Chapter 3 - THE MAN WHO SURVIVED THE CRASH
Julian’s private suite occupied the eastern side of the second floor.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the lake. The room had been adapted
for his wheelchair, but every adjustment looked expensive enough to be
invisible.
“Sit,” he said.
Claire remained standing.
“I’d rather not.”
“Fair enough.”
He opened a drawer and removed a thin folder.
“Your brother was my head vehicle technician. He was also the only
person who questioned the maintenance report after my crash.”
“What happened that night?”
“It was raining. I was returning from a meeting outside Hartford. Andrew
was driving a security vehicle. Gabriel followed in another car.”
“Why was Andrew driving?”
“He was testing a modified vehicle. My regular driver was unavailable.”
Julian explained that the car began pulling to the left on Ridge Road.
Andrew tried to correct it, but the brakes failed. The vehicle struck a
barrier and rolled down an embankment.
“Andrew died at the scene,” Julian said. “I survived, but my spine was
damaged.”
“Did Andrew know the brakes were failing?”
“He shouted that someone had tampered with the system. He said the
secondary line had been disabled.”
“Did he say who?”
“No. He was trying to keep us on the road.”
Claire’s hands curled into fists.
“My brother would never have ignored a brake problem.”
“I know that now.”
Julian opened the folder. It contained a maintenance checklist and a
photograph of a brake assembly. A red circle marked a small metal
fitting.
“Andrew’s report,” he said. “He submitted it two days before the crash.
The secondary brake line had been replaced with a part that didn’t meet
the manufacturer’s specifications.”
“Who approved it?”
Julian turned the page.
Gabriel Knox’s signature appeared beneath the work order.
Claire felt her mouth go dry.
“Did you confront him?”
“He said Andrew had approved the part himself and that the signature was
a clerical error. The original records disappeared.”
“Convenient.”
“Yes.”
Claire looked toward the windows.
“Why did you keep this?”
“Because I never believed the crash was fully explained. Every time I
got close to something, a witness changed a statement or a file
disappeared. My sister told me I was becoming obsessed.”
“Victoria?”
Julian nodded.
“She said Andrew’s death was tragic but settled. She said I needed to
stop punishing myself.”
“Maybe she wanted you to stop asking questions.”
Julian studied her.
“Why did you take this job?”
Claire hesitated. “I applied under a false reference. I knew the estate
was hiring temporary staff for the summer reception. I thought I could
get into the service corridors and find Andrew’s blue ledger.”
“Did you find it?”
“No.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I didn’t know whether you were involved.”
“That’s fair.”
“Are you going to fire me?”
“Not today.”
“Why?”
“Because you pulled me out of a lake. Because your brother may have been
murdered. And because someone may have tried to kill me again this
morning.”
Claire glanced at his wheelchair.
“The brakes?”
“They were inspected yesterday. The report said they were working
perfectly. Gabriel’s technician signed it.”
“Then we need to inspect the chair ourselves.”
Julian pressed a control on his desk. A concealed panel opened beside
the bookcase, revealing a narrow office with several screens and a
locked cabinet.
“Your brother left something in here,” Julian said. “After the accident,
someone searched the room. They missed one thing.”
He pointed to a photograph of Andrew standing beside a black sedan,
smiling with one hand resting on the hood.
A small blue mark had been drawn on the back of the frame.
Claire removed it carefully.
Behind it was a narrow envelope. Inside was a key and a note in Andrew’s
handwriting.
May you like
For Claire. If Julian is still alive, tell him the lake is not the first
place they tried to drown him.
