Chapter 9 - THE PHOTOGRAPH THAT EXPOSED HER
Victoria Hale had been crying for the cameras while receiving updates about my father's movements.
I stared at the enlarged photograph until my vision blurred.
Ethan had been comforting her.
Holding her.
Believing she was frightened about her performance.
And all the while, someone was apparently communicating with her about the man fighting for his life in Chicago.
Samuel immediately forwarded the original image to the investigators.
The photograph alone couldn't establish what Victoria intended.
But combined with the financial records, access logs, and crash evidence, it raised serious questions.
I no longer wanted explanations from Victoria.
I wanted investigators to find the truth.
That afternoon, I received a call from an unfamiliar number.
"Mrs. Carter?"
"Speaking."
"My name is Hannah Price. I used to work for Victoria Hale."
I sat straighter.
"What do you want?"
"I saw the news about the crash investigation."
I waited.
Hannah sounded frightened.
"I think I know something important."
We arranged for her to speak with Samuel and the investigator.
Hannah had worked as Victoria's personal assistant for two years.
She managed performance schedules.
Travel arrangements.
Medical appointments.
And the endless small emergencies that seemed to keep Ethan running to Victoria's side.
Hannah opened a folder.
"These are the original calendar entries."
I leaned forward.
Several events had been added or changed shortly before Ethan traveled.
One claimed Victoria had suffered a serious medical setback.
Another listed an urgent consultation with her surgeon.
But there were no corresponding medical appointments.
Hannah looked ashamed.
"She told me to create the entries."
"Why?" I asked.
"So Mr. Carter would think she needed him."
My throat tightened.
"Did she tell you that?"
Hannah nodded.
"She said he always came when she sounded frightened."
I stared at the documents.
For seven months, I'd wondered why I couldn't compete with Victoria's needs.
Now I understood.
Some of those needs had been manufactured.
Hannah continued.
"There's something worse."
I looked up.
"Go on."
"Victoria wasn't as injured as she claimed."
My stomach dropped.
"What?"
"Her knee injury was real. But the recovery complications she described to Mr. Carter were exaggerated."
"Why?"
Hannah's eyes filled with tears.
"She was afraid he'd stop coming."
I felt sick.
Ethan had abandoned dinners, anniversaries, and finally my father's last evening because Victoria kept calling.
And she had used his willingness to prioritize her.
Hannah placed another document on the table.
It was a hotel invoice.
A suite in New York.
Reserved under Victoria's name.
The stay included the night of her performance.
I frowned.
"Why is this important?"
Hannah swallowed.
"Because Elliot Crane visited that suite before Ethan arrived."
I stopped breathing.
"When?"
"Two hours before the performance."
Rebecca leaned forward.
"Do you have proof?"
Hannah nodded.
"Security logs and messages."
She opened her laptop.
An email appeared.
From Victoria to Elliot.
Everything is ready. Ethan will stay in New York until I tell him otherwise.
I felt my entire body go cold.
Then Hannah showed us the reply.
Elliot had written:
Robert is becoming a problem. Tonight must resolve it.
I stared at those words.
My father had died hours later.
Hannah began crying.
"I didn't know what they were planning. I thought it was some kind of financial dispute."
Samuel looked at her carefully.
"Why come forward now?"
She swallowed.
"Because I saw the funeral photograph."
My heart tightened.
"What photograph?"
She turned her laptop.
It showed me standing beside my father's grave.
Alone.
My bandaged hand resting on his coffin.
Hannah wiped her eyes.
"Victoria saw that photograph too."
I stared.
"And?"
May you like
Hannah's voice trembled.
"She laughed and said Ethan would finally be free of the old man who kept interfering."
