Chapter 16 - RICHARD'S BARGAIN
The federal courthouse stood thirty miles away, but the drive felt longer because nobody in the car spoke.
Claire sat in the rear seat beside Ethan.
Lena drove.
Nora sat in front with a phone pressed to her ear, speaking quietly with a federal prosecutor named James Calder.
Richard Parker had walked into the courthouse at 3:18 in the afternoon carrying no weapon, no luggage, and one encrypted phone.
He had asked for protection before giving his name.
Then he had demanded immunity.
Claire listened while Nora ended the call.
"What exactly does he want?"
"A complete federal immunity agreement."
Claire laughed once.
"For burying me alive."
"He claims Victor ordered the coffin sealed after Richard objected."
"He still put me in it."
"I know."
"He still told Ethan I was dead."
"I know."
"He still drugged me."
Nora looked back at her.
"No one is asking you to forgive him."
Claire stared out the window.
"It feels like everyone is preparing to bargain with my life."
Ethan looked at her.
"You do not have to see him."
Claire turned toward him.
He looked older than he had two days earlier.
That frightened her.
Children were supposed to grow older slowly.
Richard had forced Ethan to age in hours.
"I do have to see him."
"Why?"
"Because I need to hear what he says when he cannot hide behind a funeral, a doctor, or a police chief."
Lena glanced at them through the mirror.
"You will not be alone with him."
The courthouse had been partially cleared when they arrived.
Federal security moved Claire and Ethan through a private entrance.
Mara was already inside with Brennan.
Rebecca remained at the state field office under protection.
The prosecutor, James Calder, met them in a conference room.
He was a quiet man with silver glasses and the tired expression of someone who had spent his career hearing people explain why their crimes were necessary.
"Richard is in an interview room upstairs."
Claire sat.
"Does he have a lawyer?"
"Yes."
"Does he have a deal?"
"No."
"Good."
Calder folded his hands.
"He has evidence we want."
"Then take it."
"The phone is encrypted."
"Force him to unlock it."
"We are working through lawful options."
Claire looked at Nora.
"That means he is using the phone as leverage."
Nora nodded.
Calder continued.
"Richard says the device contains a recording of Victor Sloane ordering Dr. Voss to increase Evelyn Parker's medication."
Claire felt her throat tighten.
"We already have Voss's statement."
"Voss is alive, but his attorney has advised him to stop talking until a cooperation agreement is discussed."
Brennan swore softly.
Claire stared at Calder.
"So now everyone wants a deal."
"Everyone who committed crimes has suddenly discovered the value of cooperation."
Mara leaned against the wall.
"A miracle of conscience."
Calder ignored the sarcasm.
"Richard also claims the recording contains Sloane discussing Ethan."
Claire went still.
"Discussing what?"
"He will not say until he speaks with you."
"Then he can keep waiting."
Ethan spoke.
"I want to hear it."
Claire turned.
"No."
"Mom."
"No."
"They keep making plans about me in rooms I am not in."
Claire stared at him.
He continued.
"Richard told me you were dead because he thought I was a kid who would just believe him."
"Victor put my picture in a folder because he thinks I am a number in a trust."
"Chief Collins kept telling everyone I was confused because I am twelve."
His voice shook, but he did not stop.
"I am tired of people deciding I should not know what they are doing to me."
Claire looked away.
Nora said nothing.
Neither did Calder.
Finally, Claire nodded.
"You sit beside me."
"Okay."
"If I say we leave, we leave."
"Okay."
Richard was brought into the interview room in handcuffs.
The sight should have satisfied Claire.
It did not.
He looked smaller than she remembered.
His hair was uncombed.
His face was bruised.
There was a cut near his lower lip.
He looked at Ethan first.
Then Claire.
"You're alive."
Claire almost laughed.
"That is what happens when a child notices his mother knocking from the coffin you put her in."
Richard lowered his eyes.
"Claire, I never meant for it to go that far."
She leaned forward.
"You told me Ethan was dead."
"Victor said you would never drink the sedative otherwise."
"You stole his backpack."
Richard closed his eyes.
"Yes."
"You watched me collapse."
"Yes."
"You let Voss move me while I was unconscious."
"Yes."
"You told my son I was dead."
Richard looked at Ethan.
"I thought it would only be for a few days."
Ethan stared at him.
"You held a funeral."
Richard swallowed.
"I know."
"People hugged me and told me they were sorry."
Richard looked away.
"I know."
"You watched me cry."
"Ethan -"
"Do not say my name like you care about me."
Richard stopped.
The room became silent.
Claire put one hand over Ethan's.
Richard's lawyer whispered something to him.
Richard shook his head.
"I need you to understand something."
Claire's expression hardened.
"No."
"You need us to understand something because you want immunity."
Richard flinched.
She continued.
"Those are different things."
Calder placed the encrypted phone on the table.
"Mr. Parker, you said you would unlock the device if Claire agreed to hear your proffer."
Richard nodded.
"I will."
"Then unlock it."
Richard looked at Claire.
"I want witness protection."
Claire laughed.
"You want protection from the people you helped?"
"Victor will kill me."
"You were willing to let him kill me."
"I did not know he changed the plan."
"You knew enough."
Richard leaned forward.
"I knew he wanted you legally dead until after the acquisition."
"I knew he planned to move you to a private facility."
"I knew he wanted guardianship over Ethan transferred to me."
Ethan looked at him.
"Why?"
Richard's voice dropped.
"Because of your share."
"We know."
Richard looked surprised.
Ethan almost enjoyed that.
"Grandma knew more than you thought."
Richard's face tightened.
"Evelyn always did."
Claire leaned forward.
"What did Victor say about Ethan?"
Richard's lawyer touched his arm.
Richard ignored him.
"The original plan was for me to remain Ethan's guardian until the acquisition closed."
"Then what?"
Richard hesitated.
Claire's voice sharpened.
"Then what?"
"Then we were supposed to leave the country."
"You and Ethan?"
"Yes."
"Did Ethan know?"
"No."
"Was he supposed to have a choice?"
Richard said nothing.
Ethan leaned back in his chair.
Claire felt rage move through her so intensely that she almost could not speak.
"You were going to take my son after making him believe I was dead."
"Victor said it was temporary."
"Stop saying Victor said."
Claire's voice struck the room like a slap.
"You are a grown man."
"You made choices."
"Every time you say Victor made you do something, you are trying to crawl out from under your own decisions."
Richard's eyes filled.
Claire felt nothing for the tears.
"Unlock the phone."
Richard did.
Calder connected it to an isolated forensic device.
There were seventeen recordings.
Richard explained that he began recording Victor six months earlier because he suspected Victor would eventually blame him.
Mara laughed from behind the observation glass when she heard that later.
Even Richard's attempt to protect himself had become evidence.
Calder opened the file dated twelve days before Evelyn Parker died.
Victor's voice played first.
"She is becoming a problem."
Voss answered.
"She is dying, Victor."
"Then make the process quieter."
Voss hesitated.
"Her daughter visits every day."
Victor replied.
"Her daughter trusts the hospice team."
Claire closed her eyes.
Richard's recording continued.
Voss asked how much medication Victor wanted.
Victor named no dosage.
He simply said Evelyn needed to stop making phone calls.
That was enough.
Claire gripped the table.
The next recording was from two months ago.
Victor and Richard were discussing the acquisition.
Victor said Claire would never approve it.
Richard asked what happened if she refused.
Victor answered.
"Then we use Continuity."
Richard laughed nervously.
"On my wife?"
Victor did not laugh.
"On an obstacle."
Claire looked at Richard.
He stared at the table.
The third recording was from Friday night.
Richard sounded panicked.
"The sedation is wearing off."
Victor answered.
"Then seal the coffin."
Richard said that was not the agreement.
Victor's reply came calmly.
"The agreement changed when she woke up."
Richard asked what would happen after the funeral.
Victor said the coffin would be transferred to Price's crematory.
Richard went silent.
Then he said one sentence.
"There has to be another way."
Victor answered.
"There was."
"You married her."
Claire had to stop the recording.
She stood and walked to the far wall.
Ethan followed.
Richard remained at the table.
Calder looked at him.
"You understood what Sloane intended."
Richard whispered.
"Yes."
"And you allowed the funeral to proceed."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Richard's answer was almost inaudible.
"Because I was afraid of him."
Claire turned.
"No."
Everyone looked at her.
"You were afraid of losing what he promised you."
Richard looked at her.
"There is a difference."
He did not argue.
Calder opened the final recording.
It was dated the morning of the funeral.
Victor's voice was clear.
"If the boy causes a problem, Price will handle him."
Richard answered sharply.
"Do not touch Ethan."
Victor laughed.
"You are developing boundaries at an inconvenient time."
Richard said Ethan was not part of the deal.
Victor replied.
"He became part of the deal the day Samuel Parker wrote that amendment."
Then came the sentence that made Claire's skin go cold.
"If he reaches thirteen outside our control, the acquisition dies."
Ethan stared at the speaker.
Victor continued.
"So make sure he reaches thirteen under our control."
Richard asked what happened if Ethan refused to cooperate.
There was a long pause.
Victor answered.
"Then he does not need to reach thirteen."
Claire stopped the recording.
Nobody spoke.
Richard finally looked at Ethan.
"That is when I decided to get out."
Ethan stared at him.
"You still went to the funeral."
Richard's face collapsed.
"Yes."
Ethan stood.
"Then you did not get out."
He walked to the door.
Claire followed.
Behind them, Calder began discussing cooperation terms with Richard's lawyer.
Claire did not care what deal Richard received.
For the first time, she understood something more important.
Richard was not the most dangerous person in the conspiracy.
He was the weak person who opened the door for the dangerous one.
In the hallway, Lena approached them quickly.
"We have a problem."
Claire almost laughed at the phrase.
"What now?"
"Mason Price has disappeared."
Brennan joined them.
"His funeral home is empty."
"Employees?"
"Sent home."
"Family?"
"No contact."
Lena handed Claire a printed photograph from a traffic camera.
Mason's hearse had been recorded leaving the county forty minutes earlier.
It was heading toward an abandoned crematory owned by a shell company linked to Victor Sloane.
Mara stepped closer.
"Why would a funeral director run to a crematory after the coffin plan is exposed?"
Ethan looked at the photograph.
He noticed something in the hearse's rear window.
A hand.
Someone was inside.
"He is not alone."
Brennan enlarged the image.
The hand was pressed against the glass.
A strip of silver tape wrapped around the wrist.
Claire stared.
"Who is that?"
Lena received another call.
After Richard's recordings were copied, Calder asked Claire whether she wanted to make a victim statement immediately.
She refused.
"I do not know what I want to say to him yet."
Calder nodded.
Ethan looked through the observation glass at Richard.
"Do you think he is sorry?"
Claire considered the question.
"I think he is afraid."
"That is not the same thing."
"No."
Richard sat alone with his lawyer, shoulders bent, staring at his own hands.
For years he had acted as if fear belonged to other people.
Now every person he had betrayed could see his.
Claire expected that to feel satisfying.
It did not.
Fear did not repair anything.
Only truth, consequence, and time had a chance of doing that.
May you like
She listened, then looked at them.
"Rebecca Lane is missing from protective custody."
