Chapter 5 - the woman victoria made disappear
Margaret Bell lived in a small house outside Albany.
Arthur wanted to go himself.
Detective Mitchell refused.
"If Victoria or anyone connected to her realizes Mrs. Bell is talking, we don't know what they will do."
Arthur hated the logic.
Marcus went with two investigators instead.
They returned that evening with Margaret.
She was sixty four now.
Her hair had turned almost completely white.
When she entered Arthur's study, she stopped.
For several seconds they simply looked at each other.
Then Margaret began crying.
Arthur crossed the room.
"I'm sorry."
She shook her head.
"No, Mr. Bennett."
"I should have found you."
"You didn't know."
"I should have."
Margaret sat.
Lily was asleep upstairs.
Dr. Park had recommended routine, food, rest, and as little exposure to the investigation as possible.
Arthur had moved his meetings home.
For the first time in years, Bennett Global could function without him.
His daughter could not.
Margaret placed a small memory card on the desk.
"I took this from the old hallway camera."
Arthur frowned.
"Our security system?"
"Mrs. Claire installed a separate camera outside her dressing room. She said jewelry kept going missing."
Arthur remembered Claire complaining once about misplaced earrings.
At the time, everyone laughed.
Margaret continued.
"One night I saw Miss Lawson come out of Mrs. Claire's private bathroom."
"Victoria."
Margaret nodded.
"She wasn't Mrs. Bennett then."
Arthur's hands tightened.
"What was she doing?"
"I didn't know."
"Did Claire know her?"
"Yes."
The answer landed like a stone.
"How well?"
Margaret hesitated.
"Better than you were told."
Arthur sat opposite her.
"Tell me everything."
Margaret looked toward Mitchell.
The detective nodded.
"Take your time."
Margaret began.
Victoria had first entered the Bennett mansion as a consultant attached to one of Claire's charitable finance reviews.
She was charming.
Efficient.
Helpful.
Claire initially liked her.
Then money disappeared from a children's medical fund.
Claire found irregularities.
Victoria blamed an accounting error.
Claire did not believe her.
The relationship deteriorated.
One evening, Margaret overheard an argument.
Claire told Victoria she was going to expose the financial transfers.
Victoria replied that Claire had no idea how many people were involved.
Arthur felt cold.
"Did Claire tell me?"
"She tried."
Arthur looked down.
Margaret's face softened.
"You were in London that week."
Arthur remembered.
A major merger.
Claire had called him repeatedly.
He had returned messages late.
She told him everything was fine.
Margaret continued.
"Then Mrs. Claire became sick."
The doctors diagnosed an aggressive autoimmune complication alongside an existing condition.
Her health declined rapidly.
Margaret started noticing Victoria near the house.
Sometimes she claimed she was delivering documents.
Sometimes she met Russell Crane.
Arthur's head snapped up.
"Russell was there?"
"Many times."
Margaret nodded.
"Mrs. Claire became frightened. She asked me to watch Lily."
Arthur stared at the memory card.
"And the video?"
Margaret pushed it toward him.
"It shows Victoria entering the bathroom. Seven minutes later she leaves. Then Russell arrives."
"What is in the bathroom?"
"Mrs. Claire's medication."
Mitchell took the card.
"We'll need to authenticate this."
Arthur looked at Margaret.
"Why didn't you come to me?"
Margaret's eyes filled again.
"I tried."
Arthur went still.
"Victoria intercepted me outside Bennett Global. She said if I accused her of anything without proof, she'd destroy my family."
"That wouldn't have stopped you."
"No."
Margaret reached into her handbag.
"Then she showed me this."
A photograph.
Margaret's grandson outside his school.
Arthur stared.
"She threatened a child."
Margaret nodded.
"I left New York the next day."
Arthur's anger returned.
But now it was different.
It was no longer hot.
It had structure.
Purpose.
Someone had frightened Margaret into silence.
Someone had frightened Lily into silence.
Someone had possibly silenced Claire forever.
Arthur stood.
"I want every payment Victoria has made since the day she met Claire."
Naomi nodded.
"Already working on it."
"I want every trip, every phone call we can legally obtain, every company, every account."
Mitchell warned him.
"Do not interfere with evidence."
"I won't."
Arthur looked at Margaret.
"But I am going to understand what happened in my own house."
That night, Lily woke from a nightmare.
Arthur found her sitting beneath the blankets, trembling.
He sat beside her.
"Bad dream?"
She nodded.
"Victoria came back."
"She can't."
"What if she does?"
Arthur wanted to promise impossible things.
Instead he told her the truth.
"There are people making sure she stays away. Marcus is here. The police know. And I am here."
Lily looked at him.
"Are you going away again?"
The question broke his heart.
"No."
"Never?"
Arthur paused.
"I may have to travel someday."
Her face fell.
"But not like before. Not without making sure you know exactly where I am, when I'm coming back, and who is with you."
Lily thought about that.
"Okay."
Arthur tucked the blanket around her.
As he stood, Lily caught his hand.
"Daddy."
"Yes?"
"There's another place."
Arthur looked down.
"What place?"
"Victoria put things there."
"What things?"
"Mommy's things."
Arthur sat again.
"Where?"
May you like
Lily whispered.
"Behind the wall."
