Chapter 8 - The Other Meaning
Claire replayed the sentence six times.
Claire won't be a problem anymore.
Ethan wanted to call police immediately.
This time Claire agreed.
Samuel contacted federal investigators because the suspected fraud crossed state lines and involved multiple shell corporations.
Within hours, Claire was sitting across from Special Agent Rebecca Sloan.
Sloan was direct.
"Do not confront your husband again."
"I already did."
"Don't do it again."
"Why?"
"Because we don't know what that sentence means."
Claire did.
Or she thought she did.
She remembered the insurance policy.
The trust.
Chloe's warning.
Ask Dad what happens to your shares if you die.
Sloan reviewed the evidence.
"We need Daniel Vale."
"So do I."
"We'll find him."
"What about Julian?"
"Do not alert him."
"He knows we're investigating."
"But he doesn't know we're involved."
Claire nodded.
"And Chloe?"
"Same."
Claire returned home after midnight.
The house felt unfamiliar.
Julian wasn't there.
His clothes remained.
His shoes.
His watch collection.
Their wedding photograph.
Claire removed the photograph from the wall.
She didn't smash it.
She placed it facedown.
At 1:14 a.m., someone knocked.
Claire checked the security camera.
Chloe.
Claire almost ignored her.
Then she saw Chloe's face.
Terrified.
Claire opened the door but left the chain secured.
"What?"
"Let me in."
"No."
"Claire, please."
It was the first time Chloe had said please.
Claire opened the door.
Chloe rushed inside.
"Where's Julian?"
"I assumed with you."
"He disappeared."
"When?"
"Three hours ago."
"Maybe he's avoiding you."
"No."
"Why not?"
Chloe pulled out her phone.
A message from Julian.
DON'T CALL ME. DON'T GO HOME. DON'T TRUST CLAIRE.
Claire almost laughed.
"He thinks I'm the danger?"
Chloe shook her head.
"You don't understand."
"Then explain."
Chloe sat.
Her hands were trembling.
"The money wasn't supposed to be stolen."
Claire stared.
"That's an interesting sentence."
"Julian said we were moving it."
"Where?"
"Into temporary accounts."
"Why?"
"He said the company was vulnerable."
"To what?"
"A takeover."
"By whom?"
"I don't know."
"Eleven million dollars to protect against a takeover?"
"He said it would come back."
"You believed him?"
Chloe looked ashamed for the first time.
"At first."
"And later?"
"Later I stopped caring."
"Because you were sleeping with him."
Chloe looked down.
Claire felt no sympathy.
"Did you forge my signature?"
"No."
"Did Julian?"
"I don't know."
"Did you give him my authentication information?"
Silence.
Claire stood.
"Get out."
"Claire."
"Get out."
"I gave him your backup token once."
Claire stopped.
"When?"
"March."
The forged authorization.
"Why?"
"He said you had approved the transfer but your token wasn't syncing."
"You gave him access to my account."
"I didn't know."
"You didn't ask."
Chloe started crying.
Claire felt nothing.
"Who is Daniel Vale?"
Chloe froze.
That answered the question.
"You know him."
"Julian called him Daniel Voss."
"What did he want?"
"Money."
"For what?"
Chloe whispered, "Silence."
Claire stared.
"About what?"
"I don't know."
"Stop lying."
"I swear."
"What did Julian tell you?"
"That Daniel had evidence that could destroy the Morgan family."
"What evidence?"
"He never showed me."
"Why were you meeting Julian at Bellamy House?"
"To give him cash."
Claire thought about the envelopes.
"Why cash?"
"Daniel demanded it."
"Why didn't Julian deliver it himself?"
"He didn't want to be seen."
Claire laughed bitterly.
"So he sent his mistress."
Chloe flinched.
Good.
Claire moved closer.
"Did Julian ever discuss my death?"
"No."
"Insurance?"
"No."
"Trust shares?"
Chloe's eyes moved.
Claire grabbed her wrist.
"Tell me."
"He asked what happened to your shares."
"When?"
"Months ago."
"Why?"
"He said succession planning."
Claire released her.
Same phrase Julian had used with Samuel.
"Anything else?"
Chloe hesitated.
"One thing."
"What?"
May you like
"Three weeks ago, Julian asked whether you still drove yourself to work."
Claire stopped breathing.
