Chapter 4 - The Message Clara Left Behind
The following morning, Daniel received a notification from the home security system.
The camera had recorded movement in the study the previous afternoon, shortly before he and Clara left for dinner.
Daniel opened the footage.
Clara appeared on the screen, holding a small envelope.
She looked directly into the camera.
“Daniel, I hope you never need this. I found evidence that Marcus has been moving money from Grandfather’s estate. My mother knows. Dr. Crane may be involved because several payments went to his clinic.”
Daniel leaned closer.
“If anything strange happens, check the blue folder behind the nursery bookshelf. Do not trust anyone who tells you I made a medical decision without you.”
The recording ended.
Daniel ran to the nursery and pulled the bookshelf away from the wall. Behind it was a thin blue folder containing bank statements, copies of emails and a handwritten note.
Marcus had transferred millions from estate accounts into companies he secretly controlled. Clara had discovered the missing money and planned to report it after gaining control of the trust.
One email was especially alarming.
Helena had written to Dr. Crane: We only need enough time to complete the transfer and establish incapacity.
Crane had replied: The condition can be made convincing, but there must be no independent examination.
Daniel called the police.
Officer Lena Ortiz listened carefully but explained that the documents did not prove Clara had been harmed.
“We need access to the clinic records,” she said.
“By the time you get them, they’ll be destroyed.”
“Then we move carefully.”
Daniel suddenly remembered the funeral arrangements.
Helena had scheduled the cremation for the next afternoon, less than forty-eight hours after Clara’s supposed death.
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Once the cremation occurred, there would be no body to examine.
And no evidence left to find.
