Chapter 9
Police reconstructed Evelyn’s photograph system.
The physical prints in her purse were copies.
The originals lived on an encrypted external drive.
Each image had:
Date.
Time.
Location.
Short note.
Some notes named Petra directly.
Others said only:
discipline incident
or:
Linnea upset after dinner
A separate folder contained edited copies.
No dates.
Tighter crops.
No identifiable background.
Those were the photographs placed in Gideon’s file.
Detective Maddox asked the obvious question.
“Why create versions without metadata?”
Evelyn declined to answer.
Then investigators found two drafts.
The first:
Concern Regarding Gideon Mercer
It alleged that Linnea had appeared with unexplained bruises after periods in Gideon’s care, that he had become emotionally volatile since Sarah’s death, and that family members were frightened to confront him.
The second:
Statement Regarding Petra Mercer
It said Petra had repeatedly used inappropriate physical discipline against Linnea and that Evelyn possessed photographs and contemporaneous notes.
Both drafts were written by Evelyn.
Both were saved within forty-eight hours of each other.
Then came Petra’s side letter.
Carroway’s proposed purchase of Petra Mercer Design included a consulting role worth another $600,000 over two years.
Evelyn knew about it.
A text showed:
Evelyn:
Four point two plus consulting is excessive.
Petra:
It’s my company.
Evelyn:
It exists because Mercer & Vale fed you work for twelve years.
Petra:
That was Dad’s choice.
Evelyn:
Do not become greedy at the finish line.
Petra:
And if I do?
Evelyn:
Don’t ask questions you know the answer to.
Three minutes later:
Petra:
You kept those pictures, didn’t you?
Evelyn:
Every one.
Petra never replied.
That was clue one.
May you like
Evelyn was threatening both children.
Then the
