Chapter 6 - the gate that closed too late
Nolan could not leave Harper.
The ambulance was less than three minutes away, and he refused to abandon his niece even to chase the man carrying the original security recorder.
Claire understood.
But she also understood that if Mercer reached the road, the clearest evidence might disappear forever.
“Leo,” she said, “keep filming.”
Then she looked at Uncle Edwin.
“You warned me not to sign anything. Help me now.”
Edwin stared toward the garden.
Fear moved across his face.
“Mercer is dangerous.”
“So is letting him leave.”
Edwin made his decision.
He pressed a control on the wall near the patio doors.
Outside, the estate gates began to close.
Mercer heard the mechanical sound.
He ran faster.
The black vehicle moved forward to meet him, but the driveway gate sealed before it could enter.
Mercer turned toward a narrow service exit.
Claire followed him into the garden, with Leo several steps behind.
“Daniel!”
He did not stop.
Guests crowded near the windows.
Margaret shouted for Claire to return.
Claire ignored her.
Mercer reached the service path, but an elderly groundskeeper blocked his way with a garden cart.
For a moment, neither man moved.
Then Mercer held up the recorder.
“Step aside.”
The groundskeeper looked toward Claire.
“What is that?”
“Evidence involving Harper.”
The groundskeeper locked the cart’s brake.
“You heard her.”
Mercer’s expression changed.
He threw the recorder over the hedge.
Leo gasped.
Claire ran toward the hedge, but Mercer seized the opportunity and pushed past the groundskeeper.
He climbed over the low stone wall and disappeared into the trees beyond the estate.
Claire searched the grass on the other side of the hedge.
The recorder had landed beside a fountain.
Its outer casing was cracked, but the internal drive appeared intact.
Leo filmed the entire recovery.
Sirens approached.
When Claire returned to the birthday room, paramedics were placing Harper on a stretcher.
Nolan walked beside them.
“She’s stable,” he said. “She’s responding again, but they’re taking her in for observation.”
Claire grasped Harper’s hand.
Harper’s eyes opened slightly.
“Mom?”
“I’m here.”
“Did I miss the cake?”
Claire forced herself to smile.
“The cake can wait.”
Harper noticed the tension in the room.
“Is everyone mad?”
“No,” Nolan said. “They’re worried because you gave us a scare.”
Sabrina stood near the wall, guarded by two relatives.
Margaret remained beside the cake with her back straight and her chin lifted.
“You cannot hold Sabrina here,” she said.
Nolan turned.
“No one is holding her. She’s free to explain herself to the police.”
Margaret looked toward Claire.
“If you turn this into a scandal, Harper will suffer.”
“Harper has already suffered.”
“You don’t understand what is at stake.”
Claire held up the damaged recorder.
“I’m starting to.”
Margaret’s eyes fixed on it.
A brief look of panic crossed her face.
It told Claire the device contained more than footage of a drink.
The paramedics moved toward the door.
Claire followed, but Edwin caught her sleeve.
“Wait.”
He handed her a sealed envelope.
“Andrew gave this to me eight years ago. I was instructed to keep it unless Margaret tried to take control of his child.”
Claire stared at him.
“You knew about Harper?”
“I suspected.”
“What’s inside?”
“I never opened it.”
Margaret saw the envelope.
Her composure shattered.
“Edwin, don’t.”
The command echoed across the room.
Edwin looked at his sister.
Then he gave the envelope to Claire.
“Open it somewhere safe.”
Claire placed it inside her handbag.
As she followed Harper outside, Margaret called after her.
“Andrew did not understand what he was protecting.”
Claire stopped at the front door.
Margaret’s voice lowered.
“The moment you open that envelope, you will place Harper in greater danger than she was today.”
Claire looked at her daughter on the stretcher.
“Greater danger from whom?”
May you like
Margaret’s gaze shifted toward the trees where Mercer had escaped.
“From the people who made me plan this.”
