Chapter 18 - What Hannah Recorded
All the excuses Claire had heard from Adrian assembled themselves in her mind like witnesses. He had blamed stress when he insulted a waiter. He had blamed grief when he canceled her visit to his family's old marina. He had blamed his mother when he refused to meet Sophie for dinner. Each time, Claire had wanted to believe he was a decent man trapped by circumstances. Standing in the wet greenhouse, she could finally separate an explanation from an excuse. Fear of Eleanor might explain some of his choices. It could not erase what he had done with those choices.
Claire stood between Adrian and Sophie. "Talk while we walk."
He unlocked the gate and led them into a disused greenhouse. Rain poured through holes in the roof. In the distance, police shouted commands outside the conservatory.
"Hannah had the environmental report," Adrian said. "She tried to give it to a federal investigator. My mother found out and told Grant to follow her to the marina."
"You were there."
"I was in the office when they called. I drove down afterward."
"And what did you find?"
Adrian stopped. "Hannah was already dead."
Claire felt Sophie's hand tighten around hers.
"Grant said she fell off the dock. But I saw her bag. The report was gone. My mother told me that if I talked, she'd make sure I was blamed for everything."
"So you helped frame a dead woman as unstable?"
"Yes."
The admission came without an excuse. For a moment Adrian looked his age, tired and frightened and small.
"And my father?" Claire asked.
"I took his car to the garage because Eleanor asked me to. Grant was supposed to install a tracker. I realized later what he was doing, but I didn't stop him."
"You heard him talk about the brakes on the video."
"I did."
Claire turned away. "You had six years to tell the truth."
Alvarez entered with two officers and ordered Adrian to kneel. He complied. As they secured his hands, Eleanor's voice erupted from the radio.
"Suspect is leaving the north glasshouse in a maintenance truck. She's got a second hostage."
Claire's heart stopped.
"Who?" she demanded.
May you like
The radio crackled.
"Thomas Bennett."
