Chapter 10 - William Bell
Police found Kessler’s car abandoned near the Chicago River.
Vanessa was not inside.
Neither was Kessler.
But his apartment produced something far more important.
A storage key.
The key belonged to a facility outside Naperville.
Detective Reed obtained a warrant.
Claire was not allowed inside.
She waited in a police vehicle while officers searched Unit 417.
Reed emerged forty minutes later carrying a box.
His expression told Claire everything.
“What?”
“We found medical records.”
“Whose?”
“Yours.”
Claire stared at him.
“What medical records?”
“Blood work. Prescription history. Psychological assessments.”
“I’ve never seen Kessler.”
“Apparently he’s been monitoring you indirectly for years.”
Claire felt nauseated.
“What else?”
Reed hesitated.
“Your father’s records.”
Claire’s hands went cold.
“Is he dead?”
“We don’t know.”
“What do the records say?”
Reed sat beside her.
“William Bell was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer six years ago.”
“I know.”
“But the pathology report in Kessler’s files says the biopsy was negative.”
Claire stopped breathing.
“He didn’t have cancer?”
“According to this copy, no.”
“Then why was he treated?”
“That’s what we’re investigating.”
Claire stared through the windshield.
Memories returned differently now.
Her father becoming weak.
Daniel taking control of appointments.
Peter insisting William needed privacy.
Kessler’s name had never been mentioned.
“What happened to him?”
“We found payments to a private medical facility.”
“Where?”
“Michigan.”
“When?”
“The first payment was made two days after your father supposedly died.”
Claire turned.
“Two days?”
“Payments continued for nineteen months.”
“And then?”
“They stopped.”
“Why?”
“We don’t know.”
Claire’s phone vibrated.
Peter Bell.
She showed Reed.
“Answer.”
Claire did.
“Uncle Peter.”
“Claire.”
His voice sounded warm.
Concerned.
Exactly as it had throughout her childhood.
“I heard about Daniel.”
“Did you?”
“This is terrible.”
“Yes.”
“Where are you?”
Claire looked at Reed.
“Safe.”
“Come to my house.”
“No.”
Peter paused.
“You shouldn’t be alone.”
“I’m not.”
Another pause.
“Police?”
“Yes.”
Peter sighed.
“Claire, Daniel has been stealing from the company.”
She closed her eyes.
Interesting.
Peter was sacrificing him.
“How long have you known?”
“I discovered it recently.”
“That’s not what Michael Trent says.”
Silence.
Claire continued.
“He says you approved the transfers.”
Peter’s voice changed.
“Michael is unstable.”
“Daniel said that too.”
“Because it’s true.”
Claire stared at Reed.
“Did my father have cancer?”
Peter did not answer.
“Uncle Peter?”
“I loved your father.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Peter whispered:
“You need to stop digging.”
Claire’s pulse quickened.
“Why?”
May you like
“Because William did.”
The call ended.
