Chapter 6 - The Ledger Ethan Never Saw
The “ledger” belonged to Ironcrest Academy.
Mark Ellis maintained athlete sponsorship accounts.
Ryan’s travel.
Equipment.
Prize bonuses.
Scholarship funds.
Ethan had once questioned why several athletes were being charged “training debt” after leaving.
He mentioned it publicly before championship.
Marcus got angry.
Did Ethan find ledger?
No.
But someone thought he had.
A week before match, anonymous envelope arrived at Ethan’s gym.
Inside:
one photocopied page.
Names of teenage athletes.
Amounts deducted from sponsorship payments.
Some under eighteen.
Ethan confronted tournament ethics board.
He did not know source.
That likely became “Ethan found ledger.”
Marcus feared exposure.
Mark, as accountant, had more reason.
Were deductions illegal?
Some legitimate.
Some not.
Investigation later found Ironcrest had charged athletes for housing and travel in violation of sponsorship terms.
Roughly $420,000 over five years.
Not massive criminal empire.
But enough for lawsuits and academy sale complications.
Who sent Ethan page?
Unknown.
Then after accident, ethics investigation disappeared.
Why?
Ethan withdrew complaint.
Why?
Rachel and Liam were hospitalized.
He stopped everything.
Marcus sale proceeded months later at reduced price.
Mark kept job in new foundation structure.
That gave possible motive to scare Ethan.
Did Mark cause crash to stop him?
Still not proof.
Then old hospital toxicology from Ryan reexamined.
Drug:
midazolam-like sedative? Need realistic. Better zolpidem? Ryan drank water then unconscious. Could be benzodiazepine clonazepam. Toxicology showed lorazepam not prescribed.
Where could Mark get it?
His wife worked veterinary? Hmm. Avoid convoluted. Marcus had prescription for lorazepam.
Denise confirmed Marcus used it for anxiety.
Bottle count after championship?
Unknown.
Then Ryan said:
“Marcus gave me water.”
If Marcus drugged Ryan, maybe planned frame.
Why?
Ryan’s loss threatened sale.
If Ryan also appeared reckless criminal, Marcus could void bonus obligations and distance academy.
But why crash Ethan’s car?
Maybe Marcus planned intimidation using SUV while Ryan unconscious as scapegoat.
Did Marcus drive?
Diary showed at 11:35 he texted Mark:
WHERE ARE YOU? THIS HAS GONE TOO FAR.
That suggests Mark doing something Marcus didn’t expect.
Mark replied:
YOU WANTED COLE SCARED.
Marcus:
NOT LIKE THIS.
These texts were recovered from cloud backup.
There.
Strong evidence.
Mark may be driver.
But why no charges?
Not discovered then.
Denise had old phone backups due estate.
Then Ethan asked:
“What happened after ‘not like this’?”
Next Mark text 11:51:
WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
Crash at 11:48.
Marcus:
WHERE IS RYAN?
Mark:
SAFE.
That implied conspiracy.
Ryan had been sedated and moved.
Who did what?
Likely Marcus ordered Ryan drugged to keep him quiet after rage?
Or Mark did.
Need full payoff only Ch15. We can build.
Then Mark was located.
He denied driving.
Said Marcus instructed:
“Take Ryan somewhere he can cool off.”
Mark gave Ryan water from Marcus.
Ryan collapsed.
Mark panicked.
He moved him to alley? Why not hospital?
He feared doping scandal.
Then Marcus asked Mark “scare Ethan” by slashing tires? Mark claims.
But texts indicate went too far.
Mark said he drove SUV to Ethan’s car in lot intending leave threatening note.
Then saw Ethan’s car leave.
He followed.
Who was driving?
Rachel.
He claims when realized, he turned away.
Then another car took SUV?
Unlikely.
Investigators asked:
“Who else was with you?”
Mark refused.
That meant another person.
Then Liam noticed something in old photo.
After championship, Mark standing beside man in Ironcrest jacket.
Not Marcus.
Not Ryan.
Young assistant coach.
Name:
Dylan Price.
Ryan froze.
“My corner coach.”
Dylan vanished from martial arts world after accident.
Where now?
Police officer?
No. Maybe runs gym in Nevada.
He had never been interviewed because everyone thought left before crash.
Arena employment logs showed Dylan clocked out 10:40.
But garage access:
11:02.
He was still there.
And Dylan was the person who gave Ryan his jacket back after weigh-in.
May you like
Could have placed in SUV.
The frame was narrowing.
