Chapter 5 - Victoria Starts Talking
Victoria lasted thirty-six hours before asking for a deal.
She had gone into the marina incident believing she was Julian’s future.
Then police showed her toxicology results, marina footage, and the straps Julian had helped fasten around me.
Apparently betrayal looks different when prosecutors start labeling evidence.
Her attorney contacted the district attorney.
Victoria agreed to a proffer session.
Detective Ortiz later summarized the important parts for me.
Julian began sleeping with Victoria six months earlier.
He told her our marriage was effectively over.
He claimed I refused divorce because I wanted half his company.
That was almost funny.
He told her my pregnancy had been “an accident.”
He said I came from an ordinary family and had become financially dependent on him.
That part stunned her once investigators explained who my parents were.
Apparently Julian had lied to his mistress about me almost as thoroughly as he had lied to me about her.
Then Victoria described the marina plan.
Julian told her he wanted to frighten me badly enough that I would finally agree to a quiet divorce.
He provided the capsules.
He arranged the straps.
He instructed her to tow slowly at first and become more aggressive once they were far enough from shore.
“What if she gets hurt?” Victoria had asked.
Julian answered:
“She won’t matter much longer.”
That sentence was ugly.
Another was worse.
According to Victoria, two nights before the retreat Julian said:
“If they both die, I don’t have a wife, an heir problem, or a hostile investor problem anymore.”
Hostile investor.
Victoria admitted she didn’t understand the phrase.
She assumed Julian meant one of the men attending the retreat.
I did understand.
Northstar.
Someone had told Julian who owned it.
Then Ortiz gave me a final detail.
Victoria had seen Julian shredding documents in his home office the night before the retreat.
“What documents?”
“She doesn’t know.”
My mother did.
Her investment counsel had sent one packet requiring Julian’s signature acknowledging Northstar’s audit rights.
That packet listed the beneficial owner for regulatory disclosure.
Me.
So Julian learned the truth no later than the night before he drugged me.
That became clue number two.
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He had not tried to kill an inconvenient wife at random.
He had tried to kill the investor scheduled to inspect his books Monday morning.
