Chapter 6 - The Woman at the Door
Rachel requested the welfare-check footage.
She could not receive it immediately, but she did not need to.
She called the officer who had written the report.
The conversation lasted six minutes.
When it ended, Rachel's concern became certainty.
A woman had answered the door.
Young.
Light hair.
Pregnant-looking beneath an oversized coat.
The officer never entered the house.
The woman said she was Claire Bennett.
Rachel knew exactly who it had been.
Vanessa.
Vanessa was not pregnant, but with a coat, a pillow, a dim porch light, and an officer who had never met Claire, the illusion had apparently worked.
Inside the Bennett house, Claire was discovering how far Vanessa had already gone.
She found the wig by accident.
Daniel had allowed her to sit in the living room under supervision.
Vanessa left her handbag beside the sofa.
A light-brown strand of synthetic hair protruded from the zipper.
Claire waited until Vanessa went to the kitchen.
She opened the bag.
Inside was a cheap wig.
A pair of Claire's old glasses.
And her driver's license.
Claire stared.
Her fear sharpened.
This was not improvised.
Vanessa had been pretending to be her.
Claire closed the bag before Vanessa returned.
That night she confronted Daniel.
Not about the disguise.
About something smaller.
She needed to know how nervous he was.
"When did police come?"
Daniel stopped removing his watch.
"What police?"
"Neighbors talk."
"They came to the wrong house."
Claire nodded.
"Okay."
She lay back.
Daniel watched her.
"Who told you?"
"No one."
He stepped closer.
"Then why did you ask?"
"I heard Richard mention it."
A lie.
Daniel left the room.
Ten minutes later Claire heard arguing in the kitchen.
Vanessa's voice.
Margaret's.
Then footsteps approached rapidly.
The door opened.
Vanessa entered holding her handbag.
"Did you touch this?"
Claire looked at her.
"No."
"You did."
"Why would I?"
Vanessa pulled out the wig.
Claire allowed surprise to cross her face.
"What is that?"
Vanessa studied her.
Claire held the expression.
Then Vanessa put the wig away.
"You should stay out of my things."
Claire laughed softly.
"You brought the bag into my room."
Vanessa left.
Claire's heartbeat remained violent for minutes afterward.
The next morning, things changed.
Richard installed a new lock on the front door.
Daniel took Claire's crutches.
"They're unsafe."
"Then how am I supposed to move?"
"We'll help you."
Claire stared at him.
"You're not even pretending anymore."
Daniel crouched in front of her.
"You are making this harder than it needs to be."
"I won't sign."
"You will."
"No."
He looked at her belly.
Claire instinctively placed both hands over it.
Daniel noticed.
His expression softened.
For a moment he looked like the man she remembered.
"Claire, I'm not going to hurt you."
"You already have."
"I mean physically."
"Do you hear yourself?"
Daniel closed his eyes.
"We need the loan."
"Then find another way."
"There is no other way."
"So you steal my property?"
"It becomes ours eventually."
"No, it doesn't."
"We're married."
"My inheritance is protected."
Daniel's eyes opened.
That was the real frustration.
He knew she was right.
Claire's aunt had insisted the property remain separately titled.
Eleanor had never trusted Daniel.
Claire had once thought that was unfair.
Now Eleanor's caution was the only reason the Bennett family needed Claire alive, conscious, and cooperative.
Daniel stood.
"You have until Friday."
"And then?"
He looked at her.
"Then we stop asking."
Claire waited until he left.
She turned toward the window.
Beyond the glass, a familiar dark vehicle was parked halfway down the street.
Rachel's car.
Claire knew it because Rachel had driven her home from a prenatal class once.
Hope rose so quickly it almost hurt.
Claire stood.
She limped toward the window.
A shadow moved behind her.
Margaret pulled the curtain shut.
"You need rest."
Claire turned.
Margaret's face was calm.
Too calm.
"You saw the car."
Margaret smiled.
"Of course."
"What are you going to do?"
"Nothing."
May you like
She moved toward the door.
"Rachel won't be getting inside."
