Chapter 6 - THE PERSON I NEVER SUSPECTED
I refused to believe it.
There were only a handful of people who knew me well enough to understand my routines.
My mother.
My old colleagues.
My husband.
And one other person.
My best friend, Megan.
But Megan had been with me since college.
She had held my hand during my divorce.
She had cried with me when I told her I was marrying Luca.
She had visited me during the first days of my fever.
She couldn't possibly be involved.
Could she?
Detective Collins never told me the name.
Instead, she asked me to meet Luca.
I said no.
Then I changed my mind.
Not because I wanted closure.
Because I wanted answers.
The meeting took place in a secure interview room.
Luca entered wearing handcuffs.
He looked exhausted.
For the first time in years, he looked afraid.
He sat across from me.
Neither of us spoke.
Finally, he whispered,
"Jessi."
I stared at him.
"You tried to kill me."
His eyes filled with tears.
"I didn't want you to die."
I almost laughed.
"You put something into my wound."
"I was supposed to make you sick."
"That's not better."
"I know."
"Seven days."
He lowered his head.
"You told me to wait."
"I was scared."
"You were scared?"
He looked at me.
"They threatened me."
"Who?"
He hesitated.
Then said,
"Megan."
Everything inside me stopped.
"No."
"She recruited me."
"No."
"She knew about your old case."
I shook my head.
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
"She visited me in the hospital."
"I know."
"She held my hand."
"I know."
"She cried."
Luca looked at me.
"She's very good at pretending."
I couldn't breathe.
Detective Collins watched me carefully.
"What old case?" I asked.
Luca looked at the table.
"Years ago, you audited a company called Blackridge Medical."
I remembered it.
Barely.
There had been irregular transfers.
Millions of dollars.
A whistleblower.
An investigation.
Then the company disappeared.
"What did Megan have to do with it?"
"Her father owned it."
My mouth went dry.
Megan had told me her father was a businessman.
She never told me his company was Blackridge Medical.
"She knew you had the evidence."
"What evidence?"
"The evidence that could prove her father stole millions."
I stared at him.
"But the case was closed."
"Not everything was recovered."
My mind raced.
"The encrypted drive."
Luca nodded.
"She knew about it."
"How?"
"Because she helped you set it up."
I remembered.
Years ago, Megan had helped me create the encryption system.
She had been there when I stored the files.
I had trusted her completely.
Luca leaned forward.
"She told me if you went to the police, she'd destroy your mother."
My heart shattered.
"She threatened my mother?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"She had people watching her."
I stood.
"You're lying."
Luca looked up.
"Jessi, I'm sorry."
I shook my head.
"You don't get to say that."
"I know."
"You don't get forgiveness because you're afraid."
"I know."
"You almost killed me."
His eyes filled with tears.
"I know."
I left the room.
Outside, Detective Collins was waiting.
I was shaking.
"Is it true?"
"We're investigating."
"You knew?"
"We suspected Megan was involved."
I stared at her.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because we didn't know whether she was controlling Luca or whether Luca was blaming her."
I closed my eyes.
Then my phone rang.
Megan.
I stared at the screen.
Detective Collins held up a hand.
"Answer it."
I did.
"Hello?"
"Jessi."
Her voice was warm.
Normal.
Almost comforting.
"I'm so glad you're okay."
I said nothing.
"I've been worried sick."
"Have you?"
Silence.
Then she whispered,
"You should have died."
My blood went cold.
Detective Collins immediately signaled for the recording team.
Megan continued.
"I gave Luca one job."
"What job?"
"Keep you out of the hospital."
"And when that didn't work?"
"He was supposed to finish it."
I closed my eyes.
"Why?"
"Because you took something that belonged to my family."
"The drive?"
"Yes."
"You could have asked."
She laughed softly.
"You think people like you get to walk away from what you've done?"
"I didn't steal anything."
"You destroyed my father's life."
"Your father stole from people."
"He built that company."
"He stole millions."
"He deserved it."
I felt sick.
"So you tried to kill me."
"I tried to protect my family."
"No."
My voice became steady.
"You tried to protect a secret."
Silence.
Then Megan whispered,
"You don't know the worst part."
"What?"
"Luca wasn't supposed to survive either."
The call ended.
Detective Collins stared at me.
"What does that mean?"
I looked at her.
"I don't know."
Then my phone received a message.
A photograph.
Luca standing in front of an old warehouse.
The timestamp was from three hours earlier.
Detective Collins looked at it.
"That's impossible."
"Why?"
"Because Luca is still in custody."
We both stared at the photograph.
May you like
Then another message appeared.
"THE MAN YOU ARRESTED IS NOT LUCA."
