Chapter 14 - Martin’s Real Plan
Daniel called before Claire could.
“I didn’t know he had Rosa.”
Claire’s voice shook with fury. “You expect me to believe that?”
“I’m at the hospital. Mom’s room is under guard. Martin disappeared thirty minutes ago.”
“Then who sent the picture from your phone?”
Silence.
Daniel swore.
“My phone was cloned.”
Claire looked at Evan. “Can that happen?”
“Yes.”
Daniel said, “Claire, don’t go home.”
“Rosa is there.”
“That is exactly why he took her.”
“What do you suggest? Letting her die?”
“No. I suggest not giving Martin the only evidence that can put him away.”
Claire laughed bitterly. “Now you care about evidence.”
“I care about you.”
“You put a packet in my purse.”
Daniel went silent.
Claire continued, “You don’t get to use that sentence anymore.”
She hung up.
Evan said, “We make copies.”
They photographed every page of the ledger and uploaded the files to three encrypted accounts. Evan sent one package to a federal prosecutor he trusted.
Then Claire took the original ledger and returned to the mansion.
The dining room looked almost exactly as it had the night before.
Except Rosa sat tied to Eleanor’s chair.
Martin stood beside the fireplace.
Officer Hale stood behind Claire with a gun.
“Put the ledger on the table,” Martin said.
Claire did.
“Let Rosa go.”
Martin smiled. “After I verify it.”
He flipped through the pages.
For the first time, the polished attorney lost control of his face.
Fear.
Real fear.
“You should have burned this twenty years ago,” Claire said.
Martin looked up. “Your father was sentimental.”
“You killed him.”
Martin closed the book.
“Your father killed himself by believing documents could protect him.”
Rosa’s eyes filled with tears.
Claire said, “And Richard Whitmore?”
Martin’s smile returned.
“Heart attack.”
“Like Eleanor was supposed to have?”
That smile faded.
Claire understood.
“You poisoned the wine.”
Martin said nothing.
“You knew Daniel planned to make her sick. You added the real dose so his stupid little scheme would cover murder.”
Martin’s eyes narrowed.
Then Claire heard a faint click in her coat pocket.
Her phone was still recording.
Martin stepped closer.
“You came here hoping I would confess?”
Claire held his gaze.
“No.”
She looked toward the windows.
“I came here hoping you’d keep talking until the FBI arrived.”
May you like
Blue lights suddenly flashed beyond the curtains.
Hale grabbed Claire by the throat.
