Chapter 7 - WHAT HAPPENED AT THE LAKE
Victoria finally asked to speak.
Not to Ethan.
To Detective Reeves.
Her attorney was present.
Ethan wasn't allowed in the interview.
But two days later, Victoria called him.
He almost declined.
Then answered.
“Why did you lie?”
Victoria cried quietly.
“I was seventeen.”
“Yesterday you were thirty-three.”
“I know.”
“Why did you have Claire's pendant?”
Silence.
“Victoria.”
“She gave it to me.”
“You told police she was wearing it.”
“I lied.”
“Why?”
“My mother told me to.”
There it was.
Victoria began talking.
On June 17, Claire and Lorraine had argued.
Claire accused Lorraine and Marcus of stealing from the trust.
Lorraine demanded Claire sign documents approving past transactions.
Claire refused.
That evening, Lorraine asked Victoria to convince Claire to meet them at a small lake house owned by Marcus.
Victoria agreed.
She believed they were going to talk.
“Did you know Claire was meeting a lawyer the next morning?”
“Yes.”
“Did your mother?”
“Yes.”
“What happened at the lake house?”
Victoria's voice trembled.
“They fought.”
Claire threatened to call police.
Marcus blocked the door.
Claire screamed at him to move.
Lorraine grabbed Claire.
Claire pushed her away.
Marcus stepped between them.
Then something happened.
Victoria stopped.
“What?”
“I can't.”
“Victoria.”
“I can't say it on the phone.”
Ethan felt sick.
“Was Claire alive when you left?”
Victoria began sobbing.
That was answer enough.
Ethan closed his eyes.
“Where is she?”
“I don't know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I was seventeen!”
“And Lily was seven!”
Victoria stopped crying.
Ethan continued.
“You know what seventeen-year-old you did because you were afraid? I can understand fear. What I can't understand is thirty-three-year-old you attacking a child because she found evidence.”
“I panicked.”
“You've been panicking for sixteen years.”
Victoria whispered:
“You don't know my mother.”
“No. Because you told me she was dead.”
“She might as well be.”
“Where is Claire?”
“I swear I don't know.”
Ethan heard Victoria breathe.
Then she said something unexpected.
“The greenhouse.”
“What?”
“The night Claire disappeared, my mother came home after midnight.”
Victoria had remained at Briar House.
Lorraine returned alone.
Her shoes were covered in mud.
The following morning, she ordered workers to repair a cracked drainage trench beneath the greenhouse.
Concrete was poured two days later.
Ethan remembered the anonymous letter.
LOOK UNDER WHAT SHE LOVED.
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“For sixteen years?”
“I couldn't prove it.”
“So you said nothing?”
“My mother told me if I changed my story, police would arrest me too.”
“Maybe they should have.”
Victoria inhaled sharply.
May you like
Ethan didn't take it back.
The next morning, investigators arrived at Briar House with a warrant.
