Chapter 7 - The Burner Phone
Ethan did not deny buying it.
That almost made it worse.
He sat across from me in Rebecca’s office.
No attorneys? He had his own now.
Michael Grant.
Good.
Separate representation.
Ethan said:
“Eric asked me to buy him a prepaid phone.”
“Why?”
“He said one of his custody clients had a stalking issue.”
“Did that sound normal?”
“He works sensitive cases.”
“You bought it?”
“Yes.”
“Did you use it?”
“No.”
“Did you know he used it to talk about me?”
“No.”
His lawyer added:
“Forensic extraction will establish use.”
We waited.
Then store footage.
Ethan bought phone.
Eric activated later.
Location records showed device spent most nights near Eric’s home.
That helped Ethan.
Then one message:
E:
Claire is suspicious.
Could still be Eric talking to himself? No, messages were between accounts. Need identify other E maybe "Evan Pierce" CFO? Maybe Ethan's boss? We need strong twist maybe "E" is not Ethan but Ellen? Let's make another corporate figure "Evelyn Bennett", Claire's aunt and board chair? Hmm. But central twist could be the mastermind is Claire's own aunt, not husband. Yet earlier we planned Ethan partly involved. Perhaps better twist: E is "Eleanor Bennett", Claire's aunt and board chair, who wants deal. But no introduction yet. Could emerge. However user expects probably family betrayal high. Let's consider making Ethan weak/complicit but not mastermind, leaving deeper twist. Need maybe stronger.
Add Claire's aunt Evelyn Bennett, 55, late father's sister, board chair of Bennett Medical. She supports Crescent Harbor sale and holds 8%. She has been frustrated by Claire's veto. Eric could be consulting her secretly? How would she know him? Via Ethan? Could be. But "E" messages from another account associated with office. Maybe Evelyn. Then husband isn't mastermind; he carelessly fed Eric info and bought phone. But user might want twist. It would be good that Ethan isn't entirely innocent: he discussed capacity and deal, but did not authorize false reports. The real corporate mastermind is Claire's aunt Evelyn, who stands to gain a $7M success fee/rollover equity from sale. She recruited Eric via a "family stability consultant". Diane tied to Eric. This creates layered betrayals.
Could "E" be Evelyn. Need introduce at Chapter 8. Great.
Evelyn Bennett, 57, Claire's aunt, board chair. She had been close after father died. She supported hiring Ethan as CFO. She secretly has side agreement with Crescent Harbor: $5M advisory fee through Bennett Legacy Advisors if deal closes. Need conceal.
She learned about durable POA from Ethan? Maybe corporate counsel docs.
She hired Eric to build capacity case because if Claire incapacitated, Ethan's proxy votes could swing deal. She counted on Ethan wanting deal. Ethan didn't know scheme but enabled.
Eric thought he was "protecting" Ethan from unstable Claire plus getting consultant fees.
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Diane worked for him as "observation source."
Later evidence shows Evelyn funded Family Assessment Solutions through shell.
