Chapter 3

"She's approximately seven weeks pregnant," Anneth said, placing the laboratory report on the table. "If the calculations are correct, Victoria conceived after her engagement to Marcus."

Leonard read through the report once more before setting it aside.

"We need to speak with Marcus. If he knew about the pregnancy, his reaction might give us some insight into the state of their relationship before Victoria died."

"I've already arranged a meeting. His office asked us to come in an hour."

"Then let's go now."

Marcus's office was located in one of the buildings owned by the Hale family.

A secretary escorted Anneth and Leonard to a conference room on the twentieth floor, where Marcus was already waiting in a white shirt and gray suit. He stood as they entered, greeted them politely, and then sat back down across the table.

"I was informed that you wanted to discuss Victoria," he said.

"We'd like to clarify a few details about the night before her death," Anneth replied, opening her file. "According to your statement, you arrived at Victoria's apartment at 8:41 p.m. and left the building at 9:03 p.m. Is that correct?"

Marcus nodded.

"Yes."

"What did the two of you discuss while you were there?"

"The wedding preparations. Our families had started discussing the date and all the arrangements, but Victoria felt everything was moving too quickly."

"Did the conversation turn into an argument?"

Marcus hesitated before answering.

"We did disagree about a few things. Victoria had a lot on her mind, so things became a little tense."

Anneth studied his expression.

"The neighbors reported hearing raised voices coming from your apartment."

"Victoria was upset with me, but it wasn't a serious argument."

Leonard, who had been reviewing his notes, raised his head.

"What made her angry?"

Marcus looked at him for a moment.

"She didn't want to get married as quickly as our families wanted. I tried to reassure her that there was nothing to worry about, but she felt that everyone was making decisions without involving her."

Anneth recorded his answer before turning to another page. She deliberately allowed the room to fall quiet before speaking again.

"There's something you haven't told the police. Victoria was pregnant."

Marcus fell silent immediately.

Several seconds passed before he looked at Anneth, his expression visibly changing.

"What?"

"We received the laboratory results this morning. The examination confirmed that Victoria was approximately seven weeks pregnant."

"I didn't know."

"She never told you?"

"No."

Anneth watched as his hands began to clasp together on the table. His reaction could have been genuine shock, but it could just as easily have meant he was trying to formulate an answer.

"Are you the father?" Anneth asked.

Marcus looked away.

"I don't know."

Leonard slowly closed his file.

"You're her fiancé, and you just told us that the two of you were still intimate three weeks ago. How could you not know?"

Marcus grew increasingly uncomfortable.

"Victoria once told me she couldn't get pregnant. Because of that, I never considered this a possibility."

"When did she tell you that?"

"A few months ago."

"And you never discussed having children after that?"

"No."

Anneth held his gaze for a long moment.

"When was the last time you and Victoria were intimate?"

Marcus hesitated before finally answering, "About three weeks ago."

Leonard wrote down his response while Anneth checked the dates on the medical report. The timing still fell within the possible range of Victoria's pregnancy, but she chose not to jump to any conclusions.

"Did you ever see Victoria with another man?" she asked.

Marcus lifted his head. This time, his silence lasted considerably longer.

"There was someone," he finally admitted.

"Who?"

"I don't know his name."

"How do you know about this man?"

"I once saw them together at a restaurant near Victoria's office about two months ago. I happened to be there to meet someone, and I noticed Victoria sitting with him."

"Did they look like ordinary friends?"

Marcus slowly shook his head.

"I can't say for certain what their relationship was, but they seemed close. Victoria looked comfortable around him."

"What did he look like?"

"Black hair, average height, probably in his late twenties or early thirties. I didn't pay much attention to him because I only saw them for a few minutes."

Anneth put down her pen.

"If you knew about this man, why didn't you tell the police?"

Marcus looked at her, his expression hardening.

"Because I didn't want our relationship problems to become public gossip. Victoria is dead, and I don't want everyone speculating that she was having an affair."

Leonard leaned back in his chair.

"But that information could be important to a murder investigation."

"I understand that now."

"You should have understood it from the beginning."

Marcus offered no response.

Anneth stood, signaling that their conversation was over. She and Leonard left the conference room without learning the man's identity, but at least they now had a new lead to investigate.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, Anneth reopened her notes.

"He's hiding more than he's telling us."

Leonard stood beside her.

"Maybe. But we don't have any evidence that the man had anything to do with the murder."

"I know. Let's identify him first."

Before Leonard could respond, Anneth's phone vibrated.

A message from one of the investigators arrived with a photograph of a newly obtained document. She opened the image and quickly read the details before handing her phone to Leonard.

They had identified the owner of the access card used at 9:57 p.m.

Leonard read the name printed beneath it and immediately looked at Anneth.

"Adrian Lancaster."

Anneth took her phone back.

Victoria's younger brother had direct access to his sister's apartment on the night of the murder.