Chapter 3 - Seven Years Earlier
Seven years ago, Claire had believed her family was perfect.
She had been twenty-eight.
Richard had been thirty-three.
They had been married for four years.
Their son, Mateo, had just turned six months old.
The Bennett family lived in a smaller house then, before Richard's company expanded and before the mansion in Paradise Valley became their home.
Claire remembered those days as warm.
She remembered Mateo laughing.
She remembered his tiny hands reaching toward her.
She remembered Richard holding him.
Or at least, she remembered what she thought she remembered.
The memory that returned now was different.
It began with rain.
A storm had passed over the city that night.
Claire had been working late in the nursery.
Richard had taken Mateo downstairs.
When Claire came down twenty minutes later, the room was empty.
Richard told her Mateo had fallen asleep in the car.
Claire remembered running outside.
The black SUV sat beneath the covered driveway.
Richard stood beside it.
Evelyn was there too.
Claire had asked why they had taken the baby outside during a storm.
Richard laughed.
He said Mateo had been restless.
Then Claire opened the back door.
Mateo was awake.
Silent.
His face was wet.
Claire remembered picking him up.
She remembered asking what happened.
She remembered Richard telling her she was overreacting.
The next morning, Mateo stopped making sounds.
At first, Claire thought it was temporary.
Then the doctors came.
Tests.
Appointments.
Specialists.
Weeks became months.
Months became years.
And eventually, everyone stopped asking whether Mateo would speak.
Except Claire.
She never stopped waiting.
Now, standing in the mansion foyer, Claire realized something.
She remembered the storm.
She remembered the car.
She remembered Mateo crying.
But she didn't remember what happened after she picked him up.
That missing memory frightened her.
She sat at the dining table while Maria prepared coffee.
Mateo sat beside her.
Richard and Evelyn had disappeared into the study.
Claire whispered.
“Mateo.”
The boy looked up.
“What happened that night?”
He stared at the table.
“You don't remember.”
“No.”
“You were asleep.”
Claire shook her head.
“I wasn't.”
Mateo's eyes filled with tears.
“Dad said you couldn't know.”
Claire took his hand.
“You don't have to be afraid anymore.”
Mateo looked toward the hallway.
“He still knows.”
“Knows what?”
“That I remember.”
Maria entered quietly.
She placed a folder on the table.
Claire looked at it.
“What is this?”
Maria sat down.
“Things I should have given you years ago.”
Inside were photographs.
Hospital records.
Copies of invoices.
And one handwritten note.
Claire recognized the handwriting immediately.
Richard's.
She read the sentence.
Keep the boy quiet until the transfer is complete.
Claire's hands went numb.
“Transfer?”
Maria looked down.
“That's what I couldn't understand.”
Claire turned the page.
There were financial records.
Large payments.
Different companies.
The same dates.
And beside several of them was one name.
Pamela Reed.
Claire stared at it.
“Why was Richard paying Pamela?”
Maria hesitated.
“Because Pamela was the person who helped him.”
“Helped him do what?”
Maria's voice dropped.
“Control the story.”
Claire looked at Mateo.
“What story?”
Maria didn't answer.
Instead, she pointed to the memory card.
“The car camera will tell you.”
Claire took a breath.
“Then let's watch it.”
Maria's eyes widened.
“Not here.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard knows about that card.”
Claire looked toward the study.
The door was closed.
“What are you afraid he'll do?”
Maria whispered.
“He won't hurt you.”
Claire relaxed slightly.
May you like
Maria continued.
“He'll make sure nobody believes you.”
