Chapter 6 - The Husband Who Knew Too Much
When Claire returned home, Daniel was waiting in the driveway.
He stood beside his car with both arms folded.
June whispered, "Do you want me to call someone?"
Claire looked at her husband.
"No."
"You sure?"
"No."
That surprised a smile out of June.
"But I need to know what he knows."
Daniel opened the passenger door.
"Where were you?"
Claire lifted an eyebrow.
"Doctor."
"I called the clinic."
Claire's stomach dropped.
June muttered, "That's normal behavior."
Daniel ignored her.
"Your appointment is tomorrow."
Claire looked at him.
"I got the day wrong."
"For three hours?"
"June and I had lunch."
"Where?"
June stepped between them.
"Daniel, she's an adult."
"This is between me and my wife."
"Then stop talking to her like she's twelve."
Claire placed a hand on June's arm.
"It's okay."
It was not.
June left reluctantly.
Daniel wheeled Claire inside.
He closed the door.
Locked it.
Claire heard the deadbolt slide.
"Where were you?"
She faced him.
"Why did you intercept a letter from Rebecca Hayes two years ago?"
Daniel's face lost color.
There it was.
No denial.
No confusion.
Recognition.
Claire almost wished he had lied better.
"You went to the building."
"Answer me."
"You had no business going there."
"My name is on the lease."
"Claire."
"My father's company. My trust. My mail. Which part isn't my business?"
Daniel paced away.
"You don't understand what that family did."
"What family?"
"The Hayes family."
Claire stared.
"My family."
"Your father destroyed people."
"My father has been dead eighteen years."
"And you know nothing about him."
"Then tell me."
Daniel rubbed his face.
"For years your father and mine were in business together."
"I know."
His head snapped up.
"I read the lawsuit."
"That lawsuit was garbage."
"Was it?"
"Thomas Hayes was desperate."
"For what?"
"Control."
"Funny. Your mother says the same thing about me."
Daniel looked away.
Claire continued.
"What is in the trust?"
"I don't know."
"Liar."
"Stop."
"What is worth breaking my legs?"
Daniel stared at her.
"I did not push you."
"I didn't say you did."
The room went still.
Claire felt cold spread through her chest.
Daniel realized his mistake.
"That's what you're implying."
"No. That's what you're afraid I'm implying."
"You're twisting everything."
"Why were you outside when I fell?"
"I told you."
"You forgot a contract."
"Yes."
"What client?"
He hesitated.
Claire nodded.
"Exactly."
Daniel stepped toward her wheelchair.
"Listen to me. My mother can be difficult."
Claire almost laughed.
"That's your defense?"
"I didn't know she was upstairs with you."
"But you knew the railing was loose."
"No."
"You were in the hallway at five that morning."
"No."
"I saw you."
"You saw a shadow."
"I saw the screwdriver in your pocket."
Daniel's face hardened.
"Be very careful."
Claire's eyes widened.
"Was that a threat?"
"No."
"It sounded like one."
"I'm telling you not to accuse people of crimes because you're upset."
"I haven't accused anyone."
"You keep doing this."
"What?"
"Making me the enemy."
Claire looked at the man she had slept beside for three years.
"Daniel, I just found out you hid legal mail addressed to me."
"I was protecting you."
"From money?"
"From Rebecca."
"Why?"
"Because she's dangerous."
"How?"
"She spent years trying to destroy my family."
"Your family stole from mine."
"According to her."
"According to court records."
"Those records never proved anything."
"Because my father died."
Daniel's jaw flexed.
Claire lowered her voice.
"Did your father have something to do with his death?"
Daniel looked genuinely shocked.
"No."
The answer came too quickly to be false.
Claire believed him.
At least about that.
"Then why are you afraid of Rebecca?"
He sat across from her.
For the first time his anger shifted into something else.
Fear.
"Because Rebecca doesn't care who gets hurt."
"Neither does your mother."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"Then explain."
Daniel looked toward the window.
"When your father died, Rebecca blamed my parents. She spent years trying to reopen the case. She hired investigators. Reporters. Auditors."
"That sounds like someone who wanted the truth."
"She ruined my father's company."
"Did he steal from Thomas?"
Daniel stayed silent.
Claire understood.
"You know he did."
"My father made mistakes."
"How much?"
"Does it matter?"
"It mattered enough for all of you to hide my inheritance."
Daniel leaned forward.
"You think this is some fortune waiting for you?"
"Isn't it?"
"No."
"Then why do you need my signature before the baby comes?"
Daniel froze.
Claire watched his face.
He knew she had seen the messages.
"You looked at my phone."
"You planned something behind my back."
"It isn't what you think."
"What do I think?"
He stood.
"Vanessa's husband is in trouble."
Claire blinked.
"What?"
"Eric's company is collapsing."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"Mom refinanced everything to help them."
Claire stared.
"Everything?"
"The family properties. Investments. The old Bennett holdings."
"So?"
Daniel looked ashamed.
"If they default, Mom loses the house. Vanessa loses hers."
Claire waited.
"And?"
"The trust owns a note against Bennett Capital."
There it was.
Claire leaned back slowly.
"Meaning?"
"Years ago, your father loaned money into one of the companies. After the lawsuit, the debt got transferred into the trust."
"How much?"
Daniel did not answer.
"How much?"
"With interest?"
"Daniel."
"About fourteen million."
Claire laughed.
She could not help it.
The sound came out broken.
"You need fourteen million dollars."
"No."
"You need my fourteen million dollars."
"It's more complicated."
"Nothing is complicated about fourteen million dollars."
"If the note is enforced after the trust transfers to you, Mom loses everything."
"And if I assign it to you?"
"We restructure."
"We?"
"The family."
"Your family."
"Our family."
Claire touched her belly.
"This is my family."
Daniel's expression tightened.
"Exactly. Our son shouldn't be born into a war."
"You mean your mother shouldn't lose her mansion."
"You don't understand."
"No. I understand perfectly."
Claire moved toward the hallway.
Daniel stepped in front of the wheelchair.
"Move."
"Claire."
"Move."
"I need you to listen."
"I've listened for three years."
"You're emotional."
She looked at him.
"Say that one more time."
He lowered his voice.
"Please."
"Did you loosen the handrail?"
"No."
"Did your mother?"
"I don't know."
Claire stared.
That was not the answer she expected.
"You don't know?"
Daniel rubbed his jaw.
"I told her we needed your signature."
Claire's blood turned cold.
"You told her."
"I didn't tell her to hurt you."
"But you told her there was a deadline."
"Claire."
"You told Margaret that once the baby was born, I controlled the trust."
Daniel did not answer.
Claire whispered, "And six weeks before my due date, I fell down the stairs."
"I didn't plan that."
"But after it happened, you tried to use the hospital to get power of attorney."
"I was scared."
"For me?"
"For everybody."
Claire nodded slowly.
Then she rolled backward.
Daniel followed.
"Where are you going?"
"To call a lawyer."
"No."
Claire stopped.
His answer had been immediate.
Daniel seemed to realize it.
"I mean, don't do anything impulsive."
"I'm calling a lawyer."
"We can handle this privately."
"I don't want private anymore."
"Claire."
She picked up her phone.
Daniel took it.
Claire stared at his hand.
"Give it back."
"Calm down."
"Give me my phone."
"We'll talk when you're calmer."
Claire's voice became quiet.
"Daniel, give me the phone."
He put it in his pocket.
Then he wheeled her into the bedroom.
"I'll bring dinner later."
Claire watched him walk out.
The door closed.
A second later, she heard the lock turn from the outside.
For thirty seconds she did not move.
Then Claire reached beneath the mattress.
She removed the cheap prepaid phone June had bought for her that morning.
There was one new message.
UNKNOWN: Now you understand the deadline.
Claire typed:
Daniel locked me in the bedroom.
The reply came immediately.
UNKNOWN: Good. Now he has made his first mistake that can be proved.
Claire stared.
Who are you?
May you like
This time the answer came.
REBECCA: Your aunt.
