Chapter 1 - THE SUITCASE
Claire Bennett had been packing for twenty minutes when she heard the bedroom door open.
She turned.
Diane stood beside the bed with both hands inside Claire’s suitcase.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Diane did not even look embarrassed.
“Checking what you stole.”
Claire crossed the room.
“My clothes?”
“Bennett property.”
Claire grabbed the suitcase.
“Get your hands off my things.”
Diane yanked back.
Several blouses fell onto the floor.
A velvet jewelry pouch landed near the dresser.
Claire’s stomach tightened.
Diane saw it.
“What’s that?”
“Mine.”
“Then why are you sneaking it out?”
“I’m not sneaking.”
“You’re packing while Ryan is at work.”
“He’s downstairs.”
Diane froze.
Then Ryan appeared in the doorway wearing a dark suit.
He looked from his mother to the suitcase.
Then to Claire.
“What’s going on?”
“Your mother is ripping through my bag.”
Diane snapped:
“She’s taking things.”
Claire laughed.
“My own clothes?”
Diane reached toward the suitcase again.
Claire pulled it back.
Ryan stepped forward and grabbed Claire’s arm.
“Back off. Let my mother finish.”
Claire stared at him.
For one second she forgot to breathe.
“Let go.”
“Calm down.”
“Let go.”
“Claire—”
She ripped her arm free.
“Don’t touch me.”
Diane smirked.
“You don’t make the rules here.”
Claire looked at Ryan.
He said nothing.
Diane reached into the suitcase again.
Claire felt something inside her break.
Her hand moved toward her waist.
Ryan froze.
“Claire?”
She pulled out the handgun she legally carried when transporting valuable jewelry.
She kept it pointed at the floor.
Diane’s smile vanished.
Ryan raised both hands.
Claire’s voice shook.
“Get your filthy hands off my suitcase.”
Diane slowly pulled away.
“Now.”
No one moved.
Then Claire said:
“You wanted to know what I’m taking?”
She opened the suitcase herself.
Clothes.
Jewelry.
A leather ledger.
A flash drive.
Ryan saw the ledger.
His face changed.
Only slightly.
But Claire noticed.
May you like
Diane did too.
And suddenly Claire understood what they had really been searching for.
