Chapter 3 - The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be DeadThe safe house looked nothing like Claire expected.
She had imagined reinforced doors, armed guards, dark windows.
Instead, Adrian brought her to a quiet mansion overlooking the ocean.
It was elegant.
Almost peaceful.
That somehow frightened her more.
“Who lived here?”
Adrian removed his jacket.
“My mother.”
Claire looked around.
There were photographs on the walls.
A younger Adrian stood beside a woman with silver hair and kind eyes.
Claire recognized her.
She had seen that face before.
In one of her father's old photo albums.
“You're serious.”
“Yes.”
“My father knew your mother.”
“They knew each other very well.”
Claire folded her arms.
“You keep giving me pieces and expecting me not to ask questions.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Ask.”
“Why were our families connected?”
Silence.
“Why was your mother supposedly dead?”
Silence again.
“And why did you know Mason was dangerous before I did?”
Adrian walked to the fireplace.
“Because Mason Cole works for a group that has been trying to access Whitmore assets for years.”
“What group?”
“The Halcyon Circle.”
Claire frowned.
“I've never heard of it.”
“You weren't supposed to.”
He opened a hidden drawer beneath the mantel.
Inside were old documents.
Photographs.
Names.
Dates.
Shipping records.
Claire stepped closer.
“This is my father's handwriting.”
Adrian handed her a folder.
On the first page was a sentence written in black ink.
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME, KEEP CLAIRE AWAY FROM HALCYON.
Claire's hands shook.
“What is Halcyon?”
Adrian looked at her.
“An organization that launders money through legitimate companies.”
“How many?”
“Dozens.”
She looked at the documents.
Banks.
Hospitals.
Construction firms.
Shipping companies.
Even charities.
Claire felt dizzy.
“And Mason?”
“A middleman.”
“My uncle?”
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“Whether he joined them willingly.”
Claire closed the folder.
“I need to call him.”
“No.”
“My uncle is family.”
“Your uncle is one of the men in those files.”
Claire's voice cracked.
“You don't know that.”
Adrian approached her.
“I know enough.”
“Then prove it.”
His eyes hardened.
“That is exactly what we're going to do.”
Later that night, Claire couldn't sleep.
She wandered through the house.
At the end of a hallway she found a locked door.
Something about it felt familiar.
She touched the handle.
It opened.
Inside was a small room filled with old photographs.
Claire stared.
Photographs of her.
As a child.
At school.
At charity events.
At university.
At her parents' funeral.
There were dozens.
Hundreds.
Someone had been documenting her life.
She backed away.
Then she saw the newest photograph.
It had been taken three weeks ago.
Claire standing outside her bedroom.
Beside her was Mason.
And behind them, in the reflection of the window, was a man she recognized.
Her uncle.
Claire dropped the photograph.
A voice came from the doorway.
“I told you not to come in here.”
Adrian.
She spun around.
“Why do you have these?”
He didn't answer.
“You've been watching me too.”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Since your father's death.”
Claire stared at him in disbelief.
“You've been spying on me for eighteen years?”
“I was protecting you.”
“From what?”
“Halcyon.”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“Then why didn't you save me from Mason?”
“I did.”
Her expression changed.
“What?”
“I tried.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“I warned your uncle. I warned your lawyers. I warned people inside your foundation. Every time I got close, someone moved Mason deeper into your life.”
Claire swallowed.
“Who?”
Adrian looked at the photograph.
“Someone you trust.”
Before Claire could speak, every light in the house went out.
A second later, glass shattered downstairs.
Gunfire erupted.
Adrian pushed Claire behind him.
“Stay here.”
He reached for his weapon.
Claire grabbed his arm.
“You said this house was secure.”
“It was.”
“How did they get in?”
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
Then he looked toward the surveillance monitor.
A single camera was still functioning.
Its feed showed the front gate.
The gate was open.
No guards.
No attackers.
Just one person walking calmly toward the house.
Claire recognized him.
Her uncle.
And beside him stood Mason Cole.
Alive.
Smiling.
May you like
Adrian whispered one word.
“Traitor.”
