Chapter 7 - The Person Who Knew Too Much
Claire and Ethan switched off the light.
Footsteps moved across the floor above.
Slow.
Measured.
Then the study door opened.
A man's voice called out.
"Claire?"
Ethan whispered.
"Who is that?"
Claire shook her head.
The footsteps moved toward the hidden doorway.
The man stopped.
Silence.
Then the bookcase shifted.
Claire held her breath.
A face appeared.
Daniel Mercer.
He looked older than he had in the photograph.
His eyes immediately found Claire.
"You shouldn't have come here."
Claire stepped forward.
"You knew my father."
"Yes."
"You knew about the trust."
"Yes."
"You knew about the second room."
Daniel looked at Ethan.
"Did you bring him?"
"I trust him."
Daniel nodded.
"Then you are already in more danger than you understand."
Claire's voice hardened.
"What happened to my father?"
Daniel didn't answer.
"What happened?"
"Your father discovered something."
"What?"
"That the company wasn't losing money."
Claire frowned.
"What?"
"Your mother told everyone Barrett Industries was failing."
"It was."
"No."
Claire stared at him.
"It was profitable."
"Extremely."
"Then where did the money go?"
Daniel looked at the boxes.
"Somebody was moving it."
"Who?"
"I never proved it."
"But you suspected someone."
"Yes."
"Who?"
Daniel looked directly at Claire.
"Your father."
Claire froze.
"What?"
"He believed someone inside the family was stealing."
"Who?"
"He suspected Linda."
Claire stepped back.
"Why?"
"Because every transfer required her authorization."
Claire shook her head.
"No."
Daniel continued.
"But your father was wrong about one thing."
"What?"
"Linda wasn't the person moving the money."
"Then who was?"
Daniel looked toward the stairs.
"I never found out."
Ethan frowned.
"You came here because of the trust."
"No."
"Then why?"
Daniel looked at Claire.
"Because someone has been following you."
Claire's face tightened.
"The black sedan."
Daniel nodded.
"That wasn't your mother."
"Who was it?"
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
Claire stepped closer.
"You've known about this for six years."
"Yes."
"And you did nothing?"
"I was threatened."
"By whom?"
Daniel's expression changed.
"The same person who threatened your father."
The room fell silent.
"Who?"
Daniel whispered.
"Your father never told me."
Claire felt anger rising.
"You keep telling me pieces."
"Because pieces are all I have."
Daniel reached into his coat.
He removed a small photograph.
Claire took it.
It showed her father standing outside a hospital.
Beside him was Linda.
And behind them was a young man.
Claire stared.
The young man looked familiar.
She turned the photograph over.
A date was written on the back.
October 14, 2008.
Her sixteenth birthday.
Claire looked at Daniel.
"Why was my father at a hospital on my birthday?"
Daniel didn't answer.
"Who was in that hospital?"
Daniel looked at her.
May you like
"You were."
Claire's blood ran cold.
