The death of Caroline Thraxton has stunned New York. The former journalist turned socialite died during an early-morning run near the United Nations headquarters on First Avenue.

The facts of the case are still being established by the police. They believe Caroline Thraxton suffered cardiac arrest from an undisclosed heart condition at approximately six a.m. She fell on the Sharansky Steps above Ralph Bunche Park, injuring her head and arm. She was unconscious but still breathing when discovered by passersby but died en route to Tisch Hospital and was pronounced dead on arrival.

When asked whether drugs or foul play was involved in this sudden, shocking death—Mrs. Thraxton was a month shy of her 30th birthday—NYPD detective Luis Villaverde dismissed the idea. He called the incident an “unlucky accident,” adding that the socialite was caught on multiple security cameras during her run and there was nothing suspicious. “Plenty of folks have heart conditions they don’t know about,” he added. Detective Villaverde refused to answer questions about any possible drug use by the victim.

Mrs. Thraxton was the wife of Theodore Thraxton II, heir to the Thraxton International hotel fortune. Caroline Thraxton was employed by the company as their director of public relations. Mr. Thraxton could not be reached for comment, but his sister, Juliet Thraxton, released a statement to the press on behalf of the family.

“We are devastated by Caroline’s death,” the statement says. “It is a tremendous shock to us all. We can’t believe she’s gone.”

Caroline Thraxton is survived by her husband and her three-year-old son, Theodore Thraxton III, known to the family as Teddy.

My head buzzed and blood drummed inside my ears. It was like being a kid again, listening to the awful fighting going on in the next room, knowing I was powerless to fix it. There was a sharp pain in my chest, and I hunched over on the futon, hugging my knees, but that didn’t help.

“You’re not powerless,” I reminded myself out loud. “You can’t save your sister, but you can get justice for her. This is all on you.”

That determination propelled me forward. I brushed my teeth and fixed my makeup, feeling like a warrior readying for combat. I needed a tough shell if I was going to do what I had to for my sister. I flipped through the prints one more time.

“Damn it, Caro, couldn’t you have given me something solid, like the name of the first wife?” I muttered.

I tucked the photos and memory card back into the envelope. Then I pulled on a pair of tall black leather boots. I had one shot to round up some real evidence, and I wasn’t going to miss it.

CHAPTER 4 THEO

CHAPTER 4

THEO

I don’t want to be married to you anymore. Why is that so hard to understand, Theo? Get out of my house.