Richard Bennett had made one mistake.
He thought Lauren was still the frightened little girl who used to run to him whenever the world became difficult.
But the woman waiting for him in Boston was no longer that girl.
And this time, she remembered everything.
At 8:15 a.m., Ethan received an urgent call from Detective Harris.
“Where are you?” Harris asked.
“Upstairs with Lauren. Why?”
“The witness is alive. Evelyn Carter is under federal protection, but she refuses to speak until she sees Lauren.”
Ethan glanced toward Lauren.
“She wants to see my wife?”
“Yes. And there’s something else. Before the attack, Evelyn left a message with our department.”
“What message?”
Harris paused.
“She said Lauren’s accident wasn’t supposed to kill her.”
Ethan’s face hardened.
“What do you mean?”
“She claims Richard ordered someone to make Lauren disappear permanently. But Vanessa changed the plan.”
Lauren heard every word.
Her knees nearly gave out.
“Vanessa?” she whispered.
Ethan caught her hand.
Harris continued.
“Apparently, Vanessa wanted something from your father. Something he promised her in exchange for helping him.”
Lauren shook her head.
“No. That can’t be true.”
Then she remembered something.
A conversation in the mansion.
Vanessa standing beside Richard’s desk.
Her father handing her a small black envelope.
And Vanessa saying:
“Once Lauren is gone, everything will finally belong to us.”
Lauren covered her mouth.
“Oh God…”
Ethan pulled her close.
“Listen to me. Whatever happened, we’re going to uncover the truth.”
But Lauren suddenly looked up.
“Ethan, there’s something you don’t know.”
“What?”
“My father wasn’t the only person who knew about the USB drive.”
She swallowed.
“Vanessa knew too.”
9:40 a.m. — Federal Medical Center
Nurse Evelyn Carter lay in a hospital bed surrounded by two federal agents.
Her face was bruised.
Her left arm was bandaged.
When Lauren entered the room, Evelyn immediately began crying.
“I’m so sorry.”
Lauren stood motionless.
“Why did you do it?”
Evelyn lowered her eyes.
“Your father paid me.”
“For what?”
