Chapter 13 - Julian's Bargain)
Police told Claire not to go.
Grant told Claire not to go.
David told Claire it was almost certainly a trap.
Claire agreed with all of them.
Then she went.
Not alone.
Julian wanted her to believe she was alone.
That was different.
The meeting location was an abandoned marina forty miles from Mercer House.
Claire drove there in her own car.
No marked police vehicles followed.
No visible security.
But a transmitter was sewn into her coat.
David and detectives were positioned beyond the marina buildings.
Grant had been ordered to remain at home with Noah.
He did not like it.
Claire had never seen him that angry.
"You are not trained for this."
"No."
"Then let police handle it."
"He asked for me."
"Exactly."
Claire looked at Grant.
"Julian thinks I'm the weak point."
"You are not."
"I know."
She smiled slightly.
"That's why this might work."
At the marina, Julian waited inside an old storage building.
He looked terrible.
His expensive suit had been replaced by jeans and a coat.
His face was unshaven.
He held a small pistol.
Claire stopped.
"That wasn't part of the invitation."
Julian gave a tired smile.
"Neither was prison."
Claire looked around.
"Where is Martin's sister?"
"Safe."
"You threatened her."
"I threatened everyone."
"Why?"
Julian laughed.
"Because Grant Mercer has never understood what it is like to need money."
Claire stared.
"You stole millions."
"He has billions."
"From a baby's trust."
"From a trust that would never miss it."
Claire felt disgust.
"Evelyn noticed."
Julian's expression changed.
"Yes."
Claire kept her voice calm.
"Did you kill her?"
"No."
The answer came quickly.
Too quickly.
Claire waited.
Julian looked toward the marina doors.
"Vanessa cut the line."
Claire stopped breathing.
He continued.
"I told her to scare Evelyn."
"By cutting her brakes?"
"Not completely."
Claire's voice sharpened.
"You knew."
"I didn't know she'd drive in the rain."
"You knew."
Julian looked away.
Claire's transmitter was recording every word.
She needed more.
"Why Noah?"
Julian laughed bitterly.
"It was never supposed to become this."
"What was it supposed to become?"
"Money."
"How?"
Julian paced.
"Evelyn's family trust had an emergency provision. We used medical invoices and temporary authorizations to move funds."
"Then Evelyn discovered it."
"Yes."
"And after she died?"
"Grant became useless."
Claire frowned.
"Grieving."
"Same result."
Julian continued.
"Vanessa got close to him. We thought she could marry him, keep access, and eventually move enough money that nobody would notice."
"Then Noah's first birthday changed the trust."
Julian stared at her.
"You're smarter than Vanessa said."
"And Noah had to die before that."
Julian shook his head.
"That was her plan."
"You helped."
"I tried to stop her."
Claire almost laughed.
"You disabled cameras."
"I wanted her to think I was helping."
"You locked Martin in a pool shed."
"He found the garage file."
"You attacked the nanny."
Julian looked away.
Claire understood.
"You did."
"It wasn't supposed to hurt her badly."
"Everything with you is never supposed to happen."
Julian raised the pistol slightly.
Claire's pulse hammered.
"Where's the second copy?"
Claire asked.
Julian smiled.
"There isn't one."
Her stomach dropped.
"Martin lied?"
"No. I lied."
Claire stared.
Julian continued.
"I needed leverage."
"Against Grant?"
"Against Vanessa."
"She's in jail."
"For now."
Claire heard movement outside.
Julian heard it too.
He grabbed Claire.
The gun pressed against her side.
"Who did you bring?"
"No one."
"Don't lie."
He dragged her backward.
Claire saw David through a crack in the building.
Julian did not.
"Tell them to leave."
Claire swallowed.
"You know how this ends."
"I have money overseas."
"You have nowhere to go."
"I only need one hour."
He pulled her toward a rear exit.
Claire suddenly remembered something Grant had told her months earlier.
If I tell you to run, you run.
Grant was not there.
But Claire finally understood the real meaning.
Survival did not require winning every argument.
Sometimes it meant choosing the right second.
She stepped hard on Julian's foot.
He reacted.
Claire twisted.
The gun fired into the ceiling.
Police entered.
Julian was thrown to the ground.
Claire backed against the wall.
David reached her.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
The answer came through shaking teeth.
Julian was handcuffed.
As officers pulled him away, he looked at Claire.
"You think Vanessa is the end of this?"
Claire stared.
Julian smiled.
"Ask Grant why Evelyn changed Noah's guardian two days before she died."
Claire's heart stopped.
"What?"
David turned.
Julian laughed as officers pushed him outside.
"Vanessa wasn't the person Evelyn was most afraid of."
That night Claire returned to Mercer House.
Grant waited in the foyer.
He looked at her for several seconds.
Then he crossed the room and hugged her.
Claire froze.
So did he.
Grant stepped back immediately.
"Sorry."
Claire exhaled.
"It's fine."
"Julian talked?"
"Enough."
She removed her coat.
"There's something else."
Grant's expression changed.
Claire looked directly at him.
"Who did Evelyn name as Noah's guardian before she died?"
Grant did not answer.
Claire felt a new kind of fear.
"Grant?"
He looked toward the staircase.
Then back at her.
"My brother."
Claire frowned.
"You have a brother?"
Grant's silence answered a different question.
May you like
Claire whispered, "Where is he?"
Grant said, "That's the problem."
