Chapter 5 - THE WOMAN WITH THE CHAMPAGNE GLASS
Patricia Carter had spent forty years mastering stillness.
She never raised her voice in public. She never rushed. She never allowed surprise to remain on her face longer than a heartbeat.
At the police station, she wore a cream suit and requested tea.
Her attorney advised silence.
Patricia ignored him.
She said Lily had entered the private room without permission and damaged an irreplaceable family heirloom. She admitted speaking harshly to the child. She denied administering medication.
“Why did you say she brought it on herself?” Mason asked.
“Because disobedience has consequences.”
“She was unconscious.”
“I did not mean that consequence.”
Mason showed her the photograph of the mechanic.
For the first time, Patricia’s fingers stopped moving around the teacup.
His name was Owen Price.
Patricia claimed she helped him leave town because he was being harassed after David’s accident. She refused to say where he went.
Mason showed her bank transfers from a Carter family account to Owen’s sister.
Patricia called them charitable support.
Then he played a recovered voicemail from David’s phone.
Patricia’s voice filled the interview room.
You will not destroy this family over a technical problem.
David answered, People could die.
Patricia replied, People die every day. Families like ours survive because we decide what becomes history.
The recording ended.
Patricia’s attorney requested a break.
Across the hall, Robert was less composed.
He admitted defective modules had been shipped, but insisted David exaggerated the danger. He said Patricia handled the mechanic and the accident aftermath.
“What did she handle?” Mason asked.
Robert stared at the table.
“I thought she was protecting the company.”
“Did you know David’s car had been altered?”
“No.”
“Did you know Lily was drugged?”
“No.”
“Did you disable the cameras?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Patricia said Lily found David’s recording. She said the child was hysterical and needed privacy.”
Mason leaned closer.
“Did you see Lily before police arrived?”
Robert swallowed.
“Yes.”
“Was she conscious?”
“No.”
“What did you do?”
Robert’s face crumpled.
“I wanted to call an ambulance.”
“But you didn’t.”
“Patricia said Emma would accuse us. She said we needed to remove the music box first.”
Robert helped move evidence while his granddaughter lay unconscious.
That was enough for charges of obstruction and child endangerment.
But the person who drugged Lily was still not proven.
At the hospital, Emma received a call from an unknown number.
A man whispered, “David was right. The second failure is coming.”
“Who is this?”
“Owen Price.”
Emma stood.
“Where are you?”
“I can prove what happened to David. But Patricia knows I’m alive.”
A noise sounded behind him.
Owen’s breathing changed.
May you like
Before the call ended, he said one more thing.
“Do not trust Robert just because he looks afraid.”
