Chapter 2 - THE MAN WHO KNEW ABOUT THE CRASH
The man outside Olivia's townhouse knew something about my accident that even the police hadn't told me.
I stared at the security monitor.
He looked about thirty-five, wearing a rain-soaked leather jacket.
His eyes darted nervously toward the street.
"Please," he shouted. "I need to speak to Claire Bennett!"
Olivia called the police.
Then she spoke through the intercom.
"Who are you?"
"Daniel Reed."
My stomach tightened.
Vanessa's brother.
I'd met him once at a company Christmas party.
He worked in transportation logistics and had seemed uncomfortable around Vincent.
"What do you want?" Olivia demanded.
Daniel looked directly into the camera.
"Tell Claire the delivery van belonged to Reed Freight."
My breathing stopped.
"Your company?" Olivia asked.
"My former company."
He looked over his shoulder.
Then whispered:
"Vanessa arranged the vehicle."
I grabbed Olivia's arm.
"Don't open the door."
She nodded.
Daniel kept speaking.
"The driver was supposed to frighten Claire. That's what they told him."
My chest tightened.
"Who told him?" I whispered.
Olivia repeated the question.
Daniel's expression changed.
"I don't know who gave the final order."
Suddenly, headlights swept across the street.
A black SUV slowed near the townhouse.
Daniel saw it.
His face went white.
"Oh, God."
He backed away from the door.
"Tell Claire to check the hospital's original emergency-call records!"
Then he ran.
The SUV accelerated after him.
Olivia immediately gave the dispatcher the vehicle description.
I sat on the stairs, trembling.
My accident hadn't been an accident?
I remembered the delivery van.
Its headlights appearing from the left.
The violent impact.
The driver's face behind the windshield.
He hadn't looked surprised.
He'd looked determined.
The thought made me nauseated.
Olivia helped me back to the couch.
"Claire, we need to tell the police everything."
I nodded.
For years, I'd protected Vincent's reputation.
I'd covered for his absences.
Explained his behavior.
Pretended we were happy.
But this wasn't about our marriage anymore.
Someone had almost killed me.
And my baby had died.
The police arrived twenty minutes later.
They took Olivia's security footage and documented Daniel's allegations.
An officer advised me to preserve my medical records and avoid contacting anyone potentially involved.
At 6:30 the next morning, my attorney, Rachel Monroe, arrived.
She was a sharp-eyed woman in her forties who'd handled several property matters for me before.
When I explained what happened, her expression became serious.
"Claire, we're filing for divorce and taking steps to protect your safety."
I nodded.
"And the accident?"
"We'll cooperate with the investigators."
She examined my discharge papers.
Then frowned.
"Did Vincent receive a copy of your medical information?"
"No."
Rachel looked relieved.
"Good. Your medical records belong to you."
But when she opened the accident report, she stopped.
"Claire..."
"What?"
"The delivery van's registration is under a company called Reed Freight Logistics."
"I know."
Rachel turned another page.
"The company was purchased six months ago."
My stomach tightened.
"By whom?"
She looked directly at me.
"Moretti Holdings."
Vincent's company.
May you like
And the purchase authorization carried a familiar signature.
Vanessa Reed.
