Chapter 12 - patricia’s reason
Patricia had worked for Jonathan for seventeen years.
But before that, her younger brother had worked at Prescott Manufacturing.
His name was Thomas Shaw.
Christina found the record in an old corporate database.
Thomas had been injured in an industrial accident eighteen years earlier.
The company settled.
Thomas died two years later.
Patricia joined Jonathan’s office the following year.
Jonathan stared at the file.
“I knew about the accident.”
“Did you know she was his sister?” Christina asked.
“No.”
Daniel reviewed the old case.
“Thomas’s accident was blamed on a machine guard failure. Internal maintenance reports showed repeated warnings.”
Jonathan remembered the plant manager being fired.
The settlement had been large.
But money did not erase loss.
Christina asked, “Did you meet Patricia during the case?”
Jonathan shook his head.
“She applied through Samuel.”
The room went quiet.
Samuel had placed her inside Jonathan’s life.
Perhaps because grief made her useful.
Perhaps because anger did.
Investigators brought Samuel back for another interview.
This time Jonathan watched through one-way glass.
Samuel looked tired.
The federal agent placed Patricia’s messages on the table.
Samuel read them.
His expression changed for the first time.
“She’s going after Leo?”
The agent said nothing.
Samuel leaned forward.
“I told her the child was never part of this.”
“You kidnapped his mother.”
“That was temporary.”
Jonathan almost entered the room.
Christina stopped him.
Samuel continued.
“Patricia is unstable.”
The agent asked, “You worked with her for seventeen years.”
“I used her.”
“You recruited her.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because she hated Jonathan.”
Behind the glass, Jonathan flinched.
Samuel spoke calmly.
“Her brother died because Prescott Manufacturing ignored safety warnings.”
Jonathan’s jaw tightened.
“The company paid compensation.”
Samuel laughed.
“You think everyone measures justice in dollars.”
The federal agent leaned forward.
“What did Patricia do for you?”
“Schedules. Access. Information.”
“Margaret Prescott?”
Samuel’s expression became unreadable.
“She knew too much.”
“Did Patricia help poison her?”
Samuel looked toward the mirror.
Jonathan felt as though Samuel could see him.
“Yes.”
Christina closed her eyes.
Jonathan stared.
Samuel continued.
“But Patricia did not administer anything. Henry prepared it. Malcolm altered the records.”
“Who gave Margaret the dose?”
Samuel did not answer.
“Who?”
Samuel smiled faintly.
“That is still the wrong question.”
Jonathan entered the room.
The agents tried to stop him, but Samuel was already looking at him.
“Tell me.”
Samuel leaned back.
“You always wanted one person to blame.”
“You’re a murderer.”
Samuel’s expression hardened.
“I built half your empire while you took credit.”
Jonathan stared at him.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“The excuse.”
Samuel’s jaw tightened.
“You inherited a company.”
“And you were paid millions to advise it.”
“I made you untouchable.”
“No. You made yourself necessary.”
Samuel laughed without humor.
“You still don’t understand.”
Jonathan stepped closer.
“Then explain.”
Samuel looked directly into his eyes.
“Margaret was going to expose everything.”
“So you killed her.”
“I contained a threat.”
Jonathan’s hands shook.
Christina entered behind him.
Samuel saw her.
Something flickered across his face.
Regret.
Or annoyance.
Christina spoke first.
“My mother was not a threat.”
Samuel looked away.
“She was smarter than all of us.”
Jonathan’s voice became quiet.
“Who gave her the dose?”
Samuel finally answered.
“Patricia.”
Jonathan closed his eyes.
There it was.
Samuel continued.
“She put it in Margaret’s tea before her medical appointment.”
Christina’s face turned white.
“And the hospital?”
Samuel looked at Jonathan.
“I finished what she started.”
No one spoke for several seconds.
Samuel had confessed without using the word murder.
He did not need to.
Jonathan’s grief, eleven years old, became new again.
Then Samuel said, “If you want Leo alive, stop looking at me.”
Jonathan’s head snapped up.
“Where is Patricia?”
“I don’t know.”
“You trained her.”
“I controlled her.”
“Not anymore.”
Samuel leaned forward.
“That’s what I’m telling you.”
His expression had changed.
For the first time, he looked afraid.
“Patricia does not want the company.”
“What does she want?”
“You.”
Jonathan frowned.
Samuel’s voice lowered.
“She wants you to lose what she lost.”
Jonathan understood before Samuel finished.
“Family.”
Samuel nodded.
Jonathan’s phone rang.
Estate security.
Daniel answered.
May you like
Then his face went pale.
“Leo is gone.”
