Chapter 8 - THE MECHANIC'S CONFESSION
Paul Mercer arrived at the police station under escort.
He was thin, tired, and visibly frightened. His attorney sat beside him while Detective Harris placed the garage footage on the table.
Mercer watched it without speaking.
“You gave Vanessa an envelope,” Harris said.
“Yes.”
“What was inside?”
“Money.”
“For what?”
Mercer looked at Adrian.
“To loosen the brake line.”
Adrian felt the room grow cold.
“Did you know I was driving that night?”
Mercer nodded.
“Ethan told me you would be using the car. He said the failure would happen at low speed, that you would be injured but survive.”
“You believed him?”
“I was told the brakes would still work enough to slow down.”
“That's not what happened.”
Mercer began crying.
“I know.”
“Why did you do it?”
“My son needed surgery. Ethan knew about the bills. He offered to pay them.”
Adrian stared at him.
“You risked my life for money.”
“I thought it would be an accident. I thought—”
“You thought you could choose how badly someone else got hurt.”
Mercer lowered his head.
He explained that Vanessa had delivered the payment and told him the car would be driven on a quiet road. Ethan later contacted him and instructed him to destroy the maintenance records.
When Mercer refused, Ethan threatened his family.
“Did Vanessa know the brakes would fail?” Detective Harris asked.
“Yes.”
“Did she know Adrian could die?”
Mercer hesitated.
“She said it would be better if he didn't come back.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
Detective Harris asked whether Mercer would testify.
He agreed.
The prosecutor prepared charges against Ethan, Vanessa, Dr. Vale, and Mercer.
But Ethan was still missing.
That night, Adrian received a message from an unknown number.
COME TO THE OLD OBSERVATORY. COME ALONE. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO ORDERED THE CRASH, BRING THE LEDGER.
Emma saw the message.
“It's a trap.”
“Probably.”
“Then don't go.”
“I won't go alone.”
He called Daniel and Detective Harris. They arranged surveillance around the observatory and planned to approach from three directions.
Emma insisted on accompanying the team.
Adrian refused at first.
Then he remembered what she had told him.
You don't get to make that decision for me.
He looked at her.
“Stay with Detective Harris. If anything happens, leave.”
She nodded.
“I can do that.”
May you like
But as they approached the observatory, Adrian saw a second vehicle parked near the rear entrance.
Vanessa's car.
