Chapter 9
The breakthrough came from Bernadette’s driver.
His name was Malcolm Reeves.
He had worked for her for eight years.
His attorney contacted investigators after Malcolm learned that Ethan’s passport had been stolen.
He wanted no part of whatever came next.
Malcolm admitted Bernadette instructed him to keep an SUV near the east service entrance during the reception.
“At what time?”
“Ten fifteen.”
“Where were you supposed to go?”
“She gave me an address.”
The address belonged to a Costa-owned lake property in Wisconsin.
Three hours away.
Adriano had not used it in years.
“Who were you taking?”
Malcolm looked uncomfortable.
“She didn’t say at first.”
“And later?”
“The boy.”
“Ethan?”
“Yes.”
“What did she tell you?”
“That there was a family emergency and Mr. Costa approved it.”
Adriano closed his eyes.
Again.
His name.
“What were you supposed to do when you got there?”
“Leave him with Mrs. Bernadette’s cousin.”
“For how long?”
“I don’t know.”
Malcolm produced a printed route.
No toll roads.
No main interstate through the first hour.
Rebecca asked why.
“Mrs. Bernadette said she didn’t want paparazzi or anyone tracking the family car.”
There were no paparazzi waiting outside a private reception.
The excuse had never made sense.
Malcolm also had an envelope Bernadette instructed him to deliver at the lake property.
He had not opened it.
Investigators did.
Inside were copies of Ethan’s school records.
Medical information.
The stolen passport.
And a notarized document.
Not a custody order.
A draft emergency guardianship petition naming Adriano Costa as proposed temporary guardian.
The document was unsigned.
Rebecca looked at Adriano.
“You never saw this?”
“No.”
The petition alleged Daniel had become unstable after Nora’s death.
That he planned to leave Illinois abruptly.
That Ethan had been spending substantial time at Adriano’s estate.
That Adriano had already been assisting with school and medical decisions.
Almost every major statement was exaggerated or false.
And then investigators found something stranger.
A folder in Bernadette’s family-law file contained screenshots of messages supposedly sent by Daniel.
One read:
If the Costas push me again, I’ll take Ethan tonight and nobody will find us until we’re gone.
Daniel had never sent it.
Forensic review found no matching message on his devices.
Another said:
Seattle will solve everything. Once we cross state lines they can fight me from there.
Also false.
Rebecca arranged the documents on the conference table.
A child scheduled to be secretly driven out of state.
A petition waiting to make Adriano his emergency guardian.
Fabricated messages portraying Daniel as preparing to flee.
Adriano looked at the route to Wisconsin.
“Why take Ethan out of Illinois if they planned to claim Daniel was taking him?”
Rebecca looked at him.
May you like
“That’s the question.”
The answer finally turned the entire plan inside out.
