Chapter 14 - THE CABIN
Police arrived before Rebecca could burn the cabin.
Dogs tracked her to the shoreline.
She tried to cross the lake in a canoe.
It overturned twenty yards out.
Officers pulled her from the freezing water.
Alive.
Terrified.
And suddenly willing to talk.
Thomas hired her six months earlier.
At first, the job was simple.
Report on Vivian's health.
Then Martin asked her to adjust vitamins.
Nothing dangerous.
Just enough to make Vivian tired.
Foggy.
Less focused.
When Vivian discovered the missing money, Thomas changed the plan.
Rebecca was given a paralytic and a sedative.
"Was the goal to kill her?" Brooks asked.
"He said it would look like a sudden neurological event."
"Would she wake up?"
"Maybe."
His stomach twisted.
Rebecca continued.
"I told Martin I didn't want her hurt."
"The messages."
"Yes."
"Then why did you inject her?"
Rebecca started crying.
"Thomas had my brother."
Brooks frowned.
"What?"
Her brother owed money to people connected to one of Thomas's foundations.
Thomas had paid the debt.
Then owned the threat.
"He said if I didn't do it, my brother would disappear."
Brooks asked, "Who gave the final order?"
"Thomas."
"Who planned the funeral?"
"Martin."
"Who knew Vivian might still be alive?"
"Elise."
Grant stepped away from the glass.
He had heard enough.
Then Rebecca said, "But Elise tried to stop it."
"What?"
Rebecca explained.
After Vivian was pronounced dead, Elise panicked.
She called Rebecca and begged her to reverse the drugs.
Rebecca told her there was no reversal once Vivian had been taken to the funeral home.
Elise wanted to call police.
Thomas threatened Adrian.
Threatened Elise's children.
So Elise signed the no-embalming request instead.
Not to hide the crime.
To buy Vivian time.
Elise had failed her sister.
But maybe she had also saved her from embalming.
Brooks asked Rebecca one final question.
"Why was the recorder planted on Rosa?"
"What recorder?"
That answer bothered Brooks.
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Because if Rebecca didn't know about it, Martin was still hiding something.
And Martin had just asked to speak to Grant alone.
