Chapter 3 - Claire's Warning
Adrian found Vanessa in his study with her purse over one shoulder.
"Where are you going?"
She stopped near the side door.
"Somewhere I'm not being treated like a criminal."
"Did you delete the pool footage?"
Her eyes flashed. "No."
"Someone did."
"Then ask your staff."
"Give me your phone."
Vanessa stared at him.
"You cannot be serious."
"Give me your phone."
She laughed, but it sounded thin.
"This is insane."
Adrian stepped closer.
"My daughter nearly drowned. My security footage was erased. A key hidden by my dead wife just fell out of a teddy bear you tried to destroy."
"I did not try to destroy anything."
"You threw it in the pool."
"It was disgusting."
"It was Claire's."
Vanessa's expression hardened at the name.
There it was.
Not jealousy.
Hatred.
Adrian saw it clearly for the first time.
"Why did you hate her?"
Vanessa's face changed again.
"I didn't."
His phone rang.
Daniel Harper, the family attorney.
"Adrian, you asked me last year whether Claire had any private storage arrangements."
Adrian's grip tightened.
"Yes?"
"I found something."
"Tell me."
"A safe deposit box at First Atlantic. Number 317."
Vanessa's eyes widened.
Adrian noticed.
Daniel continued.
"It was opened under Claire's maiden name. You're listed as successor access if she dies."
"When was it last accessed?"
There was a pause.
"Two days before Claire's car accident."
Adrian looked at Vanessa.
"By Claire?"
"We don't know. The access log only shows the credential was used."
"Can I open it today?"
"I can meet you there in forty minutes."
Adrian ended the call.
Vanessa reached for his arm.
"Don't do this."
"Why?"
"Because Claire was sick."
He pulled away.
"She had migraines."
"She was paranoid."
Adrian stared.
That word.
Paranoid.
It was exactly what Vanessa had called Sophie five minutes earlier.
"How would you know what Claire was thinking?"
Vanessa's mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Adrian went upstairs to change.
Sophie sat on his bed, holding Teddy against her chest.
"Daddy?"
He knelt.
"Yeah, bug?"
"Are you mad at Mommy?"
The question broke something in him.
"No."
"She told me not to tell you about the key unless the bad thing happened."
"What bad thing?"
Sophie looked toward the door.
"If Vanessa tried to take me away."
Adrian's blood went cold.
"Take you where?"
Sophie whispered, "Mommy said she wanted our house, our money... and me gone."
From the hallway came the soft click of a floorboard.
Adrian yanked open the door.
May you like
No one was there.
But Vanessa's diamond bracelet lay on the carpet.
