Chapter 6 - The Five Red Roses
Original Carter Foundation board called itself Red Rose Committee informally.
Not sinister.
Ethan’s father, Henry Carter, chose rose symbol because Rachel designed first fundraising gala around red roses.
Five founding executives wore enamel pins:
Henry Carter.
Eleanor Carter.
Gabriel Shaw, foundation attorney.
Margaret Bell, finance director.
And Rachel Carter.
Rachel herself was fifth member.
So Rebecca’s attacker could have worn old pin stolen from anyone.
Or been one of surviving members.
Henry died six years earlier.
Margaret Bell died three.
Gabriel Shaw retired to Florida.
Eleanor remained.
Rachel was missing.
Police searched Eleanor’s room.
Her pin was there.
Gabriel’s whereabouts confirmed he was in Florida.
Then Rebecca remembered detail.
Attacker was taller than Eleanor.
Could be man.
Security footage from mansion showed side entrance opening at 4:17 p.m.
No clear face.
Access code used belonged to:
Henry Carter.
A dead man.
Someone preserved his credentials.
Ethan asked Claire why she had not told him about anonymous source.
“Because source knew things about Rachel nobody should know.”
“That should have made you tell me.”
“It made me wonder whether you were involved.”
That hurt.
But Claire showed why.
Anonymous messages included photograph from night Rachel disappeared.
Ethan stood outside Carter Foundation office at 11:43 p.m.
He had told police he was home after argument.
Ethan stared.
“I forgot.”
“You forgot being at foundation?”
“I went there for twenty minutes.”
“Why?”
“Rachel called me.”
That changed timeline.
Rachel had called after leaving house.
She told Ethan she found financial irregularity and needed original grant file.
He met her at office.
They argued again.
She left.
Ethan withheld it from police because father convinced him it would make him suspect.
Claire looked devastated.
“You lied during investigation.”
“Yes.”
“Did Rachel know?”
“Yes.”
Then bouquet became darker.
Twenty-four roses were not merely anniversary flowers.
Ethan had carried them to foundation office that night.
He planned apologize.
Rachel refused them.
He left bouquet on her desk.
When police later searched office—
roses were gone.
Someone removed them between Rachel leaving and crash.
Current recreated bouquet was therefore not just memorial.
It was reconstruction of evidence.
Then investigators opened artificial rose stem further.
Inside was folded strip of paper.
Only four words:
ASK WHO TOOK THEM.
Who took original roses from Rachel’s desk eight years ago?
Eleanor said she did not know.
Claire looked toward her.
“You do.”
Eleanor’s silence lasted too long.
Finally:
“Henry.”
Ethan stared.
“My father took them?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He said Rachel had left them behind.”
“What did he do with them?”
“I never asked.”
Then Rebecca whispered:
“I know.”
Everyone turned.
“Henry brought them to Halcyon.”
“Why?”
“To prove to Rachel that Ethan had been at foundation office.”
Ethan’s pulse jumped.
“Rachel already knew. She saw me.”
Rebecca shook head.
“Not all twenty-four roses arrived.”
“How many?”
“Twenty-three.”
One rose had been removed before Henry reached Halcyon.
May you like
And according to Rachel—
that missing rose contained something worth killing for.
