Chapter 17 - THE PLAN THAT NEVER HAPPENED
The next morning, prosecutors moved Jason into a higher-security unit.
His charges were amended.
Conspiracy to commit financial crimes remained.
But a separate criminal investigation began into whether he and Evan had planned to harm Meline during the honeymoon.
No one told the press.
Not yet.
Meline spent the day in a conference room reviewing evidence.
The honeymoon itinerary showed a private drive through a mountainous region.
Mile fourteen passed a section of road without commercial development.
The nearest hospital was forty-two minutes away.
Jason had insisted on renting a car instead of using resort transportation.
Meline remembered teasing him.
“You hate driving on vacation.”
He had smiled.
“I want us to have privacy.”
Now the memory made her nauseous.
Rebecca placed another document on the table.
“Evan claims he never intended to hurt you.”
“Then why did he have this?”
“He says Jason asked him to research locations with poor camera coverage.”
“For what?”
“Jason told him it was related to a corporate security test.”
Meline stared at Rebecca.
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Yes.”
“Do prosecutors believe him?”
“Not entirely.”
Meline looked toward the observation-room glass.
Jason sat on the other side with his attorney.
He had requested to speak with her.
She had agreed only because agents would record everything.
Jason looked thinner.
But not broken.
When Meline entered, he smiled.
“I knew you’d come.”
She sat.
“I came because the prosecutor asked me to.”
His smile faded.
“Meline.”
“No.”
“You don’t get to say my name like that anymore.”
Jason leaned back.
“They’re trying to turn research into attempted murder.”
“Why did Evan have my route?”
“I gave it to him.”
“Why?”
Jason looked toward the camera.
Then at his attorney.
His lawyer shook his head.
Jason ignored him.
“Because Robert was panicking.”
Meline frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“He wanted insurance.”
“Insurance for what?”
“If you backed out after the wedding.”
Meline stared at him.
Jason lowered his voice.
“We were going to create a security incident.”
“What kind?”
“A fake data breach.”
“During the honeymoon.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To pressure you.”
Meline felt disgust rise.
Jason continued.
“If Sentinel Arc appeared compromised while you were overseas, you would have needed liquidity fast.”
“The loan documents would already be signed.”
“You’d approve temporary financing without fighting Robert.”
Meline understood.
The remote road had not been for murder.
It had been designed to isolate her while a manufactured crisis unfolded.
“What does no witnesses after mile fourteen mean?”
Jason looked confused.
“I don’t know.”
Meline watched him.
He seemed genuinely surprised.
Then something worse occurred to her.
Maybe Jason had not written that note.
Maybe Evan had.
Which meant there might have been two plans.
May you like
One Jason knew about.
And one he did not.
