Chapter 16 - The Waiting Room
“Claire,” Emily said softly.
Margaret’s assistant was crying.
“Don’t say my name.”
“You’ve been in her house for ten years.”
“I said don’t.”
Ruiz stood three yards away, hands visible. “Claire, nobody needs to get hurt.”
Claire’s gun shook.
“She said this would fix everything.”
Emily’s heart pounded so hard she felt it in her throat.
“What did she tell you to do?”
“Get you out the side door. That’s all.”
“To where?”
Claire shook her head.
“Claire, look at me.”
“I am looking at you!”
“No. You’re looking at my belly because that’s what she trained you to see. The threat. The baby who takes her shares.”
Claire’s face crumpled.
“She said if the company changes hands, thousands of people lose their jobs.”
“That’s a lie.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I know she slapped me because I told her she couldn’t control my child. I know she forged a paternity test. I know she sent you here with a gun.”
Claire’s breathing became ragged.
“She didn’t give me the gun.”
“Then put it down.”
A door opened behind Claire.
Ethan appeared.
“Emily.”
Claire spun.
Ruiz moved.
The gun fired.
The sound crushed the room.
Emily dropped to the floor, hands over her belly.
Ethan tackled Claire. Officers swarmed them.
For one terrible second Emily couldn’t feel the baby move.
“No. No, no, no.”
Then a kick struck her palm.
She sobbed.
The bullet had hit a wall.
At the hospital, doctors monitored her for hours. The baby was fine, but Emily’s blood pressure was high.
Ethan sat beside her, bruised and silent.
Finally he said, “I’m resigning from the company.”
Emily looked at him. “Why?”
“Because every ugly thing in my life leads back to that name.”
“Then change what the name means.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
A knock came at the door.
Ruiz entered.
“We arrested Claire. She’s cooperating.”
Emily sat up.
Ruiz continued, “She says Margaret didn’t order today’s abduction.”
Ethan frowned. “Then who did?”
“Grant.”
May you like
Ruiz paused.
“And Claire says Margaret has been trying to help him disappear because he has something she believes can send her to prison for Richard’s death.”
