Chapter 5 - What Eleanor Changed
Claire jumped behind a concrete pillar as the sedan tore past.
Evan rolled across the pavement, narrowly avoiding the bumper.
The car slammed into the rear of his pickup, reversed, then sped down the ramp.
“Did you see the plate?” Claire shouted.
“No.” Evan was breathing hard. “But they saw us.”
Claire pulled out her phone.
“No police,” Evan said.
“I’m done with that.”
“You call them, Martin gets a copy of whatever statement you make within an hour.”
Claire stared at him. “How?”
“Because one of the officers at your house works private security for Martin’s firm.”
Officer Hale.
Claire remembered how quickly he had searched her purse.
“How deep does this go?”
Evan gave a bitter smile. “Deep enough that I left the state.”
He opened the folder he had given her.
Inside was a copy of Eleanor’s revised trust.
A highlighted clause stated that if Daniel were disqualified due to fraud, coercion, or criminal conduct, Claire would become interim trustee until an independent fiduciary could be appointed.
There was another clause.
If Claire were also disqualified, Martin Shaw became emergency trustee.
Claire read it twice.
“That’s it.”
Evan nodded.
“Martin doesn’t need Daniel to inherit. He needs both of you removed.”
Claire’s mouth went dry.
“So Daniel thinks he’s framing me to protect himself.”
“And Martin may be using Daniel to clear the entire board.”
Claire’s phone rang.
Daniel.
She declined it.
A voicemail appeared almost instantly.
Claire played it on speaker.
Daniel’s voice was low.
“Mom woke up for thirty seconds.”
Claire grabbed Evan’s arm.
“She’s awake?”
“Listen,” he said.
Daniel continued, “She asked for you. Then she had another seizure. If you have any decency left, come to the hospital.”
The message ended.
Claire looked at Evan.
“Could he be telling the truth?”
“Yes.”
“Could it be a trap?”
“Yes.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Then her phone lit up again.
This time the message came from Rosa.
MRS. WHITMORE SAID TWO WORDS BEFORE THEY SEDATED HER.
Claire typed: WHAT WORDS?
Rosa answered.
RED WINE.
Claire looked back at the memory of the dining room.
The powder had gone into the soup.
But Eleanor had knocked over the wine before she collapsed.
May you like
Unless the soup was only part of the plan.
Unless the real poison had already been in the glass.
