Chapter 5 - THE SECRET IN HER FATHER'S OFFICE
Arthur Bell arrived at Claire's house the following morning carrying a leather briefcase.
He looked older than he had three days earlier.
“Claire, we need to talk somewhere private.”
She led him into her father's old study.
The room had remained almost untouched since Edward's death.
His books still lined the shelves.
His reading glasses remained beside the lamp.
A framed photograph of Claire at her college graduation sat on the desk.
Arthur placed the briefcase down.
“I received something last night.”
“What?”
“A package from your father's former financial investigator.”
Claire frowned.
“My father had an investigator?”
“He suspected irregularities in the company long before he died.”
Arthur removed a small envelope.
Inside was a flash drive.
“He asked me to keep this sealed unless the trust was challenged or someone attempted to access the protected accounts without your permission.”
Claire looked at him.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because your father specifically instructed me not to involve you unless it became necessary.”
She swallowed.
“What's on it?”
“Financial records. Voice recordings. Correspondence.”
Arthur connected the drive to his laptop.
A folder appeared.
The first file contained a recording dated two months before Edward's death.
Claire recognized her father's voice immediately.
“Howard, I know about the transfers.”
A second voice answered.
Howard.
“You're making accusations without evidence.”
“I have the evidence.”
“Then what do you want?”
“My granddaughter and my daughter protected.”
There was a pause.
Then Howard laughed.
“Edward, you're being sentimental.”
“I am being very serious.”
“Claire has no interest in the company.”
“She has more interest than you realize.”
Another silence.
Then Howard spoke again.
“Grant is the future of this business.”
“Grant is your nephew. That doesn't make him trustworthy.”
Claire stopped breathing.
The recording continued.
“You need to stay out of his way,” Howard said.
“Or what?”
“Or you'll make things difficult for everyone.”
The recording ended.
Claire stared at the screen.
“Was that a threat?”
Arthur nodded.
“There are several more recordings.”
He opened another file.
This one was dated six days before Edward's death.
Howard's voice was unmistakable.
“You can't keep protecting her from everything.”
Edward answered quietly.
“She's my daughter.”
“And Grant is my family.”
“Grant is not the man you think he is.”
The recording ended abruptly.
Claire felt a strange pressure in her chest.
Her father had known.
He had known something was wrong.
And he had tried to warn her.
“Arthur, did the police investigate his death?”
“Yes. There was no evidence of foul play.”
“Did anyone review these recordings?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because they were never discovered.”
Claire looked down at the flash drive.
There was one final folder.
Marked PRIVATE.
Inside was a document containing a handwritten note.
Claire, if something happens to me, don't trust the first explanation.
Her eyes filled.
She remembered the day her father died.
Grant had held her hand at the funeral.
Howard had stood beside them.
Everyone had said Edward had been unlucky.
But what if he hadn't?
Before Arthur could answer, Claire's phone rang.
It was Ethan's school.
Her son had developed a fever and complained of stomach pain.
Claire immediately called the pediatrician.
The doctor recommended bringing him in.
Arthur offered to stay.
Claire declined.
She collected Ethan and drove him to the clinic.
The doctor examined him and eventually determined he had a mild stomach virus.
Nothing serious.
Claire was relieved.
But when she returned home, she found Grant waiting in the driveway.
He stepped toward the car.
“Where have you been?”
“Taking Ethan to the doctor.”
“You could have told me.”
“I did. I sent you a message.”
Grant glanced at the boy.
“Buddy, go inside with the nanny.”
Ethan hesitated.
“Are you coming?”
Grant smiled.
“Of course.”
But Ethan didn't move.
He looked at his father, then at Claire.
Finally, he whispered, “I don't want you to fight.”
Claire crouched.
“We won't, sweetheart.”
Grant waited until the front door closed.
Then he grabbed Claire's arm.
“Listen to me. Whatever Arthur gave you, hand it over.”
She pulled away.
“Don't touch me.”
“You don't understand what you're dealing with.”
“Then explain it.”
Grant looked toward the house.
His voice dropped.
“Howard has people who can make problems disappear.”
Claire felt the cold settle in her stomach.
“Are you telling me he killed my father?”
Grant's eyes widened.
For one brief moment, she saw fear.
Then he shook his head.
“I didn't say that.”
“But you know something.”
He stepped closer.
“Claire, if you care about Ethan, stop digging.”
She stared at him.
Then she said something she had never imagined saying.
“You should be more worried about what happens when Ethan finds out who his father really is.”
Grant went pale.
His phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
Howard Bennett.
He answered.
May you like
And the first words Claire heard from the speaker were:
“Did you get the trust documents? Because if that girl has the recording, we're all finished.”
