Chapter 4 - Everett Pretended to Break
Everett made three calls.
The first was to Sloane Avery, his corporate attorney.
The second was to Maren’s cousin Blake Mercer, a senior hospital administrator.
The third was to the investigators who would receive copies of every recording from the Langford estate.
Then Everett waited.
At nine that evening, Celeste and Audra arrived.
Celeste carried flowers.
Audra carried a leather folder.
Everett met them outside Bennett’s room.
He intentionally allowed exhaustion to show.
His shoulders were lowered.
His voice sounded defeated.
Celeste touched his arm.
“My poor boy.”
Everett said nothing.
“The doctor told me Bennett was exposed to cold.”
Audra immediately responded.
“Maren must have opened the window.”
Everett slowly looked toward Maren’s room.
“Maybe…”
He hesitated.
“Maybe you were right about her.”
Celeste and Audra exchanged a glance.
A tiny glance.
But Everett saw it.
Celeste lowered her voice.
“We never wanted to be right.”
Everett almost laughed.
Instead, he looked at the floor.
“What happens now?”
Audra handed him the folder.
“These documents allow Mom to supervise Bennett’s medical care.”
Everett flipped through the pages.
“And the trust?”
“Only temporarily,” Celeste said.
“Until you can focus again.”
“And Maren?”
Celeste softened her voice.
“A private treatment facility is prepared to receive her tonight.”
Everett looked up.
“You want to take my wife away tonight?”
“For her own safety.”
“No media?”
“None.”
“No police?”
“Of course not.”
No witnesses, Everett thought.
No questions.
He reached the signature page.
A pen had already been placed beside it.
But Everett did not use it.
He removed another pen from his jacket.
Sloane had prepared it earlier.
The ink would disappear after prolonged exposure to heat.
Everett signed.
Celeste’s expression softened with victory.
“You made the responsible decision.”
She slid the documents into her heated leather handbag.
Everett watched them leave.
Then he called Sloane.
“They took the papers.”
“Good.”
May you like
“What now?”
“Now we give them enough rope.”
