Chapter 8 - THE WOMAN WHO LIED FOR LOVE
Cassandra admitted she and Jonah had been in a relationship.
They kept it secret because she approved contracts with his laboratory. Jonah discovered duplicate marks after accepting cash to work unauthorized shifts. He told Cassandra he believed Malcolm Vane controlled the scheme through North Coast.
Cassandra did not report it.
She feared her father would fire Jonah and the board would blame Harrison for giving her the master token. She persuaded Jonah to collect proof first.
Elise discovered them independently.
The photograph at the coastal hotel showed a meeting where Elise, Cassandra, and Jonah compared records. Cassandra had cropped Elise from the image before saving it.
“Why lie now?” Daniel asked.
“Because Jonah died in a car crash after he said he would testify. Because Elise died. Because everyone who touches this becomes a memorial.”
Jonah’s death had been ruled an accident caused by fatigue. Elise’s crash occurred during heavy rain when another vehicle crossed the median. Neither case had evidence of deliberate sabotage.
Fear did not prove murder.
Cassandra revealed that Elise hid a complete supplier ledger inside a piece of jewelry before the crash. She refused to say which piece over the phone.
“The Aurora necklace,” Daniel said.
Cassandra nodded.
The central setting contained enough hollow space for a microchip.
Under court supervision, a conservator opened it.
The compartment was empty.
Microscopic scratches showed someone removed the chip after the crash.
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The only object recovered beside Elise before paramedics arrived was Lily’s small white plush rabbit, thrown from the back seat.
Lily had carried that rabbit into the boutique.
