Chapter 8 - THE GREEN PAINTGary’s version began with vandalism.
Ethan had “deliberately destroyed” important work materials.
What work?
Gary was a residential insurance adjuster.
He had printed damage estimates on the kitchen table.
Ethan’s cup tipped.
Green paint and water spread across the papers.
Accident.
Gary claimed Ethan laughed.
Ethan said he didn’t.
I had not seen the spill.
Mom was not home yet.
No witness.
But the papers themselves mattered less than Gary’s response.
He admitted grabbing Ethan by the back of the shirt.
Admitted removing his belt.
His attorney later described the belt as:
“An intimidation gesture rather than an instrument of corporal punishment.”
That sentence sounded almost worse.
Gary said he struck the floor.
Not Ethan.
Ethan said Gary had hit him with a belt on two earlier occasions.
Once across the thigh.
Once “on my butt and back.”
No severe injury.
No photographs from those days.
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But the existing bruises and Ethan’s account triggered investigation.
Then police found something in Gary’s own text messages.
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