Chapter 3: The Other Family
The word came through my phone speaker so clearly I thought I had imagined it.
"Daddy.""
The little boy tugged Nathan's shirt again.
"Daddy, I'm cold.""
Evelyn slowly stood.
"Claire?""
I held up one finger.
On the security feed, Nathan looked straight into the camera.
His face had lost all color.
The blonde woman turned toward him.
"Nathan, open the gate.""
"I can't.""
"What do you mean, you can't?""
"Claire changed the code.""
The woman stared at him.
"You said this was your house.""
"It is.""
"No," I whispered.
Evelyn heard me.
"Record this.""
"The system already is.""
That was one of the reasons I'd paid an obscene amount for the security upgrade after a break-in two years earlier.
Every gate interaction was stored automatically.
The woman folded her arms.
"Call her.""
Nathan glanced at the camera again.
"I have.""
"Ninety-nine times," I murmured.
The boy looked about seven.
Maybe eight.
Dark hair.
Blue jacket.
Nathan's chin.
I hated myself for noticing.
My phone rang.
Not Nathan.
The gate intercom.
I answered without video.
"Yes?""
Nathan spoke immediately.
"Claire, let us in.""
Us.
I looked through the ICU glass at Sophie.
"No.""
"Please don't do this in front of Leo.""
Leo.
The boy had a name.
The blonde woman stepped closer to the intercom.
"Claire?""
Nathan reached for her arm.
"Amber, don't.""
She pulled away.
"My name is Amber Reed.""
"I gathered.""
Her voice shook.
"I didn't know.""
"Didn't know what?""
"That you two were still together.""
Nathan snapped, "Amber.""
She turned on him.
"You told me the divorce was finalized.""
I shut my eyes.
Evelyn was already writing.
"How long?"" I asked.
Amber didn't answer immediately.
"How long have you been with my husband?""
"Almost three years.""
Three years.
Sophie had been nine.
I sat down.
Nathan's voice came through.
"Claire, this isn't the time.""
I laughed once.
"When would you prefer?""
"Sophie is in the hospital.""
"Yes, Nathan. I noticed.""
Amber's face changed.
"What?""
Nathan froze.
She turned toward him.
"What hospital?""
"Amber—"
"What happened to Sophie?""
The fact she knew my daughter's name hurt in a completely different way.
"She had an anaphylactic reaction," I said.
Amber covered her mouth.
"Oh my God.""
Nathan stepped toward the camera.
"Claire, please. Let me come in, get some clothes, and then I'll come straight to the hospital.""
"No.""
"You can't keep me out forever.""
"Evelyn?""
My lawyer leaned toward the phone.
"Mr. Kelling, this is Evelyn Shaw.""
Nathan went silent.
"You should retain independent counsel immediately," Evelyn said.
"Do not enter the property without authorization.""
"This is insane.""
"No," Evelyn replied.
"What's insane is discussing your housing arrangements while your child is in intensive care.""
Amber stepped backward from Nathan.
Then Leo said, "Mom?""
She looked down.
"Go wait in the car, sweetheart.""
"But—"
"Please.""
He obeyed.
The moment the car door closed, Amber faced the camera.
"Claire, can I talk to you without him?""
"No," Nathan said.
Amber ignored him.
"Give me your number.""
"Amber.""
She rounded on him.
"Shut up.""
Nathan actually did.
I gave her a secondary business number.
Thirty seconds later, my phone rang.
"Claire?""
"Yes.""
Amber's voice was different away from the intercom.
Smaller.
"I'm sorry.""
"I don't need an apology.""
"I think you need information.""
Evelyn's pen stopped.
"What information?""
Amber took a breath.
"Nathan told me you separated three years ago. He said you stayed legally married because of your companies and Sophie.""
"My companies.""
"What?""
"Nothing. Continue.""
"He said the house was jointly owned. He said the boat was his.""
"Of course he did.""
"He said you traveled constantly and barely saw Sophie.""
My jaw tightened.
"He said a lot of things.""
"Yes.""
Then Amber whispered, "Including things about money.""
Evelyn moved closer.
"What things?""
"He told me he was moving assets before the divorce.""
Every muscle in my body went still.
"What assets?""
"I don't know exactly. He always said investments.""
"Did he ever mention accounts?""
"Sometimes.""
"Names?""
A pause.
"Northstar.""
Evelyn's eyes narrowed.
I knew that name.
Not as a bank account.
As a consulting vendor.
Northstar Advisory had invoiced my company every month for nearly eighteen months.
The amounts weren't enormous individually.
Twenty-two thousand.
Thirty-one thousand.
Eighteen thousand.
Nathan had recommended them.
I'd approved the relationship because their paperwork passed internal review.
"Amber," I said, "what is Northstar?""
"I thought it was his company.""
The room seemed to shrink.
"Why?""
"Because he told me it was.""
I turned to Evelyn.
She was already pulling out her phone.
"Do you have documents?""
"I might.""
"What does that mean?""
"Nathan keeps a laptop at my apartment.""
At the gate, Nathan suddenly looked down at his phone.
Then toward Amber.
He started walking fast.
"Amber!""
Her breathing changed.
"He knows I'm talking to you.""
"Get in your car.""
"Claire—"
"Now.""
I watched the security feed.
Amber hurried toward the driver's door.
Nathan grabbed the handle before she could open it.
"Give me the phone.""
"Get away from me.""
"Amber, you're confused.""
"No. I think I've been confused for three years.""
He reached for her phone.
She stepped back.
"Touch me again and I'll call the police.""
Nathan stopped.
The gate camera caught his face.
And for the first time that day, I saw something other than arrogance.
Fear.
Amber got into her car.
Before she drove away, she said one final thing into the phone.
"Claire, there's a locked drawer in his desk at my apartment.""
"What is in it?""
"I don't know.""
"Then why are you telling me?""
"Because two weeks ago I saw him open it.""
May you like
She paused.
"And inside was a passport with Sophie's photograph.""
