The Plan

Chapter 28

April 6, 2011 (12:00pm)

The chopper brought them to a private hangar where Sean’s private plane was already fueled and ready to take off.

Together, they flew to the Caribbean.

On the plane, Sean went to the VCR and rolled the tape and they watched the scene from January of 1996—the time of Georgia Stuart’s murder—unfold on the screen…

The camera was situated at the corner of the Stuarts’ big living room.

Georgia Stuart was sitting on the big sofa in the center of the room magazine in hand. She looked up, probably to see who’s arrived because John Stuart Jr.’s young teenage figure came in view a second later, shoulders hunched in rage.

“What…doing…that man?!” was the only sound the high-tech camera was able to capture of the younger man’s voice as he shouted at his mother.

Georgia said something inaudible, and then she flinched and froze in place when her son held up a gun in his hand.

“How…betray dad…sleeping…Lightman?!”

“No! Son! Let me explain!” Georgia’s voice screamed, her features pleading.

The shot rang off…once…twice..

The scene froze for almost a full minute before Stuart Jr. dropped the gun, the look of horror and panic of what he’s done was clearly painted all over his face as he saw his mother’s blood-drenched body drop along the sofa.

He ran off.

Then came Peter—he must have heard the shots and came running. He froze in place, went to Georgia’s lifeless body and felt for her neck. He then ran to the phone and dialed a number. After a few seconds, he replaced the receiver and looked at the dead woman and his gaze went to the gun. He went towards it and picked it up.

That was his only mistake.

In a matter of minutes, police and paramedics came to the scene and crowded the room. 

John Stuart himself arrived shortly, his face unreadable. He approached the younger version of Paul Carter, pulled the young officer aside and said something in a whisper.

Sean fast forwarded the scene, his face blank. She looked at him with concern. His father’s name came up in the conversation between Stuart Jr. and his mother and she knew—they both knew—that it was the reason for the murder. 

The room had finally been cleared. Two men were working on the body of Georgia Stuart now. 

Another police officer came into view, his head covered by the police hat he’s wearing. He said something to the two men and they left. When the man was finally alone, he walked over to the dead woman’s body and dropped a red handkerchief beside her.

“I recognize that handkerchief,” she said to Sean. He turned to look at her and she answered his silent question, “It’s Peter’s. My mother gave that to him.”

Finally, the man on the screen looked around looking for something. He turned around, looked up and found the camera. He took a chair from the corner of the room, took it to the direction of the camera and disappeared in view.

Paul Carter’s young face reappeared in front of the camera—this time closer—he reached out a hand and the screen went blank.