Chapter 6 - Mason Recognized The Watcher’s Car
Mason returned home only after police finished processing the office.
Ethan replaced the locks.
Vanessa’s belongings were removed.
Ryan no longer had access.
Ethan did not tell Mason every detail.
He showed him a photograph of a dark green sedan captured by a
neighbor’s doorbell camera.
“Have you seen this car?”
Mason nodded immediately.
“Lots.”
Ethan felt cold.
“Where?”
“Bus stop.”
“Anywhere else?”
“Soccer.”
“How long?”
Mason shrugged.
“Since school started.”
September.
“Did Vanessa know?”
“Yes.”
Ethan stared.
“You told her?”
“She said it was probably somebody’s dad.”
That evening Ethan confronted Vanessa by phone with police present.
She admitted Mason had mentioned the car.
She dismissed it.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t think it mattered.”
“You thought my nine-year-old skipping a chore mattered enough to deny
dinner, but a car repeatedly watching him didn’t?”
Vanessa went silent.
The green sedan was registered to a rental company.
Records led investigators to Peter Sloan.
Police found him at a motel.
He insisted he had watched Mason for protection.
Thomas Cole had allegedly hired people to monitor Ethan’s family.
Peter claimed he was documenting the surveillance.
Detective Grant asked why he never contacted police.
Peter said he needed proof.
Then investigators searched his room.
They found photographs of Ethan.
Mason.
Vanessa.
Ryan.
Thomas.
And Grace.
Everyone was being watched.
On Peter’s laptop was a folder labeled CLAIRE WALKER.
Inside was an audio recording made three days before Claire died.
Her voice filled the interview room.
“If Thomas realizes I copied the ledger, he’ll come after the money
first. Not us. He cares about control, not revenge.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
Claire sounded alive.
Focused.
Calm.
Then another voice entered the recording.
Peter Sloan.
He had been helping her.
That changed everything.
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Peter had not begun investigating after Vanessa called Ryan.
He had been involved before Claire died.
