Chapter 6: Claire’s Inheritance
Thomas refused to explain anything else until we were somewhere secure.
Detective Bennett arranged for him to be taken to a different hospital from Claire and placed an officer outside his room.
Nathan and I returned to St. Matthew’s shortly before dawn.
Neither of us spoke during the drive.
My father had left Claire something.
Something worth more than the company.
But Claire hadn’t even met my father until a year before his death.
At least, that was what I believed.
When I entered Claire’s room, morning light was beginning to creep through the blinds.
She was awake.
Really awake this time.
“Daniel.””
I crossed the room and wrapped my arms around her carefully.
She started crying.
So did I.
For several seconds, nothing else mattered.
Not Evelyn.
Not Nathan.
Not the money.
Just Claire breathing against my shoulder.
“Our baby?””
“Still strong,” she whispered.
I kissed her forehead.
Then her expression changed.
“You opened the safe.””
“Yes.””
“You found Robert’s letter?””
“Yes.””
Claire looked toward the door.
“Where’s Evelyn?””
“Missing.””
Fear flashed across her face.
“Then lock the door.””
I did.
When I returned, Claire was watching me.
“There’s something I should’ve told you months ago.””
My stomach sank.
“Thomas said Dad left you something.””
Claire closed her eyes.
“He told you.””
“Not what.””
She took a slow breath.
“Your father contacted me privately six months before he died.””
“Why?””
“He wanted help.””
“With what?””
“You remember what I did before we married?””
“You were a forensic auditor.””
Claire nodded.
“Robert suspected someone was stealing from the company. He couldn’t use the internal accounting department because he didn’t know who was involved.””
“So he hired you?””
“Quietly.””
I stared at her.
“You never told me.””
“He made me promise.””
“He was my father.””
“And Evelyn was your mother.””
The answer hurt because I understood it.
“What did you find?””
Claire’s fingers twisted the blanket.
“Shell companies. Fraudulent loans. Properties being transferred below market value.””
“Thomas mentioned those.””
“There was more.””
“How much?””
“Nearly eighteen million dollars over seven years.””
I sat back.
“Eighteen million?””
“Your father initially believed Evelyn was stealing alone.””
“Initially?””
Claire looked at me.
“She wasn’t.””
I thought of Nathan.
“Was my brother involved?””
“His signature appears on documents.””
My jaw tightened.
“But?””
“I don’t know whether he understood what he was signing.””
That matched Nathan’s story.
“Who else?””
Claire hesitated.
“Someone your father trusted completely.””
“Who?””
Before she could answer, someone knocked.
“Mr. Hayes?””
Detective Bennett.
I unlocked the door.
She entered holding a sealed evidence bag.
“Mrs. Hayes, are you comfortable answering questions?””
Claire nodded.
Bennett pulled up a chair.
“Do you remember being drugged?””
Claire’s breathing changed.
“Yes.””
“Tell us what happened.””
Claire stared at her hands.
“Yesterday afternoon, Evelyn called me. She said she knew I’d opened Robert’s safe.””
“How?””
“I don’t know.””
“She asked you to come over?””
“No. She was already at my house.””
I felt anger rise.
“What did she want?””
“The key.””
Claire looked at me.
“I told her I didn’t have it.””
“But you did.””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
“Inside my necklace.””
I remembered the silver necklace she wore in the coffin.
“The pendant?””
Claire nodded.
“The back unscrews.””
Bennett made a note.
“What happened next?””
“Evelyn made tea.””
“You drank it?””
“One sip.””
Claire’s voice trembled.
“It tasted bitter.””
I took her hand.
“I remember standing up. Then Nathan came through the front door.””
I turned sharply.
“Nathan was there?””
Claire nodded.
“He and Evelyn started arguing.””
“About what?””
“I couldn’t understand everything. I was getting dizzy.””
She closed her eyes, trying to remember.
“Nathan said, ‘You promised nobody else would get hurt.’”
My blood went cold.
“What did Mom say?””
Claire opened her eyes.
“She said, ‘Then help me finish this before Daniel comes home.’”
The room went silent.
Bennett leaned forward.
“What happened after that?””
“Nathan caught me when I collapsed.””
“And then?””
“I woke up briefly in Evelyn’s living room.””
“In the coffin?””
Claire’s eyes filled.
“Yes.””
I squeezed her hand.
“I heard them arguing.””
“What did Nathan say?””
“He wanted to call an ambulance.””
That surprised me.
“Why didn’t he?””
“Evelyn threatened him.””
“With what?””
“I don’t know.””
Claire wiped a tear away.
“Then I heard Evelyn say something about your father’s second will.””
Detective Bennett looked at me.
I nodded.
“We found a letter.””
Claire stared at me.
“There’s more than one.””
“What?””
“Robert wrote two letters.””
My pulse quickened.
“Where’s the second?””
“Thomas had it.””
I thought of the stolen folder.
“Had?””
Claire nodded.
“That folder they took from Thomas contained the second letter.””
I stood.
“What did it say?””
Claire looked toward Bennett.
Then back at me.
“Robert discovered Evelyn had been hiding something since before you were born.””
I frowned.
“What does that have to do with you?””
“Everything.””
Claire’s voice became quieter.
“Your father didn’t leave me money because I was his daughter-in-law.””
She reached for the water beside her bed, but her hand trembled so badly I took the glass for her.
“Then why?””
“Because of my mother.””
I stared at her.
Claire’s mother, Susan, had died when Claire was sixteen.
“What about Susan?””
“Robert knew her.””
“How?””
Claire took a long breath.
“My mother worked for Hayes Development when she was young.””
I had never known that.
“She was Robert’s executive assistant for three years.””
“When?””
Claire’s answer came softly.
“Before he married Evelyn.””
Something uncomfortable moved through me.
“Were they together?””
“I don’t know.””
“Claire.””
“I’m telling you the truth. I don’t know.””
Detective Bennett interrupted.
“What did Robert leave you?””
Claire looked at me.
“A property.””
“What property could be worth more than the company?””
“Not one property.””
She swallowed.
“Forty-three.””
I thought I had misheard.
“Forty-three properties?””
“Commercial buildings. Apartment complexes. Land.””
“How?””
“Your father purchased them through a private holding company decades ago. They were never part of Hayes Development.””
“And he left them to you?””
“No.””
Claire placed a hand over her belly.
“He left them to our daughter.””
I couldn’t speak.
Claire continued.
“Robert created a trust. You and I were supposed to control it until she turned thirty.””
I finally understood the documents Evelyn had tried to make Claire sign.
If Evelyn gained control of our daughter’s assets—
She could control everything my father had hidden from her.
Detective Bennett’s phone buzzed.
She checked it.
Her expression changed.
“What?”” I asked.
“We found Evelyn’s car.””
“Where?””
“Near the airport.””
My heart dropped.
“She’s leaving the country?””
“No.””
Bennett looked at me.
“The car was abandoned.””
Claire gripped my hand.
Then Bennett’s phone rang.
She answered.
“Bennett.””
She listened for several seconds.
“What do you mean?””
Her eyes moved toward Claire.
Then toward me.
“Secure the scene. Nobody touches anything.””
She ended the call.
“What happened?””
Bennett stood.
“Officers searched the trunk of Evelyn’s car.””
I waited.
“They found the folder stolen from Thomas Reed.””
Claire exhaled.
“So we have the second letter.””
Bennett shook her head.
“The folder was empty.””
My stomach tightened.
“Then who has it?””
Bennett looked toward the hallway.
“We may know.””
The door opened.
An officer entered.
Behind him stood Nathan.
May you like
His shirt was stained with blood.
And in his hand was my father’s second letter.
