Chapter 3 - THE SILVER WATCH
Dawn broke gray and heavy over the lawn. I did not go to work. Instead I drove straight to Elara’s sister’s house.
Lila answered the door in her bathrobe, hair messy, eyes tired. She looked surprised to see me standing there so early.
“Adrian? Is everything all right? Where is Elara?”
“That is what I am here to ask you,” I said. “Was she here yesterday evening?”
Lila hesitated just a fraction too long.
“No. She called, but… something came up. She never arrived.”
My chest tightened. “She told me she spent the entire night here.”
Lila’s face paled. She stepped back, wringing her hands. “Adrian, please—don’t tell her I said this. She asked me to cover for her. Said she had something important to handle and couldn’t tell you yet. She sounded frightened.”
“Frightened of what?”
“I don’t know. She wouldn’t say. Only that she needed time and that you mustn’t worry.” Lila reached out and touched my arm. “Something is wrong, isn’t it? Is Ethan okay?”
“Ethan is safe,” I said, my mind racing. “But someone tried to kill him.”
Lila gasped and stumbled back.
“Elara knew nothing about it,” she said quickly. “I swear. Whatever you are thinking—she would never hurt that child. She loves him more than anything.”
“Then why lie about where she was?” I asked. “And why would her brother be at my house, handing Vivian a device to unlock my son’s stroller brake?”
Lila went white.
“Jared?” She breathed the name like a curse. “No. That’s impossible. He’s been in Chicago for weeks.”
“Is he?” I pulled out my phone and pulled up a clearer frame from the video. I zoomed in on the wrist. The heavy silver watch with the blue face. Jared’s watch. A gift from our father, years ago. Identifiable anywhere.
Lila stared. She covered her mouth. Tears spilled over.
“Oh God,” she whispered. “He came back early. Elara knew. She told me he was home and that he was demanding money. That he threatened her if she told you.”
My blood ran cold.
“Demanding money? Threatened her?”
“He said you owed him,” Lila said, voice shaking. “That you stole your inheritance. He said he would make you pay. Elara was terrified. She went to meet him that night to try to reason with him. That is why she lied to you.”
Everything shifted.
Vivian. Jared. The remote. The timing. It was not random. It was planned.
I left Lila’s house minutes later and drove home, every thought racing. Jared had been at the top of those stairs. He had handed Vivian the remote. And Elara—my wife—had known he was back. Had known he was dangerous. And had said nothing.
Had she stayed silent to protect me? Or to protect him?
I walked into the house and found Elara standing in the kitchen, staring blankly out the window. She turned as I entered. Her eyes were red. She looked exhausted.
“Lila told me everything,” I said.
Elara swayed. She gripped the counter.
“Adrian—let me explain—”
“Where is Jared?” I demanded.
Her lips pressed together. She looked at me, torn, terrified, and finally broken.
“He’s staying at the old inn by the highway,” she whispered. “Adrian, please—he’s my brother. I wanted to handle it myself. I didn’t want trouble. But he’s not a killer. He couldn’t have—”
“He was there, Elara.” I stepped close, showed her the screen. “That is his watch. He handed Vivian the remote. They worked together.”
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Elara stared at the image. She swayed again. Then her knees gave way and she sank onto a chair, face buried in her hands.
“He said he just wanted to scare you,” she wept. “He said he only wanted to frighten Ethan so you would pay. He swore he would never hurt him. Oh God… I believed him.”
