Chapter 11 - THE INVESTIGATION THAT NEVER HAPPENED
Anna Ror's death had been investigated.
At least, that was what Billy believed.
Now she was discovering that key evidence may never have reached the authorities who reviewed the crash.
The original accident file contained photographs.
Witness statements.
Vehicle inspection notes.
And a conclusion that Anna lost control during heavy rain.
But a second file recovered from Dominic's companies told a different story.
The private security firm had received payment shortly after Anna died.
Its internal records included photographs of another vehicle near the crash location.
A black sedan.
Billy recognized its damaged rear bumper.
She'd seen the same car parked outside the Windmir years earlier.
Rafe looked toward Elaine.
"Can this be authenticated?"
"The images and metadata are being reviewed. If genuine, they raise questions about the original investigation."
Billy swallowed.
"What happened to the driver?"
Elaine turned another page.
"The vehicle was registered to a company connected to Dominic."
Rafe's expression darkened.
For a moment, the room went silent.
Then Billy asked:
"Does that prove he killed Anna?"
Elaine shook her head.
"No. It suggests potential involvement that investigators need to examine."
Billy nodded.
She hated uncertainty.
But she understood why it mattered.
Her sister deserved truth.
Not a convenient accusation.
The recovered records were provided to the appropriate authorities.
The death investigation was reopened.
Witnesses were interviewed again.
And an independent forensic review examined the crash evidence.
Meanwhile, Sabine's fashion empire began unraveling.
Several young designers came forward with stories of contracts they hadn't understood.
Unpaid work.
Missing prototypes.
And designs that appeared under Sabine's label after promises of sponsorship.
The foundation's financial records also came under scrutiny.
Then something unexpected happened.
Sabine contacted Billy through her attorney.
She wanted to speak.
Billy refused to meet privately.
Instead, she agreed to provide questions through legal counsel.
Sabine's response arrived two days later.
It contained a signed statement.
She admitted that Anna created the reversed-bead technique.
She acknowledged using the design without giving proper credit.
And she admitted that Dominic pressured her to keep quiet when Anna threatened to expose the company's financial arrangements.
Billy read the statement slowly.
For four years, she'd wanted Sabine to say those words.
Now they seemed painfully small.
Then she reached the final paragraph.
Sabine claimed she'd warned Anna not to drive home the night of the crash.
Billy went still.
Why?
The answer appeared in the next sentence.
Dominic told me he'd make sure Anna never reached the journalist.
Billy's hands began trembling.
Then Sabine described the last person she saw speaking to Anna.
Not Dominic.
Not Gideon.
Rafe Santangelo.
The man who had defended Billy in the ballroom.
May you like
The man who was now helping her uncover the truth.
And according to Sabine, Rafe had argued with Anna only hours before she died.
