Chapter 5 - CLAIRE CAME HOME WITH BLOOD ON HER SLEEVEClaire came back the next afternoon.
She didn't come alone.
Two attorneys accompanied her.
The moment she walked through the door of the temporary safe apartment where the police had arranged for us to stay, I barely recognized the woman I had married.
Her face was swollen from crying.
Her clothes were wrinkled.
And there was a dark stain on her sleeve.
Blood.
I stood.
“Whose blood?”
She looked at the stain.
Then at me.
“Mine.”
“What happened?”
She didn't answer.
One of her attorneys stepped forward.
“My client is here to discuss temporary custody arrangements.”
“I'm not discussing custody.”
“You need to.”
“No.”
I looked directly at Claire.
“I want the truth.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I was scared.”
“Of whom?”
She looked toward the window.
Then whispered:
“Nolan.”
I almost laughed.
“Your brother?”
“Yes.”
“But the recordings…”
“I know.”
“Then explain.”
Claire's mouth trembled.
“He found out about the trust.”
“What trust?”
“The one protecting Lily's inheritance.”
My attorney had already been digging through estate documents.
I knew what she meant.
My father had structured a portion of the family assets so that Lily would receive significant voting rights in adulthood.
Claire continued.
“Nolan had debts.”
“How much?”
She closed her eyes.
“Enough to destroy him.”
“So he used Lily?”
“Yes.”
“Did you?”
Her answer came quietly.
“Yes.”
The room became silent.
I stared at her.
She started crying.
“I hated myself every time.”
“But you still did it.”
“Yes.”
I wanted to yell.
But Lily was sleeping in the next room.
So I kept my voice low.
“Why?”
Claire wiped her face.
“Nolan said if I didn't cooperate, he would make sure Lily disappeared.”
“How?”
“He had people following us.”
“You could have gone to the police.”
“I was afraid.”
“You were afraid, so you hurt our daughter?”
She covered her mouth.
“I thought I could control it.”
“There is no control in that.”
“I know.”
That was the first time she looked directly at me.
“I pushed her.”
I felt something inside me collapse.
“Yesterday wasn't an accident.”
“No.”
“Was any of it?”
She hesitated.
“Not all.”
I felt sick.
Before I could respond, Detective Reed entered.
“We found Nolan.”
Claire looked terrified.
“Where?”
“He's at the airport.”
“Why?”
“He bought a one-way ticket.”
Reed turned to me.
“And his phone contains messages with someone named Victor Hale.”
I didn't know that name.
Claire did.
Her face drained of color.
“Who is Victor Hale?” I asked.
She didn't answer.
Reed did.
“Private financial consultant. Previously investigated for coercion and fraud.”
Claire stood abruptly.
“No.”
“Claire?”
“He wasn't supposed to come back.”
“Who?”
“Victor.”
She backed away.
“He was the one who started this.”
Reed frowned.
“How?”
Claire stared at me.
Then whispered:
“Victor isn't Nolan's partner.”
She swallowed.
“He's my father.”
I felt the room shift.
“Your father died ten years ago.”
Claire shook her head.
“We told everyone he was dead.”
My skin prickled.
“What?”
“He disappeared.”
“Why?”
Her eyes moved toward Lily's room.
“Because he was dangerous.”
A knock sounded at the door.
Everyone froze.
Reed drew his weapon.
The knock came again.
Three slow taps.
Then a man's voice drifted through the door.
“Claire.”
She stopped breathing.
I watched her face.
She knew that voice.
And I did too.
May you like
It was the voice from the baby monitor.
Victor Hale had found us.
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