Chapter 6 - THE ORDER ETHAN PLACED
Ethan had purchased the powder online.
He remembered.
Linda sent him a link.
A private seller.
No normal retail packaging.
Marketed as a “metabolic mineral blend.”
He ordered it because Linda said Claire needed it.
“Did you read anything?” Detective Price asked.
“No.”
“Ingredients?”
“No.”
“Reviews?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Ethan stared at the table.
“Because my mother told me to.”
Naomi said nothing.
She did not need to.
The powder contained the same toxic contaminant found in Claire’s body.
But forensic analysis suggested contamination far above what a legitimate supplement should contain.
Could be adulteration.
Could be intentional.
The seller account was gone.
Payment route:
prepaid processor.
Shipping address:
Ethan’s office.
He had physically brought the package home.
That looked terrible.
His attorney argued negligence, not intent.
Claire did not know what to believe.
Then the seller account registration was traced.
Not to Linda.
To a woman named Paula Jensen.
Linda’s longtime friend.
Sixty.
Former alternative-wellness consultant.
Paula denied knowingly supplying anything toxic.
She said Linda asked her to source “strong mineral support” from an overseas vendor she used years earlier.
No dosing discussion.
No specific toxin.
The vendor itself appeared fake.
Police found no evidence Paula knew the contents were dangerous.
Then one email changed tone.
LINDA:
I NEED SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE THE DECLINE LOOK NATURAL, NOT DRAMATIC.
Paula replied:
WHAT DECLINE?
Linda:
NEVER MIND. WRONG WORD.
Claire read it.
Her stomach turned.
Linda’s lawyer called it ambiguous.
Maybe referring to inflammation.
Maybe to symptoms.
Maybe unfortunate wording.
Smart defense.
Then another email:
LINDA:
SHE NEEDS TO BE BAD ENOUGH BY AUGUST THAT ETHAN CAN STEP IN.
That was harder.
August.
Claire’s birthday month.
Her thirty-fifth.
The trust transfer.
Linda claimed she meant Ethan needed to “step in” as caregiver.
No mention of money.
Again.
Ambiguity.
Then Ethan received news from Morgan Land & Development.
His company was in trouble.
Claire had never known.
Two major projects were overleveraged.
A loan covenant was due in five months.
Ethan had personally guaranteed part of the debt.
Amount:
$4.2 million.
Claire stared.
“That’s why you wanted my trust.”
Ethan shook his head.
“No.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I thought I could fix it.”
“Were you planning to borrow from my money?”
“No.”
“Were you planning to ask?”
Silence.
“Ethan.”
“Yes.”
There.
He had not poisoned her, maybe.
But the trust meant rescue.
If Claire controlled it, she could say no.
If Ethan co-managed during incapacity, his leverage increased.
His motive existed.
That was enough for police to examine him harder.
Claire looked at the man she married and realized intention did not need to be simple.
He could love her.
Need her money.
Believe his mother.
Hide information.
Stand over her in a driveway and tell her to get up because her collapse threatened the performance of normal life.
All true at once.
Then Detective Price said:
“We found one more thing at Linda’s condo.”
A draft conservatorship petition.
Petitioner:
May you like
Ethan Morgan.
His signature was already on it.
