{"id":23112,"date":"2026-09-27T20:19:38","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T20:19:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=23112"},"modified":"2026-09-27T20:19:38","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T20:19:38","slug":"part-12-blood-in-the-motel-room-made-marjorie-a-possible-victim-while-vosss-contradictions-finally-exposed-the-missing-hour-after-thomas-left-the-clinic-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=23112","title":{"rendered":"PART 12 \u2013 Blood in the Motel Room Made Marjorie a Possible Victim, While Voss\u2019s Contradictions Finally Exposed the Missing Hour After Thomas Left the Clinic"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Derek\u2019s first reaction was not anger.<\/p>\n<p>It was terror.<\/p>\n<p>That surprised him.<\/p>\n<p>After everything Marjorie had done, after every lie and forged document, after Olivia\u2019s stolen card and Thomas\u2019s hidden trust, some part of Derek was still eight years old when he heard his mother might be hurt.<\/p>\n<p>His knees weakened.<\/p>\n<p>He sat without deciding to.<\/p>\n<p>Olivia watched him from across the conference room.<\/p>\n<p>She did not confuse his fear for forgiveness.<\/p>\n<p>She understood that love could survive knowledge without excusing what knowledge revealed.<\/p>\n<p>Harris spoke carefully.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe amount of blood is concerning, but we do not know whose it is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek nodded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo body.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo confirmed injury.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo not assume the worst.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek covered his mouth.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m trying.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The motel room had been registered under a false name.<\/p>\n<p>The photograph of Marjorie standing by the door appeared genuine.<\/p>\n<p>Security video confirmed she had arrived the previous evening.<\/p>\n<p>Alone.<\/p>\n<p>A second person entered two hours later.<\/p>\n<p>Baseball cap.<\/p>\n<p>Loose jacket.<\/p>\n<p>Face angled away from the camera.<\/p>\n<p>The person left before dawn.<\/p>\n<p>Marjorie did not appear on any later exterior footage.<\/p>\n<p>Her car was missing.<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca looked at the still image.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCould that be Voss?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris shook his head.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cVoss was already in custody by then.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That fact changed the room.<\/p>\n<p>Someone else was involved.<\/p>\n<p>Or the footage represented something unrelated.<\/p>\n<p>No one rushed to decide.<\/p>\n<p>DNA testing on the motel blood would take time.<\/p>\n<p>Police searched the surrounding area.<\/p>\n<p>Hospitals were contacted.<\/p>\n<p>Traffic cameras were reviewed.<\/p>\n<p>Derek sat near the window while the work continued.<\/p>\n<p>Olivia brought him water.<\/p>\n<p>He looked up.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThanks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She set it down.<\/p>\n<p>He did not ask whether she was staying.<\/p>\n<p>He had finally learned that desperate moments did not grant him rights to her attention.<\/p>\n<p>After an hour, Derek spoke quietly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI hate her right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Olivia sat in the chair opposite him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd I\u2019m scared she\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow can both be true?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t they be?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He looked at her.<\/p>\n<p>Olivia folded her hands.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe\u2019s your mother.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe stole from me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe stole from you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe lied about Dad.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe may have destroyed evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd I still don\u2019t want her bleeding on a motel floor.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Olivia\u2019s voice softened.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat doesn\u2019t make the other things less true.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek stared at the untouched water bottle.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI spent years thinking loyalty meant choosing one feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat may be part of the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He nodded.<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca entered with an update.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPolice found Marjorie\u2019s car.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek stood.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAbandoned behind a grocery store twelve miles from the motel.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBlood?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNone visible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cKeys?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPhone?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnything inside?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot yet.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris entered shortly afterward.<\/p>\n<p>He looked toward Derek.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI need you to hear something difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek\u2019s body tensed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSay it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe blood is likely human based on field testing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek closed his eyes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut again, we do not know whose.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s another development.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLeonard Voss asked to speak again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca frowned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy now?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause he learned Marjorie is missing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek laughed bitterly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris held up a hand.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe says his first statement was incomplete.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIncomplete means lie.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid he lie?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The direct answer startled Derek.<\/p>\n<p>Harris continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe lied about the night Thomas died.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Every person in the room went still.<\/p>\n<p>Olivia leaned forward.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did he say before?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat he had no involvement.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd now?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe says Marjorie called him that night.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek\u2019s pulse began pounding.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShortly after ten.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Thomas left the clinic at 9:04.<\/p>\n<p>Official collapse around 10:19.<\/p>\n<p>The missing hour suddenly narrowed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did she want?\u201d Derek asked.<\/p>\n<p>Harris sat.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cVoss says Marjorie told him Thomas had discovered everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEverything being?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe custodial account, Cedar Ridge loans and alleged signature fraud.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek\u2019s jaw tightened.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere was Dad?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn Marjorie\u2019s car.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlive?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAccording to Voss, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek gripped the chair.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMarjorie asked Voss to meet them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA gas station near their house.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Olivia stared.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo Thomas never went directly home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cApparently not.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy did Voss go?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe says Marjorie was panicking.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek stood.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris remained calm.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSit down, Derek.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re gripping a metal chair hard enough to hurt yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek looked at his hands.<\/p>\n<p>He let go.<\/p>\n<p>Sat.<\/p>\n<p>Harris continued.<\/p>\n<p>Voss claimed he arrived around 9:40.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas remained in the passenger seat.<\/p>\n<p>He looked ill.<\/p>\n<p>Marjorie and Thomas had been arguing.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas still had the envelope.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe didn\u2019t burn it?\u201d Derek asked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot yet.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Voss said Thomas accused both of them of stealing from his son.<\/p>\n<p>Marjorie insisted she had been trying to keep creditors away.<\/p>\n<p>Voss argued the transactions were legitimate loans.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas threatened to take everything to police the next morning.<\/p>\n<p>Olivia looked toward Martin\u2019s backup files.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe had the evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek\u2019s voice lowered.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat happened to Dad?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to Voss, Thomas\u2019s chest pain worsened.<\/p>\n<p>Voss told Marjorie to call an ambulance.<\/p>\n<p>She refused initially.<\/p>\n<p>The room went silent.<\/p>\n<p>Derek\u2019s face changed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris chose each word.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cVoss says Marjorie believed an ambulance would create records showing Thomas had left the clinic with her against medical advice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek stared.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut records already existed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy would that matter?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe may not have understood that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek felt sick.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow long did she wait?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat does Voss say?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTen to fifteen minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek stood again.<\/p>\n<p>This time Harris did not stop him.<\/p>\n<p>He walked to the far wall.<\/p>\n<p>His hands pressed against it.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas had been sick.<\/p>\n<p>Marjorie had known.<\/p>\n<p>She had taken him away from recommended hospital transport.<\/p>\n<p>Then, according to Voss, delayed calling for help because she was afraid of documentation.<\/p>\n<p>It was not proof she caused his death intentionally.<\/p>\n<p>But Derek no longer needed intentionality to understand the horror.<\/p>\n<p>A person could create consequences through fear, selfishness and delay.<\/p>\n<p>Olivia spoke softly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid Voss call?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris nodded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEventually.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek turned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe called 911?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cVoss says he made the call after Thomas lost consciousness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAccording to him, no.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere\u2019s the call recording?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re trying to retrieve it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWould it still exist after eight years?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPossibly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek paced once.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat happened to the envelope?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris continued.<\/p>\n<p>Voss said while they waited for paramedics, Marjorie took it from Thomas\u2019s coat.<\/p>\n<p>Derek closed his eyes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe stole evidence while he was unconscious.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat is Voss\u2019s statement.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did Voss do?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe claims he told her to leave it alone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek laughed sharply.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd then spent eight years helping her.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris nodded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat contradiction is one reason his statement requires corroboration.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Olivia asked, \u201cWhy is he admitting this now?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFear.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOf being blamed?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPossibly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca looked toward the motel photograph.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOr because he thinks someone harmed Marjorie.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris nodded.<\/p>\n<p>Voss told police there had always been a third person connected to Cedar Ridge.<\/p>\n<p>Not Samuel Price.<\/p>\n<p>Someone who financed several of the private loans.<\/p>\n<p>Derek looked at the burned page.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe S.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPossibly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cName?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris paused.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cStephen Kline.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca frowned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know that name.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrom where?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPrivate lending litigation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She opened her laptop.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen Kline.<\/p>\n<p>Former real-estate investor.<\/p>\n<p>Hard-money lender.<\/p>\n<p>Multiple civil suits.<\/p>\n<p>No major criminal convictions.<\/p>\n<p>Older now.<\/p>\n<p>Still active through investment companies.<\/p>\n<p>Derek stared at the screen.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cConnection to Mom?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLikely through Voss.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cConnection to Dad?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnknown.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris continued.<\/p>\n<p>Voss claimed Kline provided money that Cedar Ridge loaned into distressed situations.<\/p>\n<p>Marjorie became dependent on those loans.<\/p>\n<p>Fees increased.<\/p>\n<p>Collateral demands followed.<\/p>\n<p>The old Hale property became the prize.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s why they wanted the house,\u201d Olivia said.<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca nodded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd later Derek\u2019s signature.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek looked toward the trust papers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo Mom wasn\u2019t just stealing money.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo,\u201d Rebecca said. \u201cShe may also have been trapped in predatory debt.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The distinction made Derek angry in a new way.<\/p>\n<p>Because it complicated her.<\/p>\n<p>Again.<\/p>\n<p>Marjorie could be both victim and perpetrator.<\/p>\n<p>Manipulated and manipulative.<\/p>\n<p>Afraid and dangerous.<\/p>\n<p>Derek had spent his whole life believing understanding required choosing one version.<\/p>\n<p>Now every document rejected that simplicity.<\/p>\n<p>Harris said Voss believed Marjorie disappeared because Kline learned Box 117 had been opened.<\/p>\n<p>Olivia\u2019s eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow would Kline know?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cVoss claims Marjorie called him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe wanted money.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek shook his head.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAccording to Voss, she wanted enough to leave the state.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo she was running.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPossibly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek rubbed his eyes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did she offer Kline?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInformation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat information?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere the remaining Bennett files were stored.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Olivia\u2019s face hardened.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy mother\u2019s unit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat means Kline may know about the backup.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe may.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca looked toward the evidence boxes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFortunately police got there first.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris nodded.<\/p>\n<p>Derek asked, \u201cCould Kline be the person from the motel?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re checking.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere is he?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHis primary residence is empty.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPhone?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOff.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cVehicle?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnknown.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That pattern was becoming familiar.<\/p>\n<p>Police obtained the motel\u2019s fuller security footage by late afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>The second person entering Marjorie\u2019s room wore gloves.<\/p>\n<p>Height and build were consistent with a male.<\/p>\n<p>The face remained obscured.<\/p>\n<p>But one camera captured the vehicle leaving.<\/p>\n<p>Black sedan.<\/p>\n<p>Rental plate.<\/p>\n<p>Investigators traced it.<\/p>\n<p>The renter name was false.<\/p>\n<p>Payment came through a prepaid card.<\/p>\n<p>No easy answer.<\/p>\n<p>Then a hospital called.<\/p>\n<p>A woman matching Marjorie\u2019s age had arrived at an urgent-care facility before dawn.<\/p>\n<p>Cut on one hand.<\/p>\n<p>Head injury.<\/p>\n<p>No identification.<\/p>\n<p>She left before police could be contacted.<\/p>\n<p>The clinic provided a security image.<\/p>\n<p>Derek stared at it.<\/p>\n<p>Marjorie.<\/p>\n<p>Alive.<\/p>\n<p>Bandage wrapped around her palm.<\/p>\n<p>Bruise along her temple.<\/p>\n<p>Derek sat down hard.<\/p>\n<p>Relief came first.<\/p>\n<p>Then anger.<\/p>\n<p>Then relief again.<\/p>\n<p>Olivia watched without speaking.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere did she go?\u201d Derek asked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo one knows.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris pointed to the image.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe used the name Margaret Hill.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat was Grandma\u2019s maiden name.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen she wanted to hide without becoming unrecognizable to herself,\u201d Rebecca said.<\/p>\n<p>Derek looked at her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat sounded very lawyerly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was meant to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The urgent-care staff remembered Marjorie being frightened.<\/p>\n<p>She claimed she had fallen.<\/p>\n<p>Asked whether police routinely checked clinics.<\/p>\n<p>Paid cash.<\/p>\n<p>Left.<\/p>\n<p>The hand wound required stitches.<\/p>\n<p>The head injury appeared minor.<\/p>\n<p>No indication she was being physically held.<\/p>\n<p>Which meant she had chosen to leave.<\/p>\n<p>At least from the clinic.<\/p>\n<p>Olivia\u2019s phone buzzed.<\/p>\n<p>Unknown number.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone froze.<\/p>\n<p>She opened the message.<\/p>\n<p>A voice note.<\/p>\n<p>Eight seconds.<\/p>\n<p>Harris took the phone and played it aloud.<\/p>\n<p>Marjorie\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n<p>Weak.<\/p>\n<p>Urgent.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDerek, do not trust Leonard. He left your father there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The recording ended.<\/p>\n<p>Derek stared at the phone.<\/p>\n<p>Another message followed.<\/p>\n<p>Marjorie:<\/p>\n<p>Leonard called Kline that night. Thomas heard them. That is why everything changed.<\/p>\n<p>Then:<\/p>\n<p>I can prove it.<\/p>\n<p>Harris immediately attempted to trace the number.<\/p>\n<p>Burner device.<\/p>\n<p>Active less than two minutes.<\/p>\n<p>Signal location broad.<\/p>\n<p>No precise fix.<\/p>\n<p>Derek typed under Harris\u2019s supervision.<\/p>\n<p>Where are you?<\/p>\n<p>No response.<\/p>\n<p>He wrote:<\/p>\n<p>Are you hurt?<\/p>\n<p>Nothing.<\/p>\n<p>Then:<\/p>\n<p>What proof?<\/p>\n<p>The typing indicator appeared.<\/p>\n<p>Marjorie replied.<\/p>\n<p>The original 911 recording.<\/p>\n<p>Derek\u2019s heartbeat accelerated.<\/p>\n<p>Harris leaned closer.<\/p>\n<p>Marjorie sent another line.<\/p>\n<p>Leonard made the call, but he didn\u2019t know Thomas was recording too.<\/p>\n<p>Olivia\u2019s eyes widened.<\/p>\n<p>Derek looked toward the old cassette.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDad had another recorder?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Marjorie\u2019s next message answered before anyone spoke.<\/p>\n<p>Your father recorded the whole gas station conversation.<\/p>\n<p>Derek typed:<\/p>\n<p>Where is it?<\/p>\n<p>The response came instantly.<\/p>\n<p>I hid the tape.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere?\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n<p>Another message.<\/p>\n<p>Because if police heard it, they would have arrested me too.<\/p>\n<p>Derek stared.<\/p>\n<p>Harris read over his shoulder.<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca\u2019s face became expressionless.<\/p>\n<p>Olivia closed her eyes.<\/p>\n<p>Derek typed slowly.<\/p>\n<p>What did you do?<\/p>\n<p>For nearly a minute there was no reply.<\/p>\n<p>Then Marjorie sent the sentence Derek had spent eight years not knowing he needed to fear.<\/p>\n<p>I stopped Leonard from calling the ambulance when Thomas first collapsed.<\/p>\n<p>Derek\u2019s hands went numb.<\/p>\n<p>A second message arrived.<\/p>\n<p>I thought if we waited, he would wake up and none of the financial records would become part of a police report.<\/p>\n<p>Derek lowered the phone.<\/p>\n<p>No one in the room moved.<\/p>\n<p>It was not a murder confession.<\/p>\n<p>It was something messier.<\/p>\n<p>More believable.<\/p>\n<p>More terrible.<\/p>\n<p>Marjorie had apparently watched Thomas deteriorate and chosen secrecy before help.<\/p>\n<p>Derek looked at Olivia.<\/p>\n<p>His voice cracked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe let him sit there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Olivia stood.<\/p>\n<p>She moved toward him.<\/p>\n<p>Stopped a step away.<\/p>\n<p>Then, after a moment, placed one hand on his shoulder.<\/p>\n<p>Derek covered her hand with his.<\/p>\n<p>Not gripping.<\/p>\n<p>Not pulling her closer.<\/p>\n<p>Just holding the one thing she had freely offered.<\/p>\n<p>His phone buzzed again.<\/p>\n<p>Marjorie\u2019s final message appeared.<\/p>\n<p>The tape is where Thomas taught you to ride your bike.<\/p>\n<p>Derek stared at the words.<\/p>\n<p>He knew exactly where she meant.<\/p>\n<p>The old neighborhood park.<\/p>\n<p>Near the drainage canal.<\/p>\n<p>His father had spent three summer evenings running behind a red bicycle while Derek shouted for him not to let go.<\/p>\n<p>On the fourth evening, Thomas let go anyway.<\/p>\n<p>Derek had ridden fifty feet before realizing he was alone.<\/p>\n<p>He looked at Harris.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a storage shed behind that park.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harris was already moving.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPolice go first.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek nodded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This time there was no argument at all.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=23113\">Click here to continue reading: PART 13: Police Dug Beneath the Park Storage Shed and Found Thomas\u2019s Missing Recording Beside Evidence Marjorie Had Never Managed to Destroy<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Derek\u2019s first reaction was not anger. It was terror. That surprised him. After everything Marjorie had done, after every lie and forged document, after Olivia\u2019s stolen card and Thomas\u2019s hidden &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23100,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insightdrama"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23112"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23112\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23152,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23112\/revisions\/23152"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/23100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=23112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=23112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}