“Because we have to face the truth or there’s been no point to any of this. Your father was young when his family lost their money. It humiliated him. He despised Henry for his ‘weakness,’ and for what he had. So piece by piece he took what was Henry’s: his father’s affection, his place at the firm, and then Lydia. Roland wanted her and had her, and she had a son. But they couldn’t marry because of the scandal it would cause and perhaps for fear he’d lose you. After your mother died he proposed. Lydia refused and denied him Jason, but it was you who paid the price. He became fixated on you, pouring all his hate and disappointment into keeping you his—”

“Stop.” Cade’s face and voice filled with torment. “How can you know anything of me?”

I turned to him. “Before Henry died you told me that I couldn’t think like someone else. You were wrong. I’ve learned to think like you. You’d taken Henry’s place but now he had your son. At first you tried to reach Jason through Lydia, forcing her to buy Jason presents. But Jason grew up warped. When he tried to rape Kris Ann the conflict tore you apart: your son, touching the daughter you wanted for yourself. It ate through you until you hated all of them. Did you ever tell Henry, Roland?”

“Why should I have? He was our son. Henry was a weakling—”

“So you destroyed him.”

“I warn you, Adam.”

I shook my head. “Krissy has to see what you are. You blackmailed Henry for more than just money. You enjoyed it. When Broussard’s loan was reduced you forced him to use Lydia’s money to cover the difference. You hoped she’d never find out. But she was in love with Mooring. She must have despised coming to you. But you knew the Cantwells’ finances and could minimize the involvement of outsiders. In a way she began her own murder. The will is a fake, isn’t it, Roland?”

He nodded reflexively. “How did you learn that?”

“It has to be. When Lydia came to your office you must have found out she’d fought with Jason and that only Mooring knew she was asking for a divorce. You would have asked when she intended telling Henry and learned she wasn’t expecting him back that night. You knew a divorce would uncover your blackmail of Henry. Everyone would learn what you are—me, your partners, even Kris Ann. You couldn’t let that happen. So when Lydia left, you had your secretary type a new will to cover Lydia’s reason for coming. But you had a second purpose. You could use it to revenge yourself on Jason.