Chapter 9 - the name nobody owned
Daniel told the story inside the car.
Three days after Claire's crash, he received a call from a blocked number.
A man said Claire had survived.
He provided the location of a private rescue station.
Daniel drove there alone.
Claire was unconscious when he arrived.
The man who met him introduced himself as Adrian Vale.
"Describe him," Ethan said.
Daniel shook his head.
"Mid forties maybe. Gray coat. Average height. Nothing memorable."
"Did you ever see him again?"
"Twice."
"And you never thought to tell police?"
"He told me the police search had been compromised."
"You believed him."
"He showed me access logs."
"What logs?"
"Someone had searched Claire's missing person file using credentials belonging to a detective assigned to her case. Then that detective denied doing it."
Ethan frowned.
"So Adrian convinced you to move Claire."
"Yes."
"To Northbridge."
"Yes."
"And who recommended Northbridge?"
Daniel closed his eyes.
"Adrian."
Ethan stared at him.
Claire had been right.
Daniel believed he was protecting the family.
Someone had used that.
"What happened after she woke up?"
"She didn't remember much."
"Did she remember me?"
"Sometimes."
Ethan swallowed.
"Maisie?"
Daniel looked away.
"Claire kept touching her stomach and asking where the baby was."
Pain hit Ethan hard.
"She had already given birth?"
"We didn't know that yet."
"How could you not know?"
"When Claire was found, she wasn't pregnant anymore. We assumed she'd lost the baby."
Ethan stared.
"But Maisie appeared two months later."
"Yes."
"Who had her during those two months?"
"I don't know."
Ethan thought of the anonymous woman entering the hospital.
The hood.
The hidden face.
"Could it have been Claire?"
"No. Claire was at Northbridge."
"Then someone else had my daughter."
Daniel nodded.
The thought made Ethan nauseous.
"Corinne?"
"She claims no."
"Do you believe her?"
Daniel took too long to answer.
"I don't know."
Ethan looked through the windshield.
"Claire's letter said Adrian Vale isn't one person."
Daniel's head turned sharply.
"What?"
"She said if someone tells me Adrian is one man, they're lying."
Daniel looked genuinely disturbed.
"Then whoever I met may have just used the name."
"Exactly."
A knock struck the passenger window.
Both men jumped.
Rebecca stood outside.
Daniel unlocked the door.
She climbed into the back seat.
Her hair was wet.
She looked exhausted.
"Blue winter," she said.
Ethan turned.
The phrase from Claire's letter.
Now he knew Rebecca was someone Claire had chosen to trust.
"Where have you been?"
"Making sure I wasn't followed."
Daniel looked at her.
"Who was chasing you?"
"Halcyon security."
"Why?"
Rebecca handed Ethan a folded sheet.
It was a patient transfer record.
Claire Carter.
Transfer destination blank.
Authorized by Ethan Carter.
Ethan looked at the signature.
It was close.
Very close.
But wrong.
"Who signed this?"
Rebecca said, "Corinne."
Daniel stared.
"You saw her?"
"I watched her do it."
Ethan felt rage return.
"When?"
"Six months ago. The night Claire disappeared from Northbridge."
"Why didn't you stop her?"
"I tried."
Rebecca rolled up her sleeve.
A thin scar crossed her forearm.
"Two men were with her."
"Halcyon?"
"That's what I assumed."
Daniel frowned.
"Why would Corinne help them take Claire?"
Rebecca looked toward Ethan.
"She didn't."
"What?"
"Corinne was taking Claire out before Halcyon could reach her."
Ethan stared.
Rebecca continued.
"Claire had recovered most of her memory. She knew Northbridge wasn't safe anymore."
"Where did Corinne take her?"
"I don't know."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"I followed them for twenty minutes. Then someone hit my car."
Daniel leaned closer.
"Did you see who?"
"No."
Ethan looked at the transfer record again.
"Why would Corinne hide this?"
Rebecca laughed bitterly.
"Because Corinne doesn't trust you."
That hurt in a way Ethan did not expect.
"Why?"
Rebecca met his eyes.
"Because Claire didn't."
Ethan stared.
"My wife didn't trust me?"
Rebecca softened.
"Not you personally."
"Then what?"
"Your name."
"I don't understand."
"Someone had been signing documents as Ethan Carter for months before Claire disappeared."
The forged Northbridge release.
The attempted access to Claire's records.
Maybe more.
Rebecca continued.
"Claire became convinced someone had stolen your identity."
Daniel whispered, "For what?"
Rebecca looked at the bank across the street.
"To build evidence that if anything happened to Claire or Maisie, Ethan would appear responsible."
Ethan felt his skin go cold.
Then his phone rang.
Corinne.
He answered immediately.
She was crying.
"Ethan, they found me."
"Where are you?"
"I can't tell you."
"Who found you?"
A sound came through the phone.
A door slamming.
Corinne screamed.
Then a man's voice said calmly,
May you like
"Mr. Carter, bring the ledger."
The line went dead.
