Chapter 8
Arthur moved in front of Clara immediately.
Arthur: No.
Victoria: You don't understand.
Clara stepped around him.
Clara: Why does he want me?
Victoria looked at her.
Victoria's makeup was smeared.
The woman who had entered the gala in a gold dress looking untouchable now looked twenty years older.
Victoria: Because you're the only person who can open Jonathan's second account.
Clara frowned.
Arthur: What account?
Victoria: Richard believes Jonathan hid copies of everything in a private deposit vault.
Arthur: Why would Clara have access?
Victoria: Jonathan created a beneficiary key.
Clara: I was unborn.
Victoria: He used Elena's information.
Clara went still.
Victoria: After Jonathan died, Richard spent years trying to locate the vault.
Arthur: And you helped him.
Victoria lowered her eyes.
Victoria: Yes.
Arthur: Of course.
Victoria: We never found it.
Clara: Then how does he know I can open it?
Victoria: Because I told him about you.
Clara stared at her.
Victoria: Years ago.
Clara: You knew where I was?
Victoria said nothing.
Clara: Answer me.
Victoria: Yes.
Arthur turned away in disgust.
Clara walked toward Victoria despite officers standing between them.
Clara: My mother moved five times because she was afraid you would find us.
Victoria: I know.
Clara: She changed jobs. Changed phone numbers. She slept with a chair under the apartment doorknob.
Victoria's eyes filled.
Clara: And you knew where we were?
Victoria: I kept track of you.
Clara: Why?
Victoria whispered.
Victoria: Because I was afraid Richard would find you first.
Clara laughed bitterly.
Clara: You expect me to think you protected us?
Victoria: Not at first.
Clara: What does that mean?
Victoria: At first, I kept track because you were a threat.
Arthur's face hardened.
Victoria: If you appeared, Arthur would ask questions.
Clara: So you watched a child grow up because you were afraid she would expose you.
Victoria: Yes.
Clara: And later?
Victoria looked at Clara.
Victoria: Later, I started seeing photographs.
School pictures.
Birthday parties.
Clara frowned.
Victoria: You looked like Jonathan.
Arthur closed his eyes.
Victoria: Every year more.
Clara: Don't make this sentimental.
Victoria: I'm not.
Clara: You let him die.
Victoria flinched.
Clara: You don't get to tell me you cared about my birthday pictures.
Victoria lowered her head.
Clara: How did Richard get Daniel?
Victoria: Mason.
Arthur looked toward the house.
Victoria: Mason has worked for Richard for years.
Arthur: Since when?
Victoria: Before he worked for you.
Arthur: You hired Mason.
Victoria nodded.
Arthur laughed in disbelief.
Victoria: He was supposed to watch you.
Arthur: My own security chief.
Victoria: Richard didn't trust me after I married you.
Arthur: That's almost funny.
Victoria: Over time, Mason began working for both of us.
Clara: Both?
Victoria looked ashamed.
Victoria: I used him too.
Arthur: To drug me?
Victoria didn't answer.
Arthur: Say it.
Victoria: Yes.
Arthur's face went empty.
Victoria: The sedative was my idea.
Arthur: And the wine?
Victoria: Richard prepared the vial.
Arthur: Did you know it could kill me?
Victoria hesitated.
Arthur: DID YOU KNOW?
Victoria: Yes.
Emily covered her mouth.
Arthur stared.
Victoria: But I wasn't going to let you drink it.
Clara laughed sharply.
Victoria: I was going to create a scene before you did.
Clara: I beat you to it?
Victoria looked at her.
Victoria: I lost my nerve.
Arthur: You lost your nerve?
Victoria: Richard threatened Emily.
Emily stared.
Victoria: He said if I didn't go through with it, he would expose everything and hurt the children.
Daniel and Emily were not Richard's children.
But Victoria had raised them since they were young.
Emily's eyes filled.
Emily: You could have told us.
Victoria: And say what? That I helped cover up your brother's murder?
Emily: Yes!
Victoria recoiled.
Emily: You could have told the truth once in twenty-four years!
Victoria cried.
Emily: One time!
Arthur put an arm around his daughter.
Victoria: I'm sorry.
Arthur: Sorry does not resurrect Jonathan.
Victoria nodded.
A phone rang.
Not Arthur's.
Victoria's.
Everyone froze.
She pulled it from her purse.
Richard.
Detective: Put it on speaker.
Victoria answered.
Victoria: Richard.
Richard: You went to the lake house.
Victoria: Yes.
Richard: With police.
Victoria: I had no choice.
Richard: There is always a choice.
A muffled cry came through the phone.
Daniel.
Arthur stepped forward.
Arthur: Richard.
Richard laughed.
Richard: Arthur. Still alive.
Arthur: Let him go.
Richard: Bring Clara.
Arthur: No.
Richard: Then Daniel dies.
Clara looked at Arthur.
Arthur shook his head before she could speak.
Richard: I need her alive. That's more than I can promise for your son.
Clara: Where?
Arthur grabbed her arm.
Arthur: No.
Clara looked directly at the phone.
Clara: Where, Richard?
Richard: Smart girl.
Arthur: Clara!
Richard: Old Vance textile mill. Midnight.
Detective quietly signaled officers.
Richard: No police.
Clara: You know that won't happen.
Richard: Then tell them to stay far enough away.
Clara: How do I know Daniel is alive?
The phone switched to video.
Daniel appeared.
His hands were tied behind a metal chair.
Daniel: Clara, don't do it.
Clara saw blood on his mouth.
Daniel: He'll kill you too.
Richard moved into frame.
Richard: Midnight.
Clara: Why do you need me?
Richard: Your mother has something I want.
Clara froze.
Clara: My mother?
Richard smiled.
Richard: You thought I didn't know where Elena was?
Clara's face drained.
Richard turned the camera.
A second chair was visible.
Elena sat in it.
Clara screamed.
Clara: MOM!
Elena lifted her head.
Her gray-streaked dark hair fell across her face.
Elena: Clara, don't come!
Richard grabbed her shoulder.
Clara: DON'T TOUCH HER!
Richard smiled.
Richard: Now we understand each other.
The call ended.
Clara stood motionless.
Then she turned to Victoria.
Clara: He found her because of you.
Victoria: Clara—
Clara slapped her.
The sound cracked through the yard.
Police moved forward.
Arthur lifted a hand.
Clara's entire body shook.
Clara: You tracked us.
Victoria touched her cheek.
Clara: You kept our addresses.
Victoria: They were encrypted.
Clara: Richard had access to everything you had!
Victoria said nothing.
Clara: My mother spent half her life running from a man she didn't even know.
Victoria whispered.
Victoria: I'm sorry.
Clara: Stop saying that.
Arthur stepped beside Clara.
Clara looked at him.
Arthur: We're getting her back.
Clara: He'll kill them.
Arthur: Not if he needs you.
Clara: That's supposed to comfort me?
Arthur: No.
He looked toward the detective.
Arthur: It's supposed to give us time.
The plan was dangerous.
Clara would enter the textile mill.
Arthur insisted on coming.
Police refused.
Arthur insisted harder.
Clara finally turned on him.
Clara: If you walk in there, Richard gets two hostages instead of one.
Arthur: I'm not letting you go alone.
Clara: I'm not asking you.
Arthur stared.
Clara: You lost Jonathan because you tried to control his choices.
The sentence struck deep.
Clara: Don't do it again with me.
Arthur's voice became quiet.
Arthur: You really are his daughter.
Clara nodded.
Near midnight, they arrived outside the abandoned textile complex.
The building had belonged to Vance Industries decades earlier.
Broken windows covered six floors.
Police tactical teams positioned themselves nearby.
Clara wore a concealed microphone.
The detective spoke softly.
Detective: Keep him talking.
Clara: And if he searches me?
Detective: The microphone is hidden inside the seam.
Clara: And if he finds it?
Nobody answered.
Arthur approached.
He handed her Jonathan's silver ring.
She had given it to police temporarily as evidence.
Arthur had retrieved it for her.
Arthur: Take this.
Clara closed her hand around it.
Arthur: He wanted you.
Clara's eyes filled.
Arthur: Remember that.
Clara: I know.
Arthur: I didn't.
Clara looked at him.
Arthur: For twenty-three years, I didn't know he wanted me in your life.
Clara: You know now.
Arthur nodded.
Clara turned toward the mill.
She entered alone.
Inside, one overhead light flickered.
Richard stood at the far end of the floor.
Daniel sat tied to one chair.
Elena sat in another.
Clara saw her mother.
Every instinct told her to run forward.
Richard raised a gun.
Richard: Stop.
Clara froze.
Elena: Baby, why did you come?
Clara: Because you're my mother.
Elena began crying.
Richard: Touching.
Clara: What do you want?
Richard: The vault.
Clara: I don't know anything about it.
Richard smiled.
Richard: Your mother does.
Clara looked at Elena.
Elena closed her eyes.
Clara: Mom?
Elena whispered.
Elena: Jonathan gave me a key before he died.
Richard's smile widened.
Clara: Where is it?
Elena looked at Richard.
Elena: Somewhere you'll never find.
Richard pressed the gun against Daniel's head.
Clara: STOP!
Richard: Then perhaps you'll convince her.
Elena: Don't.
Richard: Jonathan left ninety million dollars' worth of evidence and assets buried behind that account.
Clara: Evidence?
Richard: Records that can put me away forever.
Clara: Sounds like exactly where they should stay.
Richard's smile disappeared.
He moved the gun toward Clara.
Richard: Your father said things like that too.
Clara stared at him.
Richard: Look how that ended.
Clara's fear vanished beneath rage.
Clara: You killed him.
Richard: He made a choice.
Clara: You cut his brakes.
Richard: I gave him an opportunity to walk away.
Clara: And when he didn't?
Richard stepped closer.
Richard: I solved the problem.
Outside, officers listened through Clara's microphone.
Arthur heard every word.
His fists shook.
Inside, Clara kept Richard talking.
Clara: Victoria was there.
Richard: Victoria was weak.
Clara: She tried to stop you.
Richard laughed.
Richard: Is that what she's telling people now?
Clara's eyes narrowed.
Richard: Victoria didn't cut the brake line.
Clara: We know.
Richard: But she was the one who told me where Jonathan would be driving.
Elena sobbed.
Clara went pale.
Richard leaned toward her.
Richard: Your father's death wasn't my plan.
Clara: Whose was it?
Richard smiled.
Richard: Ask your grandfather.
May you like
Clara froze.
Richard: Ask Arthur what he told Victoria the night before Jonathan died.
