Chapter 10 - the woman beside leo
Patricia Shaw had been Jonathan’s executive assistant for seventeen years.
She knew every schedule.
Every property.
Every family appointment.
Every private plane route.
She had arranged Christina’s college move.
Sent flowers when Leo was born.
Managed Margaret’s memorial.
And at that exact moment, Patricia was at the Prescott estate because Jonathan had asked her to stay with Leo.
Jonathan called Daniel’s deputy immediately.
“Find Patricia.”
The reply came twenty seconds later.
“She left ten minutes ago.”
“With Leo?”
“No. Leo is with Mrs. Harris in the nursery.”
Jonathan closed his eyes briefly.
“Lock down the estate.”
Christina looked relieved.
Jonathan turned back to her.
“Why Patricia?”
Christina held out her hand.
“USB.”
Jonathan gave it to her.
She entered another password.
Not Blue Train.
MARGARET1964.
A hidden folder appeared.
Inside were email archives from more than a decade earlier.
Patricia’s name appeared in messages to Samuel.
Schedule updates.
Medical appointments.
Travel routes.
Margaret’s daily routine.
Jonathan felt sick.
“She fed him information.”
Christina nodded.
“At first, I thought she was another victim.”
“Is she?”
“I don’t know.”
“That means no.”
Christina looked away.
“Patricia knew Mom was scared.”
Jonathan opened an old email.
Samuel wrote:
Keep Jonathan in Boston until Friday.
Patricia replied:
His return is currently Saturday. Margaret has Dr. Vale Thursday at 4.
Jonathan stared at the date.
Two days before Margaret died.
He continued reading.
Another message.
S says increase dose only if Vale confirms.
Patricia replied:
Understood.
Jonathan pushed the laptop away.
“She helped kill her.”
Christina spoke carefully.
“We don’t know what S means.”
“Samuel.”
“Probably.”
“Probably?”
“I learned not to assume anything after six weeks with them.”
Jonathan looked at his daughter.
“Tell me what happened after you found these.”
Christina took a breath.
She had found Margaret’s hidden evidence while cleaning the Manhattan apartment after a burst pipe.
At first, she believed Samuel and Nolan were stealing money.
Then she discovered trust changes affecting Leo.
She confronted Florence because Florence had signed documents connected to one shell company.
Florence panicked and called Samuel.
Samuel arrived.
Christina recorded part of the argument using a hidden home security backup system.
When she threatened to call Jonathan, Samuel brought Dr. Vale’s assistant.
Christina was sedated.
Before losing consciousness, she managed to hide the USB inside Leo’s favorite toy train.
But Leo found her.
She woke briefly while Samuel and Florence argued downstairs.
Leo stood in the doorway.
Christina removed the USB and pushed it into his suit jacket from an upcoming wedding fitting.
“Give this to Grandpa if Mommy sleeps too long.”
Those were the words.
Leo remembered.
At Hawthorne, Christina pretended the sedation affected her more than it had.
She learned names.
Locations.
Routes.
She heard Samuel speaking with Patricia.
Then Nolan moved her.
Christina escaped from St. Catherine’s five days before the wedding after convincing a nurse she needed help.
She did not call Jonathan because Samuel had bragged that every one of Jonathan’s communications passed through people loyal to him.
Instead, Christina returned to Margaret’s apartment.
She found her mother’s backup USB.
And waited.
“Why didn’t you go directly to police?”
Jonathan asked.
“I did.”
“What?”
“I went to a local precinct.”
“And?”
“An hour later Samuel appeared outside.”
Jonathan stared.
Christina’s voice lowered.
“I left through a rear exit.”
“Someone called him.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
Jonathan looked toward Daniel.
Daniel’s expression showed the same concern.
The conspiracy might touch law enforcement.
Christina continued.
“So I stayed hidden until I could prove everything.”
Jonathan looked at her bruises.
“You should have called me.”
“I wanted to.”
“You should have.”
“I didn’t know who was listening to you.”
Jonathan had no answer.
His phone rang.
Estate security.
“Sir.”
“Yes.”
“We found something in Patricia’s office.”
“What?”
“A burner phone.”
Jonathan stood.
“Anything on it?”
“One recent message.”
“Read it.”
The security officer hesitated.
“Sir, it says: Leo has the drive. The wedding is compromised. Prepare the second plan.”
Jonathan looked at Christina.
“When was it sent?”
“Today. Eleven forty-two a.m.”
Before Leo had stopped the wedding.
Before Florence had tried to take the USB.
Someone had known.
Jonathan’s voice hardened.
“To whom?”
“We’re tracing it.”
A second call came through.
Daniel answered.
His face changed.
“Patricia’s car was found.”
“Where?”
“Airport parking structure.”
“Is she there?”
“No.”
Daniel looked at Christina.
“But the surveillance footage shows someone meeting her.”
“Who?”
Daniel turned his phone toward Jonathan.
The image showed Patricia entering a black sedan.
The driver’s face was visible.
Jonathan recognized him immediately.
May you like
Dr. Malcolm Vale.
The doctor who was supposed to be in state custody.
