Chapter 12 - The Lake House)
The Bennett lake house had been abandoned for nineteen years.
It sat three hours north of Ashford Manor, surrounded by pine forest and dark water.
Police secured the property before Claire was allowed to visit.
Ethan went with her.
She had requested it.
That mattered to him more than he admitted.
The house was smaller than Ashford Manor.
Wooden.
Quiet.
Claire stood outside for several minutes.
"I remember that porch."
Detective Mills waited.
"No rush."
Claire walked up the steps.
Inside, dust covered the furniture.
Her memories arrived in fragments.
Her mother cooking pancakes.
Her father carrying fishing poles.
Music playing badly from an old radio.
A yellow raincoat hanging beside the door.
Claire touched the wall.
"I was happy here."
Ethan stood behind her.
"That's good."
"It hurts."
"I know."
She looked at him.
"No, you don't."
Ethan nodded.
"You're right."
Claire appreciated that he did not pretend otherwise.
She entered her childhood bedroom.
Faded stars remained painted on the ceiling.
A wooden toy chest sat beneath the window.
Claire opened it.
Empty.
She frowned.
"Mommy said the birds watch the water."
Detective Mills asked, "What does that mean?"
Claire went to the window.
Across the lake stood a small boathouse.
Two carved wooden birds decorated its roof.
"There."
They crossed the dock.
Inside the boathouse was an old canoe, rusted tools, and fishing equipment.
Claire searched the walls.
Nothing.
Then she looked beneath the workbench.
A carved swan.
Another one.
Ethan crouched.
"Your mother liked patterns."
Claire pressed the carving.
A compartment opened.
Inside were waterproof document bags.
Detective Mills immediately photographed everything before touching them.
The first contained bank records.
The second contained photographs.
The third contained letters.
One envelope had never been mailed.
It was addressed to the state attorney general.
Eleanor had been preparing to report Vivian.
Another envelope contained a copy of David Bennett's private investigator report.
Ethan read it.
David had discovered North Crown Holdings eighteen months before his death.
At the time, the company had not belonged to Vivian.
It belonged to Samuel Voss.
Claire looked at Detective Mills.
"So Samuel knew my aunt before my parents died."
"Yes."
They found photographs.
Vivian entering a hotel with Voss.
Grant driving a vehicle registered to North Crown.
Payments.
Recorded license plates.
Then Claire found a photograph that made her stop.
She was in it.
Five years old.
Standing beside the lake.
Behind her was Samuel Voss.
Claire stared.
"I know him."
Detective Mills leaned closer.
"You remember?"
"He told me his name was Uncle Sam."
Ethan's expression hardened.
"What else?"
Claire closed her eyes.
Memory returned.
A summer afternoon.
Her father shouting.
Vivian arguing.
Samuel grabbing her arm.
Claire opened her eyes.
"He was at the house the day Daddy died."
Detective Mills immediately called her team.
Claire continued searching.
At the bottom of the compartment was a small digital recorder from the early 2000s.
Its battery was dead.
Police technicians powered it using an external adapter.
There were nine recordings.
Most were Eleanor dictating financial notes.
The last was different.
David Bennett's voice.
"If you're hearing this, something has happened."
Claire covered her mouth.
Her father's voice.
Another ghost returning.
David described Voss's loan scheme.
Vivian had borrowed money using assets she did not legally control.
When David discovered it, Voss threatened him.
Then came one final statement.
"I have reason to believe Vivian and Voss intend to remove me from the Bennett trust permanently. If I die unexpectedly, investigate both of them."
The recording ended.
Detective Mills looked at Claire.
"This is significant."
Claire stared at the device.
"Enough?"
"For what?"
"To make sure she never gets near me again."
The detective nodded.
"More than enough for that."
Ethan stepped outside to answer Marcus's call.
Claire followed several minutes later.
She sat on the dock.
The lake was calm.
"I remember swimming here."
Ethan sat beside her.
"You'll swim again."
She looked at the water.
"Maybe."
His phone buzzed.
Another message from Marcus.
Ethan read it.
His expression changed.
"What?"
"Samuel Voss was found."
Claire stood.
"Where?"
"Airport hangar."
"Arrested?"
"Not exactly."
"What does that mean?"
Ethan hesitated.
"He's dead."
Claire stared.
"How?"
"Gunshot. Police think suicide."
She said nothing for a long time.
Then she shook her head.
"No."
"Claire."
"No."
"What?"
"Vivian doesn't leave loose ends."
Ethan understood her immediately.
Claire looked back toward the house.
"If Samuel could prove she killed my parents, she wouldn't let him talk."
Detective Mills joined them.
Claire faced her.
"Check Vivian's calls before Samuel died."
"We are."
"And Grant."
"We are."
May you like
Claire's eyes narrowed.
"Because if Samuel Voss didn't kill himself, then someone is still doing Vivian's work."
