Chapter 8 - The Statement
The statement was six pages long.
Marcus claimed Adrian had instructed him to "manage Claire's emotional volatility" while Adrian was abroad. He claimed Adrian knew Evelyn had taken over Claire's medical communications. He claimed the sleep medication had been approved by Claire's doctor.
Every lie was built around enough truth to sound possible.
Adrian had asked Marcus to check on the house.
He had told his mother to help Claire if she needed anything.
He had been gone.
That was all Evelyn needed.
"She's making you part of it," Claire said.
They sat in the private hospital room with Ruth and Noah. A rainstorm had turned the windows gray.
Adrian read Marcus's final paragraph.
"Mr. Vale was aware of Mrs. Vale's increasing instability and expressed concern that her condition could affect the unborn child's welfare."
He dropped the page.
"I never said that."
Claire's eyes stayed on him.
He knew what she was asking without words.
"Never," he repeated.
Ruth leaned forward. "This is designed for two audiences. Family court and the board. If Evelyn can make both of you look unstable, she becomes the steady hand."
Noah said, "We need Marcus."
"We need proof," Adrian replied.
Claire looked at the papers. "There may be proof in my cloud account."
Everyone turned.
"I started recording voice notes when things got strange," she said. "Not because I thought she was doing this. I just wanted to know if I was remembering conversations correctly."
Adrian's heart hurt at the sentence.
She had needed recordings to prove reality to herself.
Claire unlocked her tablet and opened a folder disguised as prenatal recipes.
There were thirty-two audio files.
One began with Evelyn's voice.
"You really should let me handle your appointments, Claire. Pregnancy has made you scattered."
Claire's recorded voice answered, "I am not scattered."
Evelyn laughed softly. "Then why does everyone keep noticing?"
Another file captured Evelyn moving a set of keys and later insisting Claire had misplaced them.
A third captured Marcus saying, "Mrs. Vale wants the camera off until the guests leave."
Then Claire opened a file from six nights earlier.
Evelyn's voice was lower.
"Once Adrian signs the Singapore closing, he will be too exposed to fight us quickly."
A man's voice answered.
Marcus.
"And if Claire refuses the evaluation?"
Evelyn replied, "Then we make the refusal part of the diagnosis."
Nobody in the room moved.
The recording continued.
May you like
Marcus asked, "What about the baby?"
Evelyn said, "The baby is the whole point.
