Chapter 16 - Richard's Perfect Mask
The investigator’s name was Owen Pike.
He had taken money to follow Clare.
That part was legal.
Then Richard asked him to do things that were not.
Track Maya’s belongings.
Photograph Clare through windows.
Obtain private employment information.
Deliver “psychological pressure” without direct threats.
Owen had kept invoices.
Richard had demanded invoices.
He liked records when he believed records proved control.
The irony nearly made Elena smile.
Inside the courtroom, Richard still looked perfect.
His attorney objected to the late evidence.
The judge allowed a limited proffer and postponed final argument until the investigator could be examined under oath.
Richard’s composure cracked only once.
When Elena mentioned the trackers, he turned toward Clare instead of his lawyer.
“You took my daughter,” he said.
The judge stopped him.
But Clare heard the important word.
My.
Not our.
After court, Richard’s firm placed him on administrative leave pending an internal review of the secret phone and expense account.
By evening, a local legal blog had the story.
By midnight, strangers online were arguing about whether Clare was a victim or an opportunist.
Gabriel found her reading comments in the hotel lounge.
He took the phone from her hand.
She glared.
He immediately gave it back.
“Sorry.”
Clare looked at him.
“Thank you.”
“I was trying to help.”
“I know. Don’t take things out of my hand.”
“Understood.”
He sat across from her.
“How do you stand it?” she asked.
“People talking about you?”
“Yes.”
“I stopped confusing being known with being understood.”
Clare considered that.
Then she looked toward Maya, asleep on a sofa beside Isabella, and Leo in a portable crib.
“What was Sofia like?”
Gabriel’s face softened.
“Loud. Impatient. Brilliant. She hated my shoes.”
Clare smiled.
“I’m sorry she died.”
“So am I.”
No grand speech.
No forced intimacy.
Just two tired people telling the truth.
Elena entered holding her laptop.
“Owen gave us access to his job log.”
She set it down.
One entry from three months earlier contained an audio-file reference.
CLIENT REQUESTED VERBAL MESSAGE DELIVERED TO SUBJECT’S RESIDENCE. RECORDING RETAINED PER LIABILITY POLICY.
Clare’s pulse jumped.
“What verbal message?”
Elena pressed play.
May you like
Richard’s voice filled the room.
“If she tries to leave, scare her. Don’t touch her. I need her frightened, not bruised.”
