Chapter 8
Rain continued to lash against the glass windows of Marcus's subterranean office in Tribeca as morning approached.
Marcus tapped his finger against the tablet screen, pulling up a redacted mechanical inspection report from the Suffolk County Police Department.
The report noted that the brake line on Clara's luxury sedan had suffered a clean, high-pressure shear near the fluid reservoir.
At the time, investigators attributed the damage to flying road debris from the highway construction zone.
"Look at the secondary mechanic who signed off on the vehicle impound," Marcus highlighted a line near the bottom of the page.
The signature belonged to a private contractor named Donald Riggs.
According to financial databases, Riggs had received five cash deposits into his personal checking account the day after Clara's funeral.
Every single deposit was sourced from a shell corporation owned by Eleanor, Victoria's mother.
Ethan felt a surge of cold rage wash through his veins as the full magnitude of their horror settled in his mind.
This family had murdered his wife, infiltrated his life, and were now attempting to steal his daughter for money.
"Where is Donald Riggs right now?" Ethan asked, his voice dropping to an icy, lethal whisper.
"He operates an auto body shop near the docks in Jersey City," Marcus replied, pulling up a map location.
"He's been on their payroll for years, keeping quiet while living off offshore hush money."
Ethan grabbed his coat from the back of the chair and headed toward the reinforced door of the basement office.
May you like
"Call your contacts in the FBI, Marcus," Ethan said without turning back.
"Tell them I'm going to bring them the man who cut my wife's brakes."
