{"id":9418,"date":"2026-09-11T15:36:06","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T15:36:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=9418"},"modified":"2026-09-11T15:36:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T15:36:06","slug":"part-13-the-witness-thomas-trusted-most-had-helped-create-the-fraud-and-his-theft-from-locker-317-suggested-elliot-had-found-something-bigger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=9418","title":{"rendered":"PART 13 \u2013 The Witness Thomas Trusted Most Had Helped Create the Fraud, and His Theft From Locker 317 Suggested Elliot Had Found Something Bigger"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>For several seconds, nobody in Thomas&#39;s house spoke.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel Ortega&#39;s name seemed to change the weight of every document Daniel had read that evening. He was no longer an elderly security guard who happened to remember a woman and a child beside Robert&#39;s car. He was a participant in the very fraud Elliot had been trying to expose.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked at Evelyn. &quot;How long have you known?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;That Samuel worked with Thomas?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Since before Elliot died.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca stared at her. &quot;And you let us treat his statement as independent evidence?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I didn&#39;t know Thomas had used it.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;You saw his notes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Not all of them.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel picked up the phone again so Mara could see him clearly. His exhaustion had changed into something harder. &quot;What did Samuel do?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn lowered herself into the chair beside the cassette player. &quot;Thomas found properties. Robert handled finances. Samuel handled problems.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What kind of problems?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Inspections. Security systems. Contractors who asked questions.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert&#39;s voice came through Mara&#39;s end of the call. &quot;Samuel worked security at the bank next door.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;That was one job.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert stared at the screen. &quot;What else?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He owned a small demolition company through his wife.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert&#39;s expression changed.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Ortega Site Services.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn nodded.<\/p>\n<p>Robert sat down heavily. &quot;Thomas hired them on both properties that burned.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;And I approved those invoices.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara watched Robert absorb yet another way he had stood closer to the fraud than he had admitted to himself.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel asked, &quot;Was Samuel involved in the fires?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn hesitated.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I believe so.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Belief or knowledge?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I heard Thomas and Samuel arguing about one of them.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;When?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Several weeks after the second fire.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What did Samuel say?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;That Thomas owed him more because the job had become dangerous.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca frowned. &quot;Dangerous how?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He said there had been someone inside.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel&#39;s face changed. &quot;Were the buildings supposed to be empty?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Was anyone hurt?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No. A homeless man had been sleeping in one. He escaped.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara felt a familiar pattern forming. Every adult had described wrongdoing as manageable until another human being entered the consequences.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel paced once across the room. &quot;So Elliot discovered records tying Thomas and Samuel to arson.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Probably.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Not just insurance fraud.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;And Samuel had as much reason as Thomas to want the evidence back.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn nodded.<\/p>\n<p>Robert leaned toward Mara&#39;s phone. &quot;Why didn&#39;t Thomas expose Samuel later?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Because Samuel could expose Thomas.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Mutual destruction.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Exactly.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca looked toward the dark hallway. &quot;Then why would Samuel help Thomas investigate Elliot&#39;s death?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn gave a tired, unhappy smile. &quot;Maybe he wasn&#39;t helping.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara understood immediately.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He was controlling what Thomas found.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Everyone looked toward the phone.<\/p>\n<p>Mara continued. &quot;If Samuel knew Thomas was reopening the crash, staying close would let him steer the investigation.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel picked up Thomas&#39;s reconstruction.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The bank security footage.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert whispered, &quot;Samuel controlled it.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;At least access to it.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca stared. &quot;The timestamps placing Evelyn in the parking lot and Thomas across town&#8230;&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Could still be genuine,&quot; Mara said. &quot;But now they need independent verification.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked at Evelyn. &quot;Did Thomas know Samuel was lying?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I don&#39;t know.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Why would Samuel break into the locker now?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn looked toward the silver key in Daniel&#39;s hand. &quot;Because someone told him the box had been opened.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel&#39;s eyes narrowed. &quot;Who?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>No answer.<\/p>\n<p>Then Robert spoke from the hospital room.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Me.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara turned sharply.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel&#39;s face went blank.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What did you do?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert rubbed both hands over his face. &quot;When you left to retrieve the box, I sent Samuel a message.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stared through the screen. &quot;Why do you have his number?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He contacted me after Thomas died.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What did you tell him?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I asked whether he knew what Thomas had put in the box.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara&#39;s anger rose. &quot;After everything we had just discussed?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I panicked.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel laughed once.<\/p>\n<p>Robert closed his eyes.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Don&#39;t,&quot; Daniel said. &quot;Never use that word again.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert nodded.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What did Samuel answer?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He said he didn&#39;t know.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;And then?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I told him Daniel had opened it.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara stared at Robert in disbelief. &quot;You alerted a man connected to insurance fraud that evidence had resurfaced.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I didn&#39;t know he was involved.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;You knew he was part of Thomas&#39;s investigation.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I thought he was helping.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel said, &quot;Show us the messages.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert hesitated.<\/p>\n<p>Mara held out her hand.<\/p>\n<p>He surrendered his phone.<\/p>\n<p>The exchange was short.<\/p>\n<p>Robert: Daniel opened Thomas&#39;s box.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel: What was inside?<\/p>\n<p>Robert: I don&#39;t know everything yet.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel: Was there a key?<\/p>\n<p>Mara stopped.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Robert.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>He looked at the screen.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He asked specifically about a key.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel&#39;s expression hardened.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What did Dad answer?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara read it.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He said yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert whispered, &quot;I didn&#39;t tell him the number.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;You didn&#39;t need to,&quot; Rebecca said. &quot;He already knew.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The final message from Samuel had arrived nine minutes later.<\/p>\n<p>Don&#39;t let Daniel open 317. Thomas misunderstood what he found.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stared.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What did Thomas misunderstand?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>No one knew.<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca picked up her coat.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;We need to go to East Harbor.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara immediately said, &quot;Police are already there.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Exactly.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel nodded. &quot;We don&#39;t confront Samuel. We talk to police and the manager.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn stood. &quot;I&#39;m coming.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca looked at her. &quot;Why?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Because I can identify Samuel.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;So can Dad.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Robert isn&#39;t here.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara looked at Daniel. &quot;Keep the call on.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>He nodded.<\/p>\n<p>Robert moved closer to her bed.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I should go.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Mara\u2014&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;You&#39;ve already sent one message tonight that helped evidence disappear. Stay where I can see you.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert&#39;s face tightened, but he remained.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel, Rebecca and Evelyn left Thomas&#39;s house together.<\/p>\n<p>For the next fifteen minutes Mara listened to road noise while the baby slept against her. The strange domestic tenderness of his weight felt almost impossible beside the story unfolding through her phone.<\/p>\n<p>Robert eventually spoke.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I really did believe Samuel was helping Thomas.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara looked at him.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;That&#39;s your problem.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;You keep deciding what people are based on what makes your life easiest.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>He absorbed that.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;You decided Thomas was responsible for everything because he was already guilty of fraud. You decided Patricia couldn&#39;t have damaged the brakes because you loved her. You decided Evelyn couldn&#39;t be dangerous because you felt guilty about abandoning her. You decided Samuel was trustworthy because calling him a witness was easier than asking what he had to lose.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert stared at the floor.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;And Daniel decided naming our son Elliot was meaningful enough to do without me.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert looked toward the baby.<\/p>\n<p>Mara continued quietly. &quot;Secrets don&#39;t stay contained. They teach the next person how to keep another one.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert&#39;s eyes filled.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I&#39;m sorry.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I know.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>This time she did not attack the apology.<\/p>\n<p>Twenty minutes later Daniel&#39;s camera showed the entrance to East Harbor Storage. Two police cruisers stood beside the office. Yellow light spilled across wet asphalt.<\/p>\n<p>A uniformed officer met them near unit 317.<\/p>\n<p>The metal door had been forced upward several inches before someone apparently disengaged the internal latch.<\/p>\n<p>Inside were empty shelves, two plastic tubs and a wooden chair.<\/p>\n<p>The manager, a heavyset man named Carl Jensen, stood beside the officer.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel explained Thomas&#39;s box and the missing evidence without speculating about the crash.<\/p>\n<p>Carl nodded. &quot;The man took two items.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Backpack and document case?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Anything else?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Not that we saw.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca asked, &quot;How did he enter?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Used a pry bar on the side latch.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn looked at the damaged metal.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Samuel would know how.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The officer asked, &quot;Samuel Ortega?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel nodded. &quot;Possibly.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Carl glanced toward the office. &quot;The footage is clearer than I thought.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked at him. &quot;Can we see it?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The officer hesitated, then said, &quot;You can identify the person. Don&#39;t record the screen.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Inside the office, Carl pulled up the video.<\/p>\n<p>Mara watched remotely.<\/p>\n<p>A dark SUV entered the lot at 11:16 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>A man wearing a hooded jacket walked toward unit 317.<\/p>\n<p>His face appeared only briefly when he looked toward the security camera.<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn whispered, &quot;That&#39;s Samuel.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca nodded.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stared.<\/p>\n<p>The footage continued.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel forced the unit, entered, and emerged four minutes later carrying Elliot&#39;s old backpack and a black document case.<\/p>\n<p>Then something unexpected happened.<\/p>\n<p>He did not leave.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel returned to the unit.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What is he doing?&quot; Daniel asked.<\/p>\n<p>Carl fast-forwarded.<\/p>\n<p>Seven minutes later Samuel emerged again.<\/p>\n<p>Empty-handed.<\/p>\n<p>He walked toward his SUV.<\/p>\n<p>Before getting in, he looked directly at the camera.<\/p>\n<p>Then he raised one hand.<\/p>\n<p>He was holding a piece of paper.<\/p>\n<p>On it, written in thick black marker, were four words.<\/p>\n<p>CHECK THE CHAIR FIRST.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone turned toward unit 317.<\/p>\n<p>The officer entered ahead of them.<\/p>\n<p>The wooden chair sat alone in the center.<\/p>\n<p>Nothing appeared unusual.<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca crouched.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Underneath.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Taped beneath the seat was a small digital voice recorder.<\/p>\n<p>The officer removed it carefully using gloves.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stared.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Samuel left that?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Looks that way.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn shook her head. &quot;Why steal evidence and leave evidence?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara answered from the phone.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Maybe he isn&#39;t stealing it.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked toward her image.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Maybe he&#39;s moving it.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Why?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Because he knew someone else would come.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert suddenly stood beside Mara.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Thomas.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara looked at him.<\/p>\n<p>Robert stared at the phone.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Thomas used to do this.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Do what?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Create backups. If he thought someone was watching a property, he&#39;d move documents and leave instructions somewhere else.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel frowned. &quot;Samuel learned it from him.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The officer examined the recorder.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I&#39;ll need to take this.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel nodded. &quot;Can we hear it first?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The officer considered the circumstances, then pressed play without handing it over.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel Ortega&#39;s voice filled the storage unit.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;If Daniel Ellison is hearing this, then Thomas&#39;s box reached you.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn closed her eyes.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Thomas spent his last year believing I helped him solve Elliot&#39;s death.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>A pause.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I didn&#39;t.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca looked at Daniel.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I helped him hide the part he wasn&#39;t ready to know.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara felt a chill.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes, I worked with Thomas. Yes, I participated in the insurance scheme. If police want what remains of those records, they can have them.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Another pause.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;But Elliot did not die because of the insurance fraud.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert whispered, &quot;What?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Samuel&#39;s voice became rougher.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He died because he found out what Thomas and I had done with the third property.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel frowned.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What third property?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert shook his head.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;There were only two fires.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Robert believed there were two insurance jobs.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert stared.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;There were three.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara looked at him.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel&#39;s recording continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The third building never burned.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel whispered, &quot;Then what happened?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;It was used.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Silence.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Thomas let people store things there for cash. No questions.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The officer&#39;s posture changed.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;One night, I discovered what one customer had stored.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Samuel paused.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Files. Passports. Birth certificates. Adoption papers. Some genuine. Some forged.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked toward Evelyn.<\/p>\n<p>She had gone pale.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Thomas realized forged identity documents were worth more than burned buildings.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca whispered, &quot;Oh my God.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Thomas began connecting desperate people with a man who could make records disappear or create new ones.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel&#39;s expression changed.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Daniel&#39;s birth.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn covered her face.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel said, &quot;That is how Daniel Ellison became Patricia Ellison&#39;s son without an adoption.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>No one moved.<\/p>\n<p>Robert stared toward Mara.<\/p>\n<p>Mara felt her stomach tighten.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Robert believed the hospital records had been corrected through a lawyer.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert whispered, &quot;They were.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No,&quot; Evelyn said through the phone.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone looked at her.<\/p>\n<p>She began crying.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No lawyer.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stared.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What did you do?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn&#39;s voice broke. &quot;Thomas changed them.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Samuel&#39;s recording continued as though answering.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Elliot discovered the forged records.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel went completely still.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He knew Daniel had been born before anyone outside the family knew Evelyn was pregnant.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca frowned. &quot;But Daniel wasn&#39;t born until months after Elliot died.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Elliot found blank certificates and correspondence showing Thomas intended to alter the baby&#39;s records after birth.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara understood.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;So Elliot knew about the plan.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked toward Evelyn.<\/p>\n<p>She nodded weakly.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel said, &quot;Elliot wasn&#39;t only going to expose insurance fraud.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He was going to expose Thomas&#39;s document operation.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The officer beside them was now taking notes rapidly.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;And that gave Thomas a reason to stop him far stronger than Robert ever understood.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca whispered, &quot;Thomas lied in his confession.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Samuel&#39;s voice continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Thomas spent seventeen years telling himself he chased Elliot because of insurance records.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>A long pause.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He lied.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn sat down.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Thomas knew Elliot had copied evidence from the third property.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stared at the recorder.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Then Thomas had a motive.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;But Thomas did not cut the brakes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara felt frustration tighten in her chest. Every answer seemed to clear one person only by exposing another crime.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel said, &quot;Neither did I.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The recording hissed.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I know because I was at the house that night.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert shot upright.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I was across the street.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert whispered, &quot;I never saw him.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He was watching Elliot.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara looked at Robert.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel said, &quot;Thomas told me to follow if Elliot left.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel&#39;s jaw tightened.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;So there were more vehicles.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca whispered, &quot;How many people were chasing us?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I watched Elliot take Robert&#39;s car.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>A pause.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I watched Thomas follow.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Another.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I watched Evelyn follow.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Another.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;And I watched Patricia leave last.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert frowned.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;That contradicts Patricia&#39;s recording.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara nodded.<\/p>\n<p>Patricia had said Evelyn followed first and she followed Evelyn, while Robert followed later.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Robert left before Patricia.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert whispered, &quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The timeline was changing again.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Patricia waited approximately four minutes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara&#39;s attention sharpened.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Before she left, she went into the garage.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked toward Rebecca.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel&#39;s voice became quieter.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;When she came out, she was carrying something.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What?&quot; Daniel asked the recorder uselessly.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel answered.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;A red document folder.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert froze.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The evidence.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No,&quot; Mara said.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone looked toward her.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Elliot already had the backpack.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;That folder did not belong to Elliot.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>A pause.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;It belonged to Patricia.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert stared.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Inside it were the documents she had collected about Evelyn, Thomas and me.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara felt the pieces align.<\/p>\n<p>Patricia had not merely been reacting to the night&#39;s events.<\/p>\n<p>She had prepared her own evidence.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Patricia intended to leave Robert that night.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert sat down.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;She had arranged to take Rebecca and Daniel to her sister&#39;s house.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert&#39;s eyes filled.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel said, &quot;She planned to expose the fraud the following morning.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stared.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Mom was going to tell police?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca whispered, &quot;She was leaving.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Elliot did not know that.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>A pause.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Neither did Thomas.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Then Samuel&#39;s voice changed.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;But Evelyn did.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn closed her eyes.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel turned toward her.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;How?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>She did not answer.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel answered for her.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Because Patricia told her.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara watched Evelyn.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Patricia offered Evelyn a deal.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert whispered, &quot;What deal?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;She would not expose Evelyn&#39;s harassment or Robert&#39;s affair if Evelyn disappeared from their lives permanently.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked at his birth mother.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel said, &quot;Evelyn agreed.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>A pause.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Then she changed her mind.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Daniel&#39;s face hardened.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What happened next is why I removed Elliot&#39;s backpack tonight.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca stared at the recorder.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The backpack contains a photograph Thomas never saw.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn looked suddenly terrified.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel noticed.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What photograph?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I found it inside the lining after Thomas died.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>A pause.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;It shows the person who followed Elliot through the final curve.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Rebecca stood.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The headlights.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara felt her pulse accelerate.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel said, &quot;I have moved the backpack somewhere police can recover it.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The officer looked toward Carl.<\/p>\n<p>Samuel continued.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I did not trust Thomas. I do not trust Robert. And I do not trust Evelyn.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Another pause.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;If you want the backpack, Daniel, go where Elliot was trying to go that night.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The recorder clicked off.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked toward Robert.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The police station?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert shook his head.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Elliot wasn&#39;t going directly to police.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Then where?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert&#39;s face slowly changed.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He told me he&#39;d stop somewhere first.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Where?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert looked toward the old storage unit.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;St. Matthew&#39;s.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Mara stared at him.<\/p>\n<p>The hospital where she was lying.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel&#39;s face changed too.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Why would Elliot come here?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert looked at Evelyn.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He said he had to give something to someone who could keep it safe.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Who?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Robert whispered the name.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Patricia.&quot;<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=9419\">Click here to continue reading: PART 14: Elliot&#8217;s Hidden Destination Led Daniel Back to the Hospital, Where a Seventeen-Year-Old Deposit Revealed Why Patricia Had Been Waiting for Him<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For several seconds, nobody in Thomas&#39;s house spoke. Samuel Ortega&#39;s name seemed to change the weight of every document Daniel had read that evening. He was no longer an elderly &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9405,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9418","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\/9418","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=9418"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9438,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9418\/revisions\/9438"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}