Chapter 5 - Claire's Letter

Adrian had not seen Claire's handwriting in almost two years.

He knew the sharp angle of her capital A, the long tail on every y. She had written grocery lists that way, birthday cards that way, notes tucked into his suitcase before business trips.

His knees nearly gave out.

"Where did this come from?"

Vanessa said nothing.

Adrian turned toward her. "Where did you get Claire's letter?"

"I didn't."

"It was burned in my fireplace."

"Then ask your staff."

Maria, standing near the study door, looked at Vanessa with open disgust.

Adrian remembered something Claire once said three days before her fatal car crash.

If I ever tell you Marcus isn't who you think he is, promise you'll listen before you defend him.

At the time, Adrian had laughed it off. Marcus had been his best friend for fifteen years.

Now he could barely breathe.

Grant searched the ashes and recovered several more fragments. Most were unreadable. One contained a number: 417.

"Could be a room, a locker, an account," Grant said.

Maria spoke quietly. "Claire used to keep a blue notebook."

Adrian looked at her. "You knew Claire?"

"I worked for her sister before I came here. Claire recommended me."

That stunned him.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Because she asked me not to."

Maria reached into the inner pocket of her uniform bag.

She removed a tiny silver key.

"Three weeks before she died, Claire gave me this. She said if Oliver was ever in danger, I was supposed to open a box at Union Station. Locker 417."

Adrian stared at the key.

"You've had that for two years?"

"I didn't know Oliver was in danger until tonight."

Vanessa moved suddenly.

Not toward the door.

Toward Maria.

Adrian stepped between them.

"Don't."

For the first time, Vanessa dropped the elegant act.

"You have no idea what you're opening."

Maria closed her fist around the key.

Adrian looked straight at Vanessa.

"Then I guess we're going to find out."

His phone rang.

Grant answered instead and put it on speaker.

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A distorted male voice said, "If you open locker 417, your son won't see his first birthday."

Then the line went dead.