Chapter 8 - Ethan Tells Police Who Was Outside
Ethan finally admitted he saw the person on the balcony.
It was not Margaret.
It was his uncle, Robert Morgan.
Charles’s younger brother.
Robert served as trustee of several Morgan holding companies.
He had the most to lose if Charles’s amendment triggered an independent
review.
Ethan claimed Robert shoved Claire.
“Why didn’t you tell police?”
Ethan lowered his head.
“Robert said she slipped.”
“You watched it happen.”
“I saw them arguing. Then she went over.”
Claire listened to the recorded interview from her hospital room.
Mason asked:
“Did Robert touch her?”
A long pause.
“Yes.”
“Did he push her?”
Another pause.
“Yes.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Ethan had known.
He did not push her.
But he watched his uncle do it and then supported the accident story.
Why?
Robert threatened to expose Ethan’s role in hiding Emily’s settlement.
Years earlier Ethan had helped arrange the $480,000 payment.
He told himself it was a legal settlement protecting Emily.
But the agreement included clauses designed to suppress disclosure of
the foundation records.
Ethan feared criminal and civil consequences.
So when Claire fell, he chose self-protection.
Again.
First Emily.
Then Claire.
Mason asked whether Margaret knew Robert planned to confront Claire.
Ethan said yes.
Margaret created the fake messages to bring Claire upstairs.
She expected Robert to pressure Claire into revealing where the trust
amendment was.
Ethan claimed nobody planned a murder.
Claire felt no comfort.
A scheme to isolate and intimidate her had ended with her broken on
pavement.
Then Margaret later entered the hospital and tried to suffocate her.
May you like
Whatever the original plan had been, Margaret had crossed that line
herself.
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