Chapter 5 - THE MILLIONAIRE WHO REFUSED TO WALK AWAY
Claire had spent two years terrified that the police would come for her again.
Now they were standing outside the vault.
And the charge was murder.
Detective Samuel Price entered the bank manager’s office with two uniformed officers.
“Claire Bennett?”
“Yes.”
“You need to come with us.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“On what grounds?”
Price produced a warrant.
“The murder of Daniel Cross.”
Claire stared.
“That’s impossible.”
Daniel Cross had been alive the previous afternoon.
She had seen him across the foundation lobby.
He had looked directly at her.
Then turned away.
Price continued.
“Mr. Cross was found dead in his apartment this morning.”
Claire’s knees weakened.
“I didn’t touch him.”
“Then you can explain that downtown.”
Ethan took out his phone.
“I’m calling my attorney.”
Price’s expression hardened.
“You can do whatever you like, Mr. Mercer. But she’s coming with us.”
Claire looked at Ethan.
For a moment, she expected the same thing that had happened at her previous job.
A wealthy employer stepping away.
Protecting his reputation.
Leaving her alone.
Instead, Ethan stood beside her.
“Claire, don’t answer questions without counsel.”
She nodded.
“I’ll meet you at the station.”
“Why are you doing this?” she whispered.
He looked at her.
“Because somebody is working very hard to make you look guilty.”
At police headquarters, Claire learned that Daniel Cross had been killed shortly after midnight.
A security camera showed a woman entering his apartment building at 11:46 p.m.
The woman wore a dark coat.
Her face was hidden.
But the coat resembled Claire’s.
Police had also recovered a threatening email apparently sent from Claire’s account.
YOU DESTROYED MY CAREER. NOW YOU’LL PAY.
Claire stared at the printed message.
“I never wrote that.”
Detective Price folded his arms.
“Can anyone confirm where you were?”
“Yes. I was with Ethan Mercer until almost eleven.”
“And after that?”
“At home.”
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
Price said nothing.
Claire knew what that silence meant.
At 3:15 p.m., Margaret Ellis arrived.
By 5:40, she had obtained evidence showing that the threatening email originated from a device outside Claire’s control.
At 6:20, the police released Claire pending further investigation.
Ethan waited outside.
He had been there for hours.
Claire emerged into the cold evening air, exhausted and pale.
“I thought you would leave,” she admitted.
Ethan opened the passenger door of his car.
“I said I would wait.”
“You barely know me.”
“I know enough.”
She looked away before he could see her eyes fill.
They drove toward the foundation.
Ethan had arranged for independent forensic specialists to examine the Whitmore Collection.
He also wanted Claire to review the bank documents in a secure location.
When they arrived, the building was nearly empty.
But a light burned inside Victoria Hale’s office.
Ethan stopped.
“She told me she was going home.”
Claire looked through the glass wall.
Victoria stood beside a filing cabinet, feeding documents into a shredder.
Ethan entered without knocking.
“Working late?”
Victoria spun around.
“Ethan!”
He glanced at the shredder.
“What are you destroying?”
“Old administrative files.”
“Then you won’t mind if I examine them.”
Victoria stepped between him and the machine.
“Those are confidential.”
“So is the foundation’s money.”
Her face tightened.
Claire noticed a folder lying open on the desk.
Across the top was a photograph of her mother.
Evelyn Bennett.
Claire moved closer.
“Where did you get that?”
Victoria grabbed the folder.
“Private foundation records.”
Claire reached for it.
Victoria pulled away.
Ethan’s voice turned cold.
“Give her the folder.”
For a long moment, Victoria looked ready to refuse.
Then she handed it over.
Inside was an insurance investigation report from the accident that killed Claire’s mother.
Claire opened the first page.
Her heart began pounding.
The report stated that the vehicle’s brake system had been deliberately tampered with.
The original investigation had never been completed.
And the person who ordered the vehicle inspection was listed as Richard Hale.
Victoria’s father.
Claire looked up.
“You knew.”
Victoria said nothing.
“You knew my mother was murdered.”
Victoria’s composure cracked.
“You have no idea what your mother did.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“What are you talking about?”
Victoria looked at Claire with something worse than hatred.
Fear.
“Your mother wasn’t an innocent woman, Claire.”
May you like
Then she whispered the words that would change everything.
“She was the one who stole the original Whitmore archive.”
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