Chapter 9 - The Confession
The boardroom emptied within minutes.
Claire remained.
Patricia sat across from her.
For the first time in Claire's life, her mother looked small.
"Tell me."
Patricia stared at the table.
"Your grandfather had discovered everything."
"What?"
"Ray had been moving company money."
Claire nodded.
"I know."
Patricia shook her head.
"No. You don't."
She looked up.
"Ray wasn't doing it for himself."
Claire frowned.
"Then who?"
Patricia's voice trembled.
"Daniel."
Claire froze.
"Daniel?"
"Daniel had been investigating the company."
"Why would Ray move money for him?"
"He didn't."
Patricia closed her eyes.
"Daniel had been secretly buying back Parker Holdings shares."
Claire stared.
"He was trying to regain control."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because your grandfather asked him to."
Claire felt a strange sense of relief.
Then Patricia continued.
"But Ray discovered it."
Claire's relief disappeared.
"That night, Daniel and your grandfather left together."
Patricia's hands shook.
"Ray followed them."
"What happened?"
"We reached the old estate."
"Then?"
"Your grandfather confronted Ray."
Patricia stopped.
Claire waited.
"Ray had a gun."
Claire's eyes widened.
Patricia immediately said, "He never fired it."
"Then what happened?"
"Daniel stepped between them."
Patricia began crying.
"Your grandfather told Ray he was removing him from the company."
"And?"
"Ray attacked Daniel."
Claire looked away.
Patricia continued.
"Your grandfather fell."
Claire's voice became barely audible.
"Was he hurt?"
"Yes."
"What did you do?"
"I called for help."
Patricia covered her face.
"Then Daniel disappeared."
Claire stared.
"You said you saw him yesterday."
"I did."
"Why did he blame you?"
"He didn't."
Patricia looked up.
"He thanked me."
Claire frowned.
"For what?"
Patricia's eyes filled with tears.
"For helping him escape."
Claire froze.
"Escape from whom?"
Patricia didn't answer.
Claire suddenly understood.
"Ray."
Patricia nodded.
"But why did you let everyone believe Daniel was dead?"
"Because Ray threatened Tyler."
Claire looked at her brother.
Tyler stood in the doorway.
He had heard everything.
His face was pale.
"I was twelve."
Patricia looked at him.
"I know."
Tyler's voice broke.
"You lied to me too."
Patricia cried.
"I was trying to keep you alive."
Tyler shook his head.
"What did Dad do?"
Patricia looked at Ray's empty chair.
"Your father made a deal."
Claire's expression hardened.
"With whom?"
Patricia whispered.
"The sixth person."
Claire stepped closer.
"Who is it?"
Patricia opened her mouth.
Then every phone in the room received the same message.
A photograph.
Ray standing beside an unknown man.
The date was eleven years earlier.
Claire stared.
The unknown man's face was blurred.
But his hand was visible.
He wore a distinctive silver ring.
Claire recognized it.
Her grandfather had owned that ring.
Except her grandfather's ring was supposed to be buried with him.
Claire whispered.
"That's impossible."
Tyler asked, "What?"
Claire zoomed in.
"The ring."
Patricia looked.
Her face turned white.
"Your grandfather never had it buried."
Claire looked at her.
"Then where is it?"
May you like
Patricia whispered.
"With the sixth person."
