Chapter 2 - The Smile
Claire forced herself to count to three before she answered.
“Just a second.”
Her voice sounded almost normal.
That frightened her more than anything.
The doorknob stopped moving.
Daniel gave a short laugh from the other side.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. I got makeup on my sleeve.”
“You’re not wearing much makeup.”
For one second, Claire closed her eyes.
He was testing her.
She wet a hand towel, dragged it over the cuff of her gray sweater, and opened the door with an annoyed little smile.
Daniel stood there with his hands in his pockets.
His face was calm.
Too calm.
“You disappeared,” he said.
“I forgot my phone.”
His gaze dropped to her hand.
She showed it to him.
“Found it.”
Daniel smiled.
That same warm, practiced smile that had convinced clients, neighbors, and Claire’s own mother that he was the safest man in any room.
“Vanessa was asking where you went.”
“I’m sure she was.”
The words came out sharper than Claire intended.
Daniel’s eyes narrowed for half a beat.
Claire covered it with a laugh.
“Sorry. Long day.”
He touched her elbow.
She fought the urge to pull away.
“Come back to the table.”
The poisoned glass waited where Vanessa had placed it.
Claire sat down.
Vanessa looked at her with bright blue eyes.
“Everything okay?”
“Perfect.”
Claire picked up the wine.
Daniel’s shoulders loosened.
Vanessa’s fingers stopped tapping the tablecloth.
Claire lifted the rim toward her lips.
Then she deliberately bumped the base of the glass with her other hand.
Red wine spilled across the white linen.
“Oh my God.” Claire stood quickly. “I’m sorry.”
Vanessa froze.
Daniel’s face changed.
The next minutes moved fast, and every answer only exposed a deeper part of Daniel’s plan.
Claire’s pulse kicked.
“Tonight?”
“Just paperwork.”
“What paperwork?”
Daniel slid the folder toward her.
“Routine family trust update.”
Claire opened it.
The first page looked ordinary.
The second page did not.
A paragraph in dense legal language authorized Daniel to act on Claire’s behalf if she became “temporarily incapacitated.”
Claire kept her face still.
“Why is Vanessa’s law firm listed here?”
Vanessa’s fork stopped halfway to her mouth.
May you like
Daniel leaned back.
Then the lights went out.
