Chapter 5 - The Second Certificate
Police dragged everyone away from the windows.
Daniel covered Lily and Noah while officers rushed outside.
The shooter was gone.
Arthur survived.
At the hospital, Detective Morris stood beside Daniel in a private corridor.
"The bullet came from the wooded lot across the road. Whoever fired knew exactly where your attorney would stand."
"So they knew he was coming."
"Or someone told them."
Daniel looked at Arthur through the glass.
"Can he talk?"
"Briefly."
Arthur's voice was weak.
"The envelope... there's another copy."
"Where?"
"Safe in my office."
"Another copy of Dad's warning?"
Arthur shook his head.
"Another death certificate."
Daniel leaned closer.
"Whose?"
Arthur looked terrified.
"Yours."
Daniel went cold.
"Dated when?"
"Nine days from now."
One day after Claire's planned legal death.
The scheme suddenly had an order.
Claire first.
Daniel second.
Then the guardianship.
"Who prepared it?"
Arthur whispered, "Same doctor. Same witness."
"Who witnessed it?"
"Vanessa."
Daniel closed his eyes.
When he returned to the safe house where Morris had moved the children, Noah was sitting awake at the kitchen table.
"Dad?"
"You should be asleep."
"I remembered something."
Daniel sat.
"Tell me."
"The night Mom disappeared, Vanessa came upstairs and changed Emma's blanket."
"Okay."
"But Emma wasn't crying. Mom was."
Daniel's pulse quickened.
"Where was Mom?"
Noah pointed downward.
"In your study."
"You saw her?"
"I heard her talking to a man."
"What did he say?"
Noah swallowed.
"He said, 'Once she signs the admission, Daniel never has to know.'"
Daniel froze.
"Admission to where?"
Noah's eyes filled with tears.
"Grayhaven."
Then Lily appeared in the doorway holding Claire's bracelet.
"Dad, there's writing inside this."
Under the blue glass star, scratched so small it was almost invisible, were three numbers.
May you like
412.
Maya whispered, "That's a room number."
