Chapter 10 - The Account in Della’s Name
First Lakes Federal still had microfilm records.
The account opened using Della’s name, date of birth and a photocopy of her driver’s license.
Address:
Marlowe’s Diner.
Authorized signer:
Della Marsh.
Secondary contact:
Jonathan Vale.
The fifty thousand dollars from Cordelia arrived.
Two days later it moved to Vale Client Trust.
Then split.
Twenty five thousand reimbursed Ashworth Holdings for the fake settlement payment.
Twenty five thousand went to Alder East Consulting.
The same intermediary connected to Vanguard security.
Cordelia’s attempt to pay Della had been absorbed into the coverup.
Whether Cordelia intended generosity, guilt management or self protection did not change the financial chain.
She did send money.
Della never received it.
Malcolm’s claim was true.
Cordelia’s position became more complicated.
She followed her father.
Witnessed violence.
Called Vale.
Wanted Della silenced.
Then apparently sent money.
Seven years later, she recognized Della and attacked her publicly to remove her from the gala.
A frightened twenty year old had become an entitled twenty seven year old who still treated Della’s presence as a problem to be managed.
People can regret one thing and repeat its logic.
Della understood that.
Ronan did too.
Cordelia’s attorney proposed a controlled interview regarding the old case.
Police handled criminal questions.
Della attended only for the civil and historical issues after advice from counsel.
Cordelia wore a plain navy suit.
No green gown.
No makeup beyond what cameras required.
She looked younger.
Not kinder.
“I did not know they would stab him.”
Ronan answered:
“You knew they were there to scare me.”
“Yes.”
“Why not call police?”
“I was afraid of my father.”
Malcolm was not present.
Della asked:
“Why did you call Vale instead?”
“Because I panicked.”
“You told him I could identify you.”
“Yes.”
“What did you want him to do?”
“Make sure you did not talk publicly.”
“How?”
“I did not ask.”
Again.
The same defense.
Do not ask how the outcome happens.
Only ask for the outcome.
Cordelia continued.
“When I learned someone visited your diner, I fought with my father.”
“Your father says Elias handled that.”
“He did.”
“Then why did you blame your father?”
“Because he started everything.”
Fair.
Della asked about the fifty thousand.
“I wanted you out of Chicago.”
“Why?”
“Because I thought Elias would keep pressuring you.”
“Did you tell me?”
“No.”
“So you sent money to an account I did not know existed.”
“Vale said he would arrange it.”
“You trusted the same man you asked to silence me.”
Cordelia closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
“What happened last night?”
She opened them.
“I saw you.”
“And?”
“I panicked.”
“So you tried having me removed.”
“Yes.”
“When that failed, you attacked me.”
Cordelia looked away.
“I was angry.”
“About champagne?”
“No.”
Finally.
“About what?”
“That you were standing in Ronan’s hotel wearing a uniform as if nothing had happened.”
Della almost could not believe the sentence.
“What did you expect me to be doing?”
“I do not know.”
“Dead?”
Cordelia’s face changed.
“No.”
“Gone?”
“Yes.”
There it was.
Della’s continued existence disturbed Cordelia because it kept the past alive.
The mirror assault was not planned murder.
Not a sophisticated evidence strategy.
It was an old fear meeting entitlement.
Cordelia wanted Della removed because she could not tolerate the witness becoming visible again.
Then Ronan asked:
“Why did you say she attacked you first?”
Cordelia stared at him.
“Because everyone believes the first clean story.”
The answer explained her.
Not enough to excuse her.
Enough to understand the mechanism.
The interview ended.
Then police informed Ronan that Peter Crowe, one of the old Vanguard men, had been located.
Alive.
Living in Florida.
He agreed to speak after counsel.
His first statement:
“Elias did not hire us to attack Ronan Ashworth.”
Ronan stared.
“Then who did?”
Crowe answered:
May you like
“August Ashworth.”
Continue to the next part: One of the men from Palmer claims Ronan’s own father approved the operation that nearly killed him.
