Chapter 11 - THE INVESTIGATOR
Thomas Reed was alive.
He appeared at the police station the next morning.
And he accused Claire of bribery.
Rebecca called Claire before detectives could arrive.
“Do not speak to anyone.”
Claire sat in her father’s kitchen, numb.
Thomas had signed an affidavit claiming Claire paid him fifty thousand dollars to alter access logs, forge toll-camera records, and fabricate financial evidence.
The payment existed.
Fifty thousand dollars had moved from an account in Claire’s name to Thomas.
Claire had never made it.
Marjorie had planned this months ago.
Maybe years.
Rebecca arrived with two forensic accountants.
“The transfer originated from a device registered to your home network.”
Claire laughed weakly.
“Grant.”
“Possibly.”
Claire looked out the window.
“No. Too obvious.”
She remembered Camille’s warning.
Grant is not the weakest one.
Then she understood.
“He’s the distraction.”
Rebecca looked at her.
“Who?”
“Grant. Marjorie trained everyone to think he’s the weak link because she needs us watching him.”
“Then who is actually executing her plans?”
Claire thought.
Camille had access.
Thomas had access.
Marjorie had motive.
But there was another person.
Helen Dawes.
Marjorie’s assistant.
The woman who could imitate her at the charity dinner.
The woman who had served her for eighteen years.
Claire asked Rebecca to find Helen.
They discovered she had disappeared two days after Daniel’s death.
Her apartment was empty.
Her bank account had been closed.
But Rebecca’s forensic team found one connection.
A property in Vermont purchased through a trust.
Claire and Rebecca drove there.
Helen opened the door before they knocked.
She looked older than Claire remembered.
Tired.
“Marjorie said someone might come.”
Claire’s pulse quickened.
“Then you know why I’m here.”
Helen nodded.
Inside, she made tea.
Then she told them everything.
Marjorie had not cut Daniel’s brakes.
Camille had.
But Marjorie had known about the plan.
“She told Camille to disable the car so Daniel couldn’t reach the federal meeting,” Helen said.
“Did she know he could die?”
Helen looked down.
“She knew it was possible.”
Claire’s chest tightened.
“And the alibi?”
“I wore her coat at the gala for forty minutes.”
“Why?”
“She paid for my husband’s cancer treatment. I owed her.”
Rebecca asked, “Who moved the fifty thousand to Thomas Reed?”
Helen looked at Claire.
“I did.”
Claire’s hands clenched.
“Why frame me?”
“Because Marjorie said you would destroy Grant if you learned the truth.”
Claire stood.
“You nearly sent me to prison.”
Helen’s eyes filled.
“I know.”
“Where is the original evidence?”
Helen did not answer.
Claire leaned closer.
“Where?”
Helen looked toward the hallway.
A floorboard creaked.
May you like
Someone else was in the house.
Then Grant stepped into the room holding a pistol.
