Chapter 8 - The Dead Man’s Letter
The scanned letter was twenty years old and only three pages long.
It changed Claire’s life.
Thomas Bennett had written that he had traced fraudulent payments through Whitmore Holdings to a private legal account controlled by Martin Shaw. He warned Eleanor not to confront Martin until federal investigators could secure the records.
Three days later, Thomas died.
The investigation into Whitmore disappeared.
Claire sat in Evan’s rented office with tears running down her face.
“I thought Dad fell asleep at the wheel.”
Evan said nothing.
“Did Eleanor know?”
“She knew he was investigating Martin. I don’t know what she believed about the crash.”
Claire read the last line again.
If anything happens to me, protect my daughter from these people.
Claire laughed through her tears. “She failed at that.”
“Maybe she tried.”
“No. I married into the family.”
Evan pointed to a second document.
It was a private background report on Claire, commissioned nine months before she met Daniel.
Client: Daniel Whitmore.
Claire’s hands went numb.
“He hunted me.”
“Or investigated you.”
“Same difference.”
Her phone rang.
Daniel again.
This time she answered.
“Where are you?” he asked.
“Why?”
“Because police have a warrant.”
“Did Martin tell you that?”
A pause.
“Come home, Claire.”
“So you can plant something else?”
Daniel’s voice sharpened. “You don’t understand what’s happening.”
“I understand you knew who I was before we met.”
Silence.
Claire closed her eyes.
There it was.
Confirmation.
“You knew my father.”
“I knew of him.”
“Why did you marry me?”
Daniel exhaled slowly.
“I can explain.”
“Explain now.”
“Not over the phone.”
“You lost the right to choose the setting.”
Another pause.
Then Daniel said something she never expected.
“I married you because Martin was looking for you first.”
Claire looked at Evan.
“What does that mean?”
“It means your father left something behind, Claire. Something Martin has been trying to find for twenty years.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
May you like
“No.” Daniel’s voice went quiet. “But I know where your father hid the key.”
Then Claire heard a gunshot on Daniel’s end of the line.
