Chapter 4: The Secret of Daniel's First Wife
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Daniel's voice kept replaying inside my head.
She's the reason I was buried alive.
I looked at Margaret.
The woman who had held my hand at the funeral. The woman who had shown me the photograph. The woman who had supposedly risked everything to save her son.
She was crying now.
But I no longer knew whether those tears were real.
"Who was Daniel's first wife?"" I asked.
Margaret lowered her eyes.
"Emily, please. Not here.""
Richard laughed.
"Actually, I think here is perfect.""
He pulled a chair away from the wall and sat down, casually checking his expensive watch.
"Since everyone seems interested in family history, perhaps we should discuss it.""
Margaret turned toward him.
"Shut your mouth.""
Richard ignored her.
"Daniel married a woman named Claire Bennett when he was twenty-six. They were together for four years. She disappeared shortly after their divorce.""
I stared at Margaret.
"Why didn't Daniel ever tell me?""
"Because he wanted to forget her," Margaret whispered.
Richard leaned forward.
"That's not quite what happened. Claire didn't simply disappear. She was investigating financial fraud inside Daniel's company.""
My stomach tightened.
"What kind of fraud?""
"The kind that could put several very wealthy people in prison.""
Dr. Hale descended the stairs, holding his injured wrist.
"Richard, we don't have time for this.""
Richard raised a finger.
"Give me a minute.""
Then he looked at me.
"Your husband was never the innocent businessman you believed him to be.""
"You're the one stealing from his company.""
Richard smiled.
"Perhaps. But Daniel was stealing from someone much more dangerous.""
Margaret suddenly stepped toward him.
"Don't tell her that.""
Richard stood.
"Why not? She's already involved.""
He reached inside his jacket and removed a folded document.
It was a marriage certificate.
Daniel Carter.
Claire Bennett.
Date of marriage: June 14, twelve years earlier.
I looked at the photograph attached to it.
The woman had long brown hair and a bright smile.
But it wasn't her face that shocked me.
It was the woman standing beside her.
Margaret.
She was younger, but unmistakable.
"Why were you at their wedding?""
Margaret's lips trembled.
"Because I arranged it.""
"Then why did you tell me Daniel had never been married?""
She closed her eyes.
"Because Claire was my daughter.""
The words landed like a physical blow.
I looked at her.
Then at the photograph.
Then back at her.
"Your daughter?""
Margaret nodded.
"Daniel was married to my daughter before he married you.""
I struggled to breathe.
"Why would you hide that?""
"Because Claire died.""
Richard chuckled.
"That's one version.""
Margaret turned on him.
"You killed her!""
His expression changed.
Only for a moment.
But I saw it.
He placed the marriage certificate on the table.
"Claire discovered that Daniel was moving money through shell companies. She threatened to expose him. There was an argument. She left the house that night and was never seen again.""
"That's not true," Margaret whispered.
Richard shrugged.
"Then perhaps you should tell Emily what really happened.""
Margaret looked at me.
Her hands were shaking.
"Claire didn't disappear. She was killed in a car accident.""
"When?""
"Seven years ago.""
I stepped backward.
Daniel and I had met eight years ago.
We had married the following year.
That meant Claire had died before my wedding.
Yet Daniel had never mentioned her.
Not once.
"Did he know?"" I asked.
Margaret nodded.
"He was there when it happened.""
"Was it an accident?""
She didn't answer.
Richard took another document from his jacket.
"This is the police report. The vehicle was registered to Daniel's company. The brakes had been tampered with.""
I stared at the document.
"Who did it?""
Richard smiled.
"That's the question.""
Then he looked at Margaret.
"Perhaps you should tell her about the insurance policy.""
Margaret suddenly slapped him.
The sound echoed through the garage.
"You promised you'd never use Claire against me!""
Richard grabbed her wrist.
"And you promised you'd stay quiet.""
He released her and turned toward me.
"Claire's life insurance paid out three million dollars. Margaret received half. Daniel received the other half.""
I felt sick.
"You're saying Daniel killed his wife for money?""
"No," Margaret cried.
"Daniel didn't kill Claire!""
Richard opened his mouth.
Before he could speak, a loud metallic crash came from the garage entrance.
The lights flickered.
Then every light went out.
Someone shouted.
I heard footsteps rushing across the concrete.
A hand grabbed my arm.
"Emily! Move!""
It was Margaret.
She dragged me toward a narrow emergency exit.
Behind us, Richard shouted my name.
"STOP HER!""
A door slammed.
We stumbled into a dark alley behind the building.
Margaret was breathing heavily.
"Keep moving.""
I pulled my arm away.
"No.""
She turned.
"Emily, please.""
"Tell me the truth. Did Daniel kill Claire?""
Margaret began crying harder.
"No.""
"Then why did Richard say he did?""
"Because he wanted Daniel to believe it.""
I frowned.
"What?""
Margaret looked over her shoulder.
"I have spent seven years trying to find out what happened to my daughter. Daniel believed he was responsible, but he wasn't.""
"Then who was?""
She reached into her coat and pulled out a small photograph.
It showed Claire standing outside a hospital.
Beside her was Dr. Hale.
On the back was a date.
Seven years earlier.
And underneath it, four handwritten words.
She survived the accident.
I looked up.
Margaret's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Claire never died, Emily.""
A car engine started at the end of the alley.
Headlights flooded the wet pavement.
Margaret grabbed my shoulders.
"She's alive. And she's the only person who knows why Daniel was buried.""
The car accelerated toward us.
I jumped aside.
Margaret wasn't quick enough.
The vehicle struck her.
She hit the pavement with a terrible sound.
"Margaret!""
I dropped beside her.
Her eyes fluttered.
"Find... the hospital...""
"What hospital?""
She struggled to lift her hand.
Then she pressed something into my palm.
A brass key.
"Room... 317.""
Her fingers slipped from mine.
The car disappeared around the corner.
I screamed for help.
But as I looked down at the key, I noticed a small engraving.
It wasn't a hospital room key.
It belonged to a storage facility.
And beneath the number 317 were two initials.
May you like
C.B.
Claire Bennett.
