Chương 9
“Don't make jokes.”
“Then stop trying to escape postoperative recovery.”
Claire looked at Daniel.
“Tell me where the car is.”
“No.”
“You don't get to decide that.”
“Right now, I do.”
“I can call a driver.”
“You can barely sit.”
“Daniel.”
He stepped closer.
“If Chloe is in danger, the best thing you can do is stay here and answer questions when we need information.”
Claire hated that he was right.
She hated him slightly for being calm enough to say it.
“Go.”
“I am.”
“Call me.”
“When I can.”
“Not when you think I can handle it.”
Daniel paused.
“Fine.”
Then he left.
Claire lay still for perhaps ten seconds.
“Give me my phone.”
Maya handed it over without arguing.
Claire called Chloe.
Voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
She switched to Ethan.
His phone rang twice before disconnecting.
Claire tried again.
This time it went directly to voicemail.
She typed a message.
Where is Chloe?
The message showed as delivered.
That alone made her pulse jump.
“He has his phone on,” she said.
Maya leaned over.
“You sure?”
“It delivered.”
“Can they track him from that?”
“They can try.”
Claire forwarded the information to Daniel.
Then she called her mother.
Diane answered on the first ring.
“Claire?”
“Where is Ethan?”
Silence.
“Mom.”
“I don't know.”
“His car was found in Red Hook.”
Another silence.
Claire watched the seconds advance on the call screen.
“Did you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“There was blood in it.”
Diane inhaled sharply.
“Whose?”
“If I knew, I wouldn't be calling you.”
“Claire, I swear to you, I don't know where he is.”
“Where is Dad?”
“At home.”
“Put him on.”
“He's asleep.”
Claire almost laughed.
“Wake him.”
“It's four in the morning.”
“My brother's car may be a crime scene.”
Diane lowered her voice.
“Your father took something to calm down.”
Claire gripped the phone.
“Then shake him.”
“Claire.”
“Wake him up.”
Maya watched her, expression unreadable.
Claire heard movement on the line.
A door opened.
Footsteps.
Then her mother's voice became distant.
“Richard.”
No answer.
“Richard, wake up.”
Something thumped.
Claire's stomach tightened.
Diane came back on the line.
“He's not here.”
Claire went still.
“What?”
“The bed is empty.”
“You just said he was home.”
“He was.”
“When did you last see him?”
“Maybe an hour ago.”
“Did he say where he was going?”
“No.”
Claire looked at Maya.
Maya was already reaching for her own phone.
“Check the garage,” Claire said.
Diane breathed faster.
“I don't understand.”
“Check whether his car is there.”
“Claire, I—”
“Mom.”
A long pause.
Then footsteps again.
Claire listened to elevator music faintly through the phone as Diane moved through the building.
Maya messaged Daniel.
Claire watched the typing on her screen.
Daniel responded almost immediately.
Keep her on the line.
Claire did.
Diane reached the garage.
“My car is here.”
“And Dad's?”
A pause.
“No.”
“What car did he take?”
“The Lexus.”
“What plate?”
Diane gave it.
Claire sent the plate to Daniel.
Her mother whispered, “What is happening?”
Claire looked at the ceiling.
“I don't know.”
“That isn't like your father.”
“Which part?”
“Leaving without telling me.”
Claire nearly said that Diane had just spent years not knowing where money went while sharing a bed with him, but stopped herself.
Anger could wait.
Maybe.
“Did he know Ethan and Chloe were in Red Hook?”
“I don't know.”
“Did he know about the documents Chloe found?”
“No.”
“Did Ethan contact him?”
Diane said nothing.
“Mom.”
“He called.”
“When?”
“After we left your apartment.”
Claire's throat tightened.
“What did they talk about?”
“I only heard part of it.”
“Tell me.”
“Ethan was upset.”
“That describes every time someone says no to him.”
“Claire.”
“What did he say?”
Diane exhaled.
“He kept saying Chloe had taken something.”
“Something what?”
“Documents.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“What did Dad say?”
“He told Ethan to calm down.”
“Then?”
“He said they needed to get everything back before anyone saw it.”
Maya froze beside the bed.
Claire's voice dropped.
“Everything?”
“I don't know what he meant.”
“Did he mention Red Hook?”
“No.”
“Did he mention Westbridge?”
Diane was quiet.
“Mom.”
“Yes.”
Claire opened her eyes.
“What did he say?”
“He told Ethan not to call anyone connected to Westbridge.”
“Anyone?”
“That was the word.”
“Who is connected to it?”
“I told Agent Reeves I don't know.”
“That wasn't what I asked.”
“I don't know names.”
Claire heard something underneath the answer.
Not ignorance.
Fear.
“Mom, are these people dangerous?”
Diane began crying.
The sound was small and controlled, almost embarrassed.
“Your father said it was business.”
“What business?”
“He borrowed money years ago.”
“We established that.”
“Not from a bank.”
Claire sat very still.
Maya's eyes narrowed.
“From who?”
“I don't know.”
“Stop saying that.”
“I don't know because he made sure I didn't know.”
The bitterness in Diane's voice was new.
“He said knowing less protected me.”
Claire almost spoke, then stopped.
The sentence belonged to a marriage she had never seen clearly.
“How much did he borrow?”
“Three million at first.”
“At first?”
“He lost some of it.”
Claire rubbed her forehead.
“Investments?”
“Development projects.”
“What projects?”
“Florida.”
“That narrows it to half the state.”
“Condos, I think.”
“And then?”
“He borrowed more to cover the first loan.”
Maya closed her eyes.
Claire understood the shape now.
Debt hiding debt.
Family assets used as collateral.
The trust becoming a pool Richard believed he could restore before anyone noticed.
“How much did he take from the trust?”
Diane started crying harder.
“I never knew the total.”
“Did you sign transfers?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“I don't know.”
Claire swallowed anger.
“Try.”
“Over years?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe nine.”
Maya mouthed a curse.
Claire looked toward the door.
A nurse walked past without entering.
“What happened when the trust assets weren't enough?”
Diane's breathing changed.
Claire knew she had reached something important.
“Mom.”
“Your father began moving money through companies.”
“Westbridge.”
“Yes.”
“Who controls Westbridge?”
“I don't know exactly.”
May you like
“Who does Dad answer to?”
Diane lowered her voice even though Claire could hear nobody around her.
