Chapter 10 - Three Liars in One Car
Claire reached for the door handle.
Martin locked it.
“Drive,” Daniel snapped.
Martin accelerated away from the mansion.
Claire stared at both men. “This is insane.”
“Agreed,” Martin said.
“You tried to kill Eleanor.”
“No.”
“You gave Daniel the packet.”
Martin’s eyes met hers in the mirror. “I gave him powdered medication that was supposed to make her violently ill, not kill her.”
Daniel swore. “You told me it would trigger nausea and force her to miss the board vote.”
Claire looked at him in disgust. “That’s your defense?”
“No.” Daniel’s face was gray from blood loss. “It’s the truth.”
“You drugged your own mother.”
“I needed twenty-four hours.”
“For what?”
“To stop her from turning the company over to an outside trustee.”
Claire laughed bitterly. “And framing me?”
Daniel looked away.
Martin said, “That was Daniel’s addition.”
“Shut up,” Daniel snapped.
Claire stared at her husband. “You were going to let me get arrested.”
“I was going to fix it before charges stuck.”
“You put poison in my purse.”
“It wasn’t poison.”
“Police say it was a harmful substance.”
Martin cut in. “Because someone switched the packet after I gave it to Daniel.”
The car went silent.
Daniel turned toward him. “What?”
Martin nodded. “The packet I prepared was blue-marked inside the fold. The one police photographed was plain white.”
Claire’s mind raced.
“So someone replaced it before dinner.”
“Yes.”
“And the wine?”
Martin’s hands tightened on the wheel.
“I know nothing about the wine.”
Claire studied him.
“Why should I believe either of you?”
“You shouldn’t,” Martin said. “You should verify everything.”
Daniel shifted in pain.
Claire asked, “Who shot you?”
“Hale.”
“Why?”
“He searched Mom’s study.”
“For my father’s ledger?”
Daniel nodded.
Claire leaned forward. “Where is the key?”
Daniel looked at her.
“You used to wear it.”
Claire frowned.
Then she remembered the silver locket her father gave her when she was twelve.
The one she had not opened in years because the hinge was broken.
The one currently sitting in her jewelry box.
May you like
At the mansion.
Where Hale was still searching.
