Chapter 10 - THE MAN IN THE FRONT ROW
Patrick Howerin had hugged Elsie before the wedding.
That memory would stay with her forever.
He had kissed her cheek.
Called her beautiful.
Told her Diane would have been proud.
Then he sat in the front row while Elsie prepared to marry the man helping him destroy the evidence of Diane’s murder.
Roman wanted Elsie somewhere safe.
Elsie refused.
“No.”
“Howerin knows what you know.”
“Then hiding makes me easier to control.”
“It also keeps you alive.”
“My mother tried that.”
Roman went quiet.
Elsie immediately regretted the cruelty.
But not the point.
“Howerin needs the evidence warehouse destroyed,” she said. “Because Mercer’s statement is inside?”
“Possibly.”
“And Adrien gets waterfront control.”
“Yes.”
“So they need Friday’s shipment.”
Roman nodded.
“Then let Friday happen.”
His gaze hardened.
“No.”
“Make them believe the plan still works.”
“No.”
“Roman.”
“I heard you.”
“Ninety men don’t have to be there.”
Now he understood.
A controlled operation.
Federal agents could replace workers.
The shipment could become bait.
The tunnel monitored.
Howerin and Adrien caught attempting to destroy evidence.
Roman stared at Elsie for several seconds.
“That is not a plan you improvise.”
“Good thing I spent four years taking notes.”
For the first time since Saturday, Roman almost smiled.
By Thursday night, a federal task force outside Howerin’s chain of command had been assembled.
William Mercer was contacted through his protection detail.
He agreed to testify again if Diane’s daughter requested it personally.
Elsie did.
His reply arrived an hour later.
Tell Elsie her mother saved my life. I owe her the truth.
Friday approached.
Adrien texted Elsie for the first time since the wedding.
We need to talk.
She showed Roman.
“Answer.”
She typed:
About what?
Adrien replied immediately.
Us.
Elsie almost laughed.
Roman did not.
“He wants to know what you know.”
“Then I’ll tell him nothing.”
Adrien sent another message.
Your mother’s ring belongs to you.
Meet me and I’ll return it.
Elsie stared.
Bait.
But something else bothered her.
“Marissa said Adrien had the ring.”
“Yes.”
“Then why was she wearing it?”
Roman looked at the pale mark she had described.
Elsie suddenly understood.
The ring Marissa wore before the wedding had not been Diane’s.
It had been another ring of similar size.
Designed to make Elsie ask.
Another staged clue.
“They wanted me to ask for Mom’s ring.”
Roman nodded slowly.
“Why?”
Because asking about the ring led to Marissa.
Marissa led to the notebook.
The notebook led to Roman’s investigation.
Someone had wanted Elsie to uncover the conspiracy.
Not Adrien.
Not Howerin.
Someone else.
Then Elsie’s phone buzzed.
A photograph arrived from an unknown number.
Diane Parker’s wedding ring sat on a wooden table.
Beside it was a note.
I have been trying to make you see the truth since Saturday.
Elsie enlarged the image.
In the reflection of the ring, she could see part of the person holding the camera.
May you like
A woman.
And the edge of Marissa’s face.
