Chapter 2 - THE PEN
Claire knew something was wrong the moment Richard said:
“Sit down.”
She did not.
Then he stepped behind her.
Fast.
His shoe struck the back of her injured knee.
Claire collapsed onto the marble floor.
Pain flashed white through her body.
Before she could breathe, Diane brought the wooden cane down against the brace around Claire’s leg.
Claire screamed.
Evan watched.
He did not look shocked.
He smiled.
“SIGN IT!”
Claire curled around her knee.
“You’re insane.”
Diane walked to the side table.
Picked up a glass of orange juice.
Claire had seen it earlier.
Freshly poured.
Now Diane forced it toward her mouth.
Claire turned away desperately.
“What did you put in that?!”
Diane grabbed her jaw.
“Drink.”
Claire coughed as some of it spilled and some went down.
Bitter.
Not orange juice bitter.
Chemical.
Her heart raced.
Richard threw transfer documents onto the floor.
Evan crouched beside her.
“Sign everything over.”
Claire looked at the glass.
Then the papers.
Then him.
“You’re trying to kill me…”
Evan smiled.
“Then stop fighting us.”
Diane tossed an expensive signing pen beside Claire’s trembling hand.
“Pick it up.”
Richard laughed.
“Finally learned.”
Claire reached.
Slowly.
Her fingers closed around the pen.
Then something changed.
She had seen the pen before.
Not in the house.
At her attorney’s office.
A promotional executive pen made by Verity Legal Tech.
Claire’s attorney, Maya Sloan, had given her one two weeks earlier after Claire said she feared Evan was pressuring her to sign documents while medicated.
The pen looked ordinary.
But along the side was a nearly invisible recording button.
Claire had put it in her purse.
Someone in the house must have taken it and mixed it with the Mercer signing pens without realizing what it was.
Now it lay in her hand.
Evan leaned close.
“Good girl.”
Claire lowered her head.
Made herself cry harder.
Made her shoulders shake.
Then let the trembling stop only in her hand.
Her thumb traced the pen.
Found the tiny ridge.
Press.
A faint indicator pulsed beneath her thumb.
Recording.
Claire looked up once.
Evan smiling.
Diane satisfied.
Richard amused.
Then she whispered:
“Tell me what I’m signing.”
Evan laughed.
May you like
“At last.”
The trap had opened.
