Chapter 10 - HANDLING THE CAR
Roman wanted Cole dead.
That was simple.
He did not act on simple.
He sent the recording to independent forensic audio examiners.
Voice authenticity.
Edits.
Timestamp consistency.
Everything.
Then he sent the brake report.
Security logs.
Burner phone.
B17 evidence.
No execution.
No basement interrogation.
Evidence first.
Because if Cole was part of something larger, killing him ended the chain.
Meanwhile, Cole contacted Roman.
Unknown number.
“You found the marina.”
“Yes.”
“Then you found Isabella’s recording.”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Roman said:
“Come back.”
Cole laughed.
“You want me alive?”
“For now.”
“That almost sounds civilized.”
“Do not confuse patience with mercy.”
Cole’s voice hardened.
“I did not kill Isabella.”
“Her recording says you were handling the car.”
“I was.”
Roman’s hand tightened.
“Explain.”
“Morrow ordered me to put a tracker on it.”
“Why?”
“He thought Isabella would take the ledger to police.”
“Did you cut the brakes?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
“I do not know.”
“Convenient.”
“Morrow had people in fleet.”
“Name.”
“Frank Doyle.”
Former Vale mechanic.
Died four years ago.
Again.
Dead witnesses.
Roman asked:
“Why did you hide all this?”
“Because Morrow owned half the city’s police command and enough judges to bury anything.”
“You worked for me.”
“I worked for survival.”
“You threatened Eva.”
Cole went silent.
That landed.
“I never touched her.”
“You told her Daddy might disappear like Mommy.”
“I needed her away from that room.”
“Why?”
“Because Michael was using her to move messages.”
Roman froze.
Was Michael?
Camera footage showed Michael telling Eva secrets.
That was wrong.
Maybe he also used her access.
Cole continued.
“Michael made you think he was the hero. He spent years hiding the blue ledger because it incriminated him too.”
“Where?”
“Look at the back pages.”
Roman turned.
Michael received payments from Morrow.
Large.
Why?
Could be bribes.
Could be double agent.
Cole said:
“Michael helped build Orchard.”
Roman’s stomach tightened.
“Proof.”
“The ledger.”
“Payments are not purpose.”
“Then ask Marcus why Ethan disappeared.”
Roman looked toward Marcus across the room.
Cole continued.
“Ethan discovered Michael was not protecting him. Michael was preparing to trade him.”
Marcus heard.
His face hardened.
“Liar.”
Cole laughed softly through speaker.
“Ask your brother, kid.”
“He’s missing.”
“Exactly.”
Then line disconnected.
Roman turned to Marcus.
“What did Ethan say about Michael?”
Marcus shook his head.
“He trusted him.”
“Always?”
Silence.
Marcus looked away.
“Marcus.”
“One time he said Michael scared him.”
“When?”
“Before he disappeared.”
“Why?”
“Ethan found a second ledger.”
“What ledger?”
“Black.”
Roman had opened only red and blue.
Michael’s box contained a black ledger.
They had not examined fully.
Roman opened it.
Different handwriting.
Michael’s.
It documented payments he received from Morrow.
Beside each:
RETURNED TO SOURCE?
RETAINED?
Roman traced.
Many funds passed through Michael and returned into Roman controlled accounts under alternate labels.
He may have been tracking.
Some did not.
One million remained missing.
Where?
Account:
ES FUTURE.
Ethan Shaw.
Michael transferred money to Ethan.
Why?
Protection?
Payment?
Bribe?
Marcus stared.
“My brother never had money.”
Maybe Ethan did not know.
Then Priya? No new external character maybe accounting team. Roman’s forensic accountant tracked ES FUTURE.
Dormant trust.
Beneficiary:
Marcus Shaw.
Marcus stared.
“What?”
Ethan and Michael had placed nearly one million dollars into a trust for Marcus.
Why?
If Ethan died, Marcus would have security.
Could be protective.
Could be payoff.
Then black ledger note:
If Cole reaches Marcus first, use the money to relocate him.
That favored Michael’s protective role.
Then another note:
Ethan knows who cut Isabella’s brakes.
Roman stared.
Marcus went still.
“Did Ethan tell you?”
“No.”
“Did he ever mention Frank Doyle?”
Marcus’s eyes changed.
Tiny.
Roman caught it.
“You know that name.”
Marcus swallowed.
“He wasn’t dead when Ethan disappeared.”
Roman stood.
Official records said Frank Doyle died four years ago.
Marcus said:
May you like
“I saw him three months ago.”
Continue to the next part: The mechanic who supposedly died years ago may still be alive and may know who sabotaged Isabella’s car.
