Chapter 8 - the day his money disappeared)
At 9:12 Monday morning, Derek called Claire eleven times.
She answered the twelfth.
"What?"
"Where is the money?"
Claire stood in the nursery holding a stack of clean blankets.
"What money?"
"The business account."
"I don't control your business account."
"Don't play games."
Claire folded a blanket.
"I'm not."
"The bank froze it."
"Then call the bank."
"I did."
Derek's breathing was heavy.
"They said the transfers are disputed."
"They are."
"You disputed them?"
"Yes."
Derek exploded.
"That was my money too."
"It came from our joint savings."
"Exactly."
"You transferred it without telling me."
"I was investing it."
"Without telling me."
"We're married."
Claire almost admired how Derek could use marriage as both justification and disposable obstacle.
Marriage meant he could move the money.
Marriage did not mean he owed fidelity.
Marriage meant he deserved the house.
Marriage did not mean he needed to drive his wife to the hospital.
Marriage, in Derek's version, created obligations only for Claire.
"I have an attorney now," she said.
"I know."
"Then talk through counsel."
Derek went quiet.
"You're serious."
Claire looked around the nursery.
The yellow walls.
White crib.
Stuffed rabbit.
A life she had imagined with him.
"Yes."
"You're really divorcing me over an affair?"
Claire closed her eyes.
Even now.
"Not only the affair."
"So you are."
"Yes."
The word left her mouth easily.
Divorce.
Once, it had sounded like failure.
Now it sounded like a door.
Derek's voice softened.
"What about our daughter?"
Claire almost became angry.
Almost.
"You wrote that the best time to leave me was after delivery while I was dependent."
Silence.
Derek stopped breathing.
Claire knew exactly what he was thinking.
The hidden folder.
"How did you find that?"
She laughed quietly.
Not what do you mean.
Not I never wrote that.
How did you find that?
"I'll let my lawyer contact you."
"Claire."
She ended the call.
For the next two days, Derek cycled through every strategy he had used during their marriage.
Anger.
Charm.
Guilt.
Threats.
Nostalgia.
He sent their wedding photograph.
He sent an ultrasound image.
He sent a long message about forgiveness.
Then, thirty minutes later, he sent another accusing Claire of trying to alienate him from his unborn daughter.
Caroline instructed Claire to respond only to practical pregnancy and medical matters.
Claire did.
Derek asked to attend the birth.
Claire had not decided.
The idea of him standing beside her during labor made her body tense.
Caroline reminded her that hospital policies and Claire's medical autonomy would govern who could be present.
Rachel said nothing.
She waited.
Claire appreciated that.
On October 16, Derek's father called.
Robert Morgan had always been quieter than Barbara.
He sounded tired.
"I don't know what's going on."
Claire sat on the porch.
"Have you asked Derek?"
"He says Rachel turned you against him."
Claire smiled sadly.
"Of course he does."
"He says there was another woman."
"There is."
Robert sighed.
"He says it ended."
"It didn't."
"He says the money was an investment."
"It was being used for a condominium connected to the woman he was sleeping with and a business venture."
Robert became silent.
Claire continued.
"He submitted a loan application using my house and a signature I didn't make."
Another silence.
"I didn't know that."
"I believe you."
Robert sounded older suddenly.
"Barbara knew something."
Claire waited.
"What?"
"She told me Derek needed the house situation fixed before the baby."
Claire closed her eyes.
Of course.
"Did she say why?"
"No."
Robert hesitated.
"Claire, I don't expect you to forgive him."
She looked at the autumn leaves covering the sidewalk.
"Good."
"But please don't keep the baby from us."
Claire felt unexpected sadness.
Robert had never been cruel to her.
Passive, perhaps.
But not cruel.
"You can have a relationship with your granddaughter if you respect the boundaries I set."
Robert exhaled.
"Thank you."
Claire ended the call.
Two hours later, Barbara called.
Claire did not answer.
Barbara left a voicemail.
It began with accusation.
It ended with pleading.
Claire saved it.
On October 17, the internal Halstead investigation intensified.
Derek was placed on temporary administrative leave.
He blamed Claire immediately.
She had not contacted his employer once.
That did not matter.
In Derek's mind, every consequence required an enemy.
He could not imagine consequences arising from his own conduct.
At 7:30 that evening, he came to the house.
Claire saw him through the doorbell camera.
She did not open the door.
Derek rang twice.
"Claire."
She remained inside.
"I just want to talk."
Rachel was on her way.
Claire replied through the doorbell speaker.
"Email me."
Derek looked directly at the camera.
"My job is at risk."
Claire said nothing.
"Do you understand what that means for our daughter?"
Still nothing.
He leaned closer.
"Are you really going to destroy her father's career before she's even born?"
Claire pressed the intercom button.
"I didn't submit fake expenses."
Derek froze.
"I didn't alter invoices."
His face changed.
"I didn't move seventy-four thousand dollars."
"Claire."
"And I didn't forge a signature."
"Open the door."
"No."
He looked toward the driveway.
"You've become unbelievable."
Claire almost thanked him.
Instead, she watched him leave.
That night, she had real contractions for two hours.
Then they stopped.
Her doctor warned labor was approaching.
"Rest," she said.
Claire laughed when she told Rachel.
"Apparently my body hasn't received the memo."
October 18 arrived.
The due date.
No baby.
Derek sent flowers.
White roses.
Again.
Claire put them outside.
October 19.
No baby.
October 20.
Still no baby.
That afternoon, Caroline called.
"The condominium closing is tomorrow."
Claire sat upright.
"Can they still close?"
"Not with the frozen funds in the current structure."
"What will they do?"
"Probably attempt alternate financing, delay, or terminate."
Claire thought of Madison's certainty.
By next week none of this will matter.
"Will Derek lose the deposit?"
"Possibly part of it."
"How much?"
"Twenty-two thousand dollars."
Claire did not celebrate.
That money had originated from joint marital funds.
Losing it hurt her too.
But Caroline had already begun proceedings to account for dissipation of marital assets.
Derek would not simply walk away from the financial damage he created.
At 4:45, Rachel arrived with groceries.
Claire was standing in the kitchen when a strong contraction hit.
She grabbed the counter.
Rachel checked the time.
"How long?"
"Forty seconds."
The next came eight minutes later.
Then seven.
Then six.
Rachel reached for the hospital bag.
Claire shook her head.
"Not yet."
At 6:10, Derek unexpectedly walked through the garage door.
Claire stared.
He still had a key.
"I thought you were staying at your parents."
"I need clothes."
His suit was immaculate.
His hair styled.
He was going somewhere.
Claire felt another contraction.
Derek watched impatiently.
"Are you in labor?"
"Maybe."
"What does maybe mean?"
"Contractions."
"How close?"
Claire checked the timer.
"Five minutes."
Derek looked at his watch.
That gesture.
Again.
Rachel's expression hardened.
"You need to drive her."
Derek looked toward the hallway.
"I can't."
Rachel stared.
"What?"
"I have something tonight."
Claire knew immediately.
Madison.
The condominium closing was scheduled for the next morning.
Perhaps they were meeting.
Perhaps they were making a backup plan.
Rachel stepped toward him.
"Your wife is in labor."
Derek looked at Claire.
"Call me if the hospital admits you."
Something in Claire became perfectly still.
Rachel opened her mouth.
Claire stopped her.
"Go home."
Rachel stared.
"What?"
"I'll call you."
"Claire."
"Please."
Rachel understood after several seconds.
Claire did not want her sister present for what came next.
She wanted to see Derek clearly.
Without anyone saving him from the moment.
Rachel left reluctantly.
She parked two streets away.
Claire knew.
They had planned that possibility.
Derek entered the kitchen.
Another contraction began.
Claire gripped the counter.
Then she looked at him.
"My contractions are five minutes apart."
May you like
Derek opened his wallet.
And reached for fifteen dollars.
