Chapter 6 - Claire Wasn't Who We ThoughtThe detective moved us upstairs.
He showed us a copy of the DNA report.
The blood found in the basement matched Claire's profile.
I stared at the paper.
“That can't be right.”
“That's what we thought.”
“Claire died in a car accident.”
“So you were told.”
I looked at my mother.
She wouldn't look at me.
“Mom?”
Nothing.
“Mom!”
She finally whispered:
“Claire never died.”
My entire body went still.
“What?”
Ben, standing across the room, laughed.
It wasn't a happy laugh.
It was the kind people make when reality becomes absurd.
“I knew it.”
I turned.
“Knew what?”
“That Grandma lied.”
The detective frowned.
“What do you know?”
Ben swallowed.
“Nothing useful.”
“Try me.”
Ben sat down.
“Years ago, Grandma told me Claire was dead.”
My mother spoke.
“She wanted us to believe that.”
“Why?”
“Because Claire was being threatened.”
“By who?”
Mom shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“Then why hide her?”
“Because someone in the family was stealing from Grandma.”
The detective looked at me.
“Who?”
My mother closed her eyes.
“Your father.”
I stared at her.
“My dad?”
“Yes.”
“He died.”
“Yes.”
“So what was he stealing?”
“Money.”
“How much?”
“Millions.”
Ben suddenly stood.
“Wait.”
We all looked at him.
“Claire knew.”
Mom nodded.
“She found out.”
“Then why didn't she tell anyone?”
“Because your father threatened her.”
My throat tightened.
“What happened to Claire?”
“She disappeared.”
“You said she died.”
“Your grandmother made us say that.”
“Why?”
“To protect her.”
The detective asked:
“Where is she now?”
Mom looked at the basement.
“I don't know.”
Then I heard a noise outside.
A car door.
Footsteps.
The detective drew his weapon.
We all went silent.
Someone entered the front door.
Slowly.
A woman's voice called from the hallway.
“Linda?”
My mother screamed.
It was a voice she hadn't heard in eleven years.
A voice that shouldn't exist.
“Claire?”
The woman stepped into the room.
She was older.
Thinner.
Her hair was short.
But it was her.
My aunt Claire.
Alive.
Ben stumbled backward.
“No.”
Claire looked at me.
“Hello, Ryan.”
I couldn't breathe.
“You're alive.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She looked toward my mother.
“Because your grandmother asked me to disappear.”
“Why?”
Claire’s eyes filled with tears.
“Because she knew who was going to betray the family.”
I looked at Ben.
He shook his head.
“It wasn't me.”
Claire said:
“No.”
Then she looked directly at my mother.
“It was her.”
Mom collapsed into a chair.
The detective moved forward.
“Mrs. Miller, you're coming with us.”
Claire raised her hand.
“Not yet.”
“Why not?”
“Because you don't know what happened the night Evelyn died.”
I stared at her.
“What happened?”
Claire looked at me.
“Your grandmother wasn't murdered.”
I felt a wave of relief.
Then Claire continued.
“She helped herself disappear.”
“What?”
“She knew someone was coming for her.”
“Who?”
Claire took a small photograph from her purse.
She handed it to me.
It showed Grandma standing beside a man.
I recognized him immediately.
My father.
May you like
On the back were five words.
HE NEVER DIED EITHER.
