivian was arrested the following morning.
Ethan did not watch.
He learned through Patricia.
Charges began with fraud, conspiracy, obstruction, evidence tampering, and financial crimes.
Additional charges related to Rachel’s death remained under review.
Caleb Ross entered negotiations with prosecutors.
Commissioner Daniel Sloane resigned before investigators publicly confirmed he was under inquiry for interfering with the crash investigation.
Cole Development’s board placed Ethan on temporary leave.
He accepted.
For twenty-four hours he believed that was the end.
Then Vivian called from jail.
Ethan nearly ignored it.
He answered because one question remained.
Her voice came through a recorded line.
“Ethan.”
He said nothing.
“I suppose you know.”
“Yes.”
“I need to explain.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“No.”
“Then why did you answer?”
Ethan closed his eyes.