Chapter 5 - Why Ethan Died
Caroline had met Ethan eleven months earlier.
Her daughter Ava disappeared after a family-court dispute.
Police initially classified it as parental interference involving Ava's estranged father.
It wasn't.
Ava's father had nothing to do with it.
Caroline discovered payments to a private child-placement organization.
That organization received funding from Ethan's foundation.
She confronted him.
Ethan investigated.
Then he discovered Rebecca had quietly inserted herself into foundation operations using his credentials.
But Rebecca wasn't selling children.
That was the assumption I made.
It was wrong.
She was selecting them.
Children connected to wealthy families.
Complicated custody.
Inheritance disputes.
Trust funds.
Children whose disappearance could financially benefit someone.
Rebecca found vulnerabilities.
Someone else found clients.
Ava was supposed to disappear permanently from her mother's life.
Ethan found her first.
He hid her.
Then Rebecca threatened Leo and Maya.
“So Ethan faked his death?” I asked.
Caroline shook her head.
“No.”
“What?”
“He actually collapsed.”
Ethan's heart attack had been real.
But not natural.
Caroline said he discovered medication had been added to his nightly supplements.
He collapsed.
Rebecca assumed he was dead.
Someone at St. Catherine helped manipulate his records.
But Ethan regained consciousness before cremation.
A doctor secretly contacted Caroline.
She removed him.
“Why not me?”
Caroline looked at me carefully.
“He thought someone inside your organization was helping Rebecca.”
Dominic.
Or someone else.
Ethan couldn't risk contacting me.
He hid at the ranch while recovering.
Then began collecting evidence.
“Where is he now?”
“I don't know.”
Three weeks earlier, Ethan called Caroline.
He sounded injured.
“He said Rebecca found the ranch.”
Then nothing.
Ramirez asked:
“What about Ava?”
Caroline's voice cracked.
“With him.”
Silence.
My brother might be alive.
Ava might be alive.
Rebecca had disappeared.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
No voice.
Just breathing.
Then:
“Thomas?”
I knew that voice.
“Ethan.”
Caroline covered her mouth.
My knees nearly failed me.
“Where are you?”
“Don't ask.”
“Are you hurt?”
“Yes.”
“Ava?”
“Alive.”
I closed my eyes.
“Leo and Maya are with me.”
Silence.
Then Ethan whispered:
“They escaped?”
“Yes.”
A sound came through the phone.
Relief.
Then crying.
My brother was crying.
“Thank God.”
“Ethan, Rebecca is gone.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“Because she's here.”
My blood went cold.
“Where?”
Ethan's voice dropped.
“Thomas, Rebecca isn't running away.”
Pause.
“She came to finish what she started.”
Then something struck the phone.
May you like
Ava screamed.
The connection died.
