Chapter 9 - The Daughter They Planned to Blame
Claire left the tracker inside the dress.
For the next two days, the garment appeared to travel between her apartment, Northstar’s office, a restaurant, and the Bennett house.
In reality, Leah’s assistant carried it in a sealed bag.
Richard believed Claire was following her normal routine.
Meanwhile, Claire met federal investigators.
She submitted the forged loan documents.
Rose’s mortgage records.
Julia’s engineering files.
The edited investor presentation.
Thomas’s internal records.
The investigators did not promise immediate arrests.
They did, however, move quickly enough to make Richard nervous.
On Thursday morning, Bennett Architectural Group received a preservation notice requiring the company to retain emails, financial records, and project documents.
At noon, Richard called Claire twelve times.
At one, Evelyn sent a message.
YOUR FATHER IS HAVING CHEST PAIN BECAUSE OF YOU.
At one-fifteen, Madison wrote:
If Dad dies, everyone will know you killed him.
At one-thirty, Richard left a voicemail.
“I don’t know what you think you’ve started, but there is still time to fix this. Attend tomorrow. Make the commitment. We can solve the rest privately.”
His voice sounded controlled.
Behind the control was panic.
Claire saved the message.
At three, she received a call from Rose’s caregiver.
Except Rose did not officially have a caregiver.
The caller introduced herself as Elena.
“Your grandmother asked me to call you.”
“Who hired you?”
“Mr. Noah Bennett.”
Claire stood.
“Noah is here?”
“He arrived this morning.”
“Where is he?”
“At the house.”
Claire drove there immediately.
A rented car stood in the driveway.
Inside, Noah was arguing with Evelyn.
He was thirty-two now, leaner than Claire remembered, with their grandfather’s dark eyes and none of Richard’s willingness to hide anger.
“You had no right to bring a stranger into this home,” Evelyn snapped.
“She’s a licensed nurse.”
“I take care of Rose.”
“You leave her alone for hours.”
“I have responsibilities.”
“Champagne shopping is not a responsibility.”
Evelyn saw Claire.
“You called him.”
“No,” Claire said. “Grandma did.”
Noah looked at his sister.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then he crossed the foyer and hugged her.
Claire had not expected it.
She stood stiffly at first.
Then she held on.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“We can discuss that later.”
Evelyn folded her arms.
“This dramatic reunion is unnecessary.”
Noah released Claire.
“What did they do?” he asked.
“Which part?”
“That bad?”
“Worse.”
They went to the sunroom.
Rose was asleep while Elena checked her blood pressure.
When she woke and saw both grandchildren beside her, tears filled her eyes.
“My two stubborn children,” she murmured.
“Grandchildren,” Noah corrected.
“You have always behaved like my children.”
Claire showed Noah the loan documents.
He reviewed them without surprise.
“This is Richard’s pattern.”
“Why didn’t you tell me everything?”
“You defended him.”
“I was eighteen.”
“You defended him at twenty.”
Claire looked down.
“At twenty-two,” he continued. “At twenty-four.”
“I know.”
Noah’s anger softened.
“I kept hoping you would see it yourself.”
“I did.”
“Good.”
“Only after they used my identity.”
“Pain makes excellent glasses.”
Rose reached for their hands.
“Do not become cruel to each other because Richard was cruel to both of you.”
They sat in silence.
Then Noah removed an envelope from his jacket.
“I brought something.”
Inside was a copy of Samuel Bennett’s death certificate.
Cause of death: cardiac arrest.
Noah placed a second document beside it.
It was an emergency medical technician’s original incident report.
Samuel had been found unconscious at the bottom of the basement stairs.
There was bruising around his neck.
The report recommended police notification.
The recommendation had been crossed out.
A handwritten note appeared at the bottom.
FAMILY PHYSICIAN CONFIRMED NATURAL CARDIAC EVENT.
The physician was Evelyn’s brother.
Claire looked at Rose.
“What happened that night?”
Rose’s lips trembled.
“Samuel discovered money missing from the company.”
“How much?”
“Almost four million dollars.”
“Who took it?”
“Richard said it was temporary.”
Noah leaned forward.
“Did Grandpa confront him?”
“Yes.”
“And then?”
Rose closed her eyes.
“They argued in the basement.”
“Did you see it?”
“I heard a crash.”
Claire felt the room contract around her.
“When you went downstairs, what did you see?”
“Samuel was on the floor. Richard stood beside him.”
“Was Grandpa alive?”
“Yes.”
“What did Richard do?”
“He told me to call Evelyn’s brother instead of an ambulance.”
Noah’s voice became sharp.
“Did you?”
“I was afraid.”
“Grandma.”
“I called. By the time he arrived, Samuel was gone.”
Claire’s stomach twisted.
“Did Richard push him?”
Rose began to cry.
“I don’t know.”
“Did you ask?”
“He said Samuel lost his balance.”
“Did you believe him?”
Rose looked toward the old painting.
“No.”
A sound came from the hallway.
Noah opened the door.
Nobody was there.
But a shadow moved at the top of the stairs.
Madison.
She had been listening.
Noah ran after her.
Madison reached the second floor and locked herself inside her room.
“Open the door,” Claire said.
“Go away!”
“You heard Grandma.”
“I heard a confused old woman making things up.”
Noah struck the door with his palm.
“You know what Dad is capable of.”
Madison shouted from inside.
“You’re both jealous because he chose me!”
Claire went still.
Not loved.
Chose.
Madison had built her entire identity around being selected by Richard.
Even if the prize was complicity.
The bedroom door opened a few inches.
Madison’s face was pale.
“You think you can destroy us and walk away?” she asked.
Claire looked at her sister.
“No.”
Madison smiled faintly.
“Good.”
“I think you’re going to destroy yourselves.”
Madison slammed the door.
A few seconds later, Claire’s phone buzzed.
A message had arrived from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph of Claire entering the federal building the previous day.
May you like
Below it were four words.
TOMORROW, YOU LOSE EVERYTHING.
