Chapter 5: The Plan for Julian
Julian replayed the sentence three times.
"Once Wren is placed, we can finally move on to Julian.""
Marcus stood beside him.
"What does that mean?""
"I don't know.""
But Julian knew one thing.
Wren wasn't the end of Corinne's plan.
She was the beginning.
Julian enlarged the recovered footage.
Lydia Crane was perhaps fifty, sharply dressed, carrying a leather folder.
Corinne whispered something.
The audio distorted.
Marcus adjusted the recording.
A few words became clear.
"...medical authority...""
"...trust...""
Then Lydia said:
"Without the girl, there won't be anyone questioning his condition.""
Julian felt cold.
"My condition?""
Marcus looked at him.
"Sir, has Mrs. Ashcroft ever suggested you're ill?""
"No.""
"Medication?""
Julian turned.
"What?""
"Has she ever encouraged you to take medication?""
Julian's mind jumped backward.
Headaches.
For the past four months, he had experienced headaches after dinner.
Occasional dizziness.
Twice he had fallen asleep in his study without remembering sitting down.
Corinne had blamed stress.
She had begun preparing herbal tea for him every night.
Julian stood.
"Kitchen.""
They went downstairs.
The housekeeper, Mrs. Alvarez, was preparing lunch.
"Mr. Ashcroft?""
"Where is the tea Corinne makes for me?""
Mrs. Alvarez pointed toward a cabinet.
"Mrs. Ashcroft keeps her special blend there.""
Julian opened it.
A silver tin sat alone.
He reached for it.
"Don't touch it bare-handed," Marcus said.
Julian stopped.
Marcus retrieved gloves.
Mrs. Alvarez looked confused.
"Is something wrong?""
"Maybe.""
She hesitated.
"Sir, I don't know if this matters...""
"Tell me.""
"Mrs. Ashcroft instructed me never to prepare that tea.""
Julian turned.
"Why?""
"She said only she knew the correct amount.""
"Amount?""
Mrs. Alvarez nodded.
"That's the word she used.""
Marcus sealed the tin inside a plastic evidence bag.
"We'll have it tested.""
Julian's phone vibrated.
A message from Wren's school.
Wren had asked to see the nurse.
Julian immediately called.
"What's wrong?""
The nurse answered.
"She says her stomach hurts. She's also extremely tired.""
"I'm coming.""
Twenty-five minutes later, Julian entered the nurse's office.
Wren lay beneath a thin blanket.
"Daddy?""
He sat beside her.
"I'm here.""
"Am I in trouble?""
His chest tightened.
"For what?""
"For telling you.""
"No.""
"Corinne says telling family secrets makes bad things happen.""
Julian took her hand.
"Corinne was wrong.""
Wren studied him carefully.
"Is she mad?""
"That's not something you need to worry about.""
Wren looked toward the door.
Then whispered:
"She has medicine too.""
Julian's pulse jumped.
"What medicine?""
"The drops.""
"What drops?""
Wren touched her stomach.
"She puts them in your tea.""
Julian went completely still.
"How do you know?""
"I saw her.""
"When?""
"Lots of times.""
"Did she ever give them to you?""
Wren hesitated.
That hesitation terrified him.
"Wren?""
"Sometimes.""
Julian's voice became almost inaudible.
"In what?""
"My orange juice.""
His stomach dropped.
"How often?""
"When I was too noisy.""
Julian stood immediately.
"We're going to the hospital.""
Wren's eyes widened.
"I'm okay.""
"I know. We're just checking.""
At the hospital, doctors took blood samples from both of them.
Julian called David.
"Get law enforcement involved.""
"Are you certain?""
"She may have been drugging my daughter.""
David went silent.
"I'm calling them now.""
Two detectives arrived within the hour.
Detective Nora Hayes listened while Julian explained the cameras, forged documents, Blackwood, and the tea.
"This is a lot," Hayes said.
"I have footage.""
"Preserve everything. Don't confront Mrs. Ashcroft about the suspected substances.""
"I already confronted her about Blackwood.""
"Then assume she knows she's exposed.""
Julian looked toward Wren's room.
"She is still at my house.""
"Not anymore.""
Hayes showed him her phone.
Officers had arrived at the mansion.
Corinne was gone.
Marcus had been outside the guest sitting room.
The window was open.
Corinne had climbed onto a low terrace roof and disappeared through the gardens.
Julian called mansion security.
"Lock down every gate.""
"Already done, sir.""
"Find her.""
Ten minutes later, Marcus called back.
"We found her car.""
"Where?""
"Still in the garage.""
"So she's on the property.""
"Maybe.""
"What does that mean?""
"We found an exterior service gate open.""
Julian's blood ran cold.
That gate led toward the road behind the estate.
Then Wren screamed from the hospital room.
"Daddy!""
Julian ran inside.
Wren was staring at her tablet.
A message had appeared.
UNKNOWN NUMBER.
There was a photograph attached.
Julian opened it.
It showed Wren asleep in her bed.
Taken from inside her bedroom.
Beneath it was a message.
YOUR FATHER CANNOT PROTECT YOU FOREVER.
Julian immediately handed the tablet to Detective Hayes.
"Trace it.""
Wren started crying.
Julian pulled her against him.
"Nobody is taking you anywhere.""
"Daddy...""
"What?""
Wren stared at the photograph.
"That's not Corinne's picture.""
Julian looked down.
"How do you know?""
"Because she wasn't the one who came into my room at night.""
Every person in the room went silent.
Julian crouched.
"Who was?""
May you like
Wren whispered:
"The man with your face.""
