Chapter 9 - Ashley Had Dropped the Remote on Purpose
Ashley asked to see me.
I almost refused.
Then agreed to one mediated session.
She cried before speaking.
I did not comfort her.
“I put the remote there.”
I stared.
“What?”
“Dad dropped it when he took your phone.”
“You said you pushed it closer.”
“I did.”
“No.”
I leaned forward.
“You just said you put it there.”
Ashley swallowed.
“When everyone walked away, I picked it up.”
My skin went cold.
“I could have pressed it myself.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Dad would’ve known.”
“So?”
“I was afraid.”
I stood.
The mediator asked whether I wanted a break.
“No.”
I looked down at Ashley.
“You watched them bury a pregnant woman because you were afraid your father would know you called for help.”
“Yes.”
Her answer was barely audible.
“Then you dropped the button close enough for me to do the dangerous part.”
Ashley nodded.
I hated her then.
Not permanently.
But honestly.
She continued.
“I thought if you triggered it, security would treat it as accidental.”
“And you could stay innocent.”
“Yes.”
That honesty stopped me from walking out.
Not because it excused anything.
Because at least she finally understood what she had done.
Then Ashley gave me something investigators had not yet connected.
Two days before the assault, she overheard Robert telling Michael:
“If Riverside made an error, your mother cannot know until we understand exposure.”
“Why?”
“Because Mom would lose it.”
“No.”
Ashley shook her head.
“That’s what I thought too.”
She looked at me.
“Dad was protecting more than Mom.”
“Riverside?”
“Yes.”
Then:
“There was a board memo.”
“What memo?”
Ashley worked part-time managing charitable-health grants connected to Mercer Foundation.
Months earlier, she had seen a confidential notice discussing potential specimen-labeling irregularities at Riverside.
Robert knew before our paternity test.
May you like
Not days before.
Months.
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