Chapter 8 - The Night Claire Disappeared)
Grant had locked the exterior doors electronically.
The storm had knocked out several cameras, but the security system still operated on backup power.
Ethan moved between Grant and Claire.
"Put the poker down."
Grant laughed.
"You think this is a movie?"
"No."
"Then stop acting like the hero."
Mrs. Doyle groaned.
Claire moved toward her.
Grant raised the poker.
"Stay there."
Claire froze.
Ethan's voice lowered.
"Grant."
"What?"
"If you hit her, this ends badly for you."
"It already ends badly for me."
That was the truth.
Desperate men were unpredictable because calculation no longer mattered.
Vivian appeared at the far end of the hallway.
"Grant."
He looked at her.
"Mother, we need to go."
"Where?"
"Anywhere."
Vivian walked closer.
"Put it down."
"They found the tape."
Vivian stopped.
Grant's voice cracked.
"They found everything."
Vivian looked at Claire.
Twenty years of cruelty lived in that stare.
Then Vivian smiled.
"No."
Grant stared.
"No?"
"They found Eleanor's copy."
Ethan understood immediately.
"There are others."
Vivian's eyes moved to him.
"Eleanor was annoyingly cautious."
Claire spoke.
"Where?"
Vivian ignored her.
"Grant, put the poker down."
He obeyed slowly.
Vivian turned to Ethan.
"You believe you understand this family now."
"I understand enough."
"No. You understand one crime."
Claire stared.
"One?"
Vivian smiled at her.
"Your mother was not the beginning."
Mrs. Doyle struggled to sit up.
"Don't listen."
Vivian continued.
"Tell her, Margaret."
Claire looked at Mrs. Doyle.
Ethan frowned.
"Margaret?"
Mrs. Doyle closed her eyes.
Vivian laughed softly.
"She never told you her first name?"
Claire backed away.
Mrs. Doyle whispered, "Claire."
"What?"
"There is something I need to tell you."
Claire's face changed.
Vivian looked delighted.
Mrs. Doyle forced herself upright.
"The night you disappeared, Vivian didn't take you alone."
Claire stared.
Mrs. Doyle began crying.
"I drove the car."
Silence filled the hallway.
Claire looked as though she had been struck.
"You?"
"I thought we were taking you to a hospital."
"You put me in that room."
"No. Not at first."
Claire stepped back.
"Don't."
"Please."
"You helped her."
"Yes."
The word echoed.
Mrs. Doyle did not defend herself.
"Vivian told me you had witnessed your mother's death and were having a breakdown. She said reporters were coming. She said you needed privacy for one night."
"Twenty years."
"I know."
Claire's voice rose.
"Twenty years."
Mrs. Doyle cried harder.
"I came back the next morning. You were gone. Vivian told police you had wandered outside."
Claire stared at her.
"When did you find me?"
"Three days later."
"Where?"
"The basement room."
"And you left me."
Mrs. Doyle nodded.
Claire turned away.
Ethan wanted to intervene.
He did not.
Some truths could not be softened.
Mrs. Doyle whispered, "I spent every day after that trying to convince myself that bringing you food meant I was helping."
Claire wiped her face.
"It didn't."
"No."
"It meant I didn't starve."
"Yes."
"That isn't the same as helping."
"No."
Vivian rolled her eyes.
"This emotional performance is becoming exhausting."
Claire turned.
Something in her expression changed.
For years Vivian had controlled her with fear.
Now Claire looked at her differently.
Not like a jailer.
Like an enemy.
"What happened the night I disappeared?" Claire asked.
Vivian smiled.
"You cried."
"What else?"
"You begged."
Grant looked uncomfortable.
Vivian continued.
"You kept saying you wanted your mother."
Claire's fingers curled.
"You told me she was dead because of me."
"Eventually."
"You made me believe police were looking for me."
"Children are easy to convince."
Ethan saw Claire's face harden.
Vivian seemed to enjoy it.
That was her mistake.
"Why keep me alive?" Claire asked.
"Your signatures."
"Only that?"
Vivian hesitated.
Claire saw it.
"So there was something else."
Grant suddenly said, "Mother."
Vivian shot him a warning look.
Claire stepped closer.
"What?"
No answer.
"What else did you need from me?"
Grant looked away.
Claire followed his gaze.
Toward the family portrait gallery.
Toward one photograph in particular.
David Bennett.
Claire's father.
She stared.
"My father."
Mrs. Doyle whispered, "Claire."
Claire turned.
"What?"
Mrs. Doyle hesitated.
Then said, "Your father's car accident was not an accident."
Vivian's expression finally broke.
Grant shouted, "Enough."
Claire looked between them.
Mrs. Doyle continued.
"David discovered the missing money first."
Claire went pale.
"He died before Mommy?"
"Nine months before."
"Vivian killed him too?"
Mrs. Doyle whispered, "I don't know who did it."
Grant moved toward her.
Ethan blocked him.
Mrs. Doyle stared at Grant.
"But I know who was driving the second car."
Grant stopped.
Claire followed Mrs. Doyle's gaze.
"No."
Grant's face answered before he spoke.
Claire whispered, "You."
Grant backed away.
"I was eighteen."
"You killed my father."
"It wasn't supposed to kill him."
Claire's knees nearly gave way.
Ethan caught her arm.
Grant continued desperately.
"Mother said we only needed to scare him."
Vivian's voice turned sharp.
"Stop talking."
Grant laughed bitterly.
"Why? It's over."
He looked at Claire.
"I followed his car. I hit the rear quarter panel on the mountain road. He lost control."
Claire stared at him.
"You murdered him."
"It was an accident."
"You chased him."
"I was eighteen."
"And I was five."
Grant had no answer.
Sirens sounded faintly in the distance.
Everyone froze.
Ethan looked toward the windows.
Blue lights flickered beyond the gates.
Marcus had stopped waiting.
Vivian turned toward Grant.
"Did you disable the gate?"
"Yes."
"Then how are they inside?"
Grant ran toward the security panel.
Claire looked at Ethan.
"Is that the police?"
"Probably."
Her terror returned instantly.
She backed away.
"No."
"Claire."
"No. She said they'd arrest me."
"Vivian lied."
Claire shook her head.
Ethan stepped closer but did not touch her.
"You don't have to believe them tonight."
She looked at him.
"Then who do I believe?"
Ethan answered carefully.
"Start with yourself."
May you like
The sirens grew louder.
Then every light in the mansion went black.
