Chapter 6 - THE SECRET HER FATHER LEFT BEHIND
Claire had been twelve when her father died.
At least, that was the story she had carried for twenty-two years.
Daniel Morgan had supposedly lost control of his car during a February snowstorm outside Worcester.
Her mother never remarried.
Never spoke about the accident.
And died eight years later without changing the story.
Now Claire sat inside a federal office overlooking Boston Harbor while Special Agent Naomi Keller placed a file in front of her.
"Your father's accident wasn't an accident."
Adrian sat at the opposite end of the table.
Claire had permitted him to attend because the file involved both families.
Nothing more.
She opened it.
Photographs.
Shipping manifests.
Bank transfers.
A younger Daniel Morgan standing beside Adrian's father, Thomas Cole.
Claire looked up.
"My father knew yours?"
Adrian looked equally shocked.
"Apparently."
Keller explained.
During the 1990s, Daniel Morgan had worked as an accountant for several waterfront companies.
One belonged to Thomas Cole.
Daniel discovered money laundering.
He copied records.
Then threatened to expose it.
Days later, he died.
Claire stared at Adrian.
"Did your father kill mine?"
"I don't know."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only truthful one I have."
She hated that.
She hated more that she believed him.
Keller slid another document forward.
"Owen believed Daniel Morgan hid copies of the records."
"Where?"
"We don't know."
Claire suddenly remembered something.
Her architecture firm.
Her father had left her an old drafting cabinet.
She had moved it through three apartments and two offices because it was one of the few objects she still had from him.
A cabinet with a false bottom.
Claire stood.
"I might."
Two hours later, she entered her South End office with Keller and Adrian.
The cabinet stood near the windows.
Claire removed the bottom drawer.
Nothing.
Then Adrian crouched.
"May I?"
She nodded.
He ran his fingers along the underside.
Click.
A hidden panel opened.
Inside sat a yellow envelope.
Claire's name was written across it.
She recognized her father's handwriting.
Her knees weakened.
Adrian caught her elbow instinctively.
Then immediately released it.
That tiny gesture hurt more than if he had held on.
Claire opened the envelope.
A letter.
My Claire,
If you ever read this, then I failed to come home.
Her vision blurred.
She continued.
Daniel described Thomas Cole's network.
He also described Thomas's young son.
Adrian.
The boy is not his father. I have seen him argue with Thomas about the men around the docks. If he ever becomes powerful enough, I hope he chooses differently.
Claire looked at Adrian.
He had gone pale.
The letter ended with a location.
Locker 317.
South Station.
Keller immediately dispatched agents.
Adrian remained beside the cabinet.
"My father knew."
Claire folded the letter.
"You don't know that."
"I knew what kind of man he was."
"You were what? Nineteen?"
"Twenty."
"You aren't responsible for what he did."
Adrian laughed bitterly.
"I inherited his business."
"And then?"
He looked at her.
"I spent fifteen years becoming powerful enough that nobody could ever control me."
"Did it work?"
"No."
His gaze moved to her stomach.
"It cost me the only person whose opinion ever mattered."
Claire looked away.
"Don't turn this into a speech about us."
"I'm not."
For once, he wasn't.
That evening, agents opened Locker 317.
Inside were decades-old records connecting Thomas Cole and several associates to Daniel's death.
But one name mattered now.
Richard Vale.
A respected Boston developer.
A philanthropist.
And the largest client Claire's architecture firm had ever signed.
Claire stared at the contract on her desk.
Vale had hired her three months ago.
Before she discovered Adrian's supposed affair.
Before she decided to leave.
Adrian understood first.
"He didn't hire your firm for your architecture."
Claire felt sick.
"He wanted access to my father's belongings."
Keller nodded.
"And Owen worked for Vale."
Claire sank into her chair.
Everything connected.
Her marriage.
Her kidnapping.
Her father.
Adrian stood.
"I'll handle Vale."
Claire's head snapped up.
"No."
"Claire—"
"No."
His jaw tightened.
"He's dangerous."
"So are you."
"Exactly."
Claire stood.
"This is what you always do. You decide you're the wall and everyone else should stand behind you."
"I'm trying to keep you alive."
"And I'm trying to stay myself."
They faced each other.
Then Adrian did something Claire did not expect.
He stepped back.
"What do you want to do?"
She blinked.
He waited.
Actually waited.
Claire looked at Keller.
"We finish the project."
Adrian frowned.
Claire continued.
"Vale thinks I don't know."
Keller slowly understood.
"You want to draw him out."
"Yes."
Adrian looked ready to object.
Claire raised an eyebrow.
He closed his mouth.
For the first time in years, she almost smiled.
Then her office phone rang.
Claire answered.
"Claire Morgan."
Richard Vale's warm voice came through.
"Claire. I'm glad I caught you."
Her blood chilled.
"We're still on for tomorrow, I hope."
"Of course."
"Wonderful."
A pause.
Then Vale added casually:
"Oh, and Claire?"
"Yes?"
"Congratulations on the baby."
The line went dead.
Nobody in that room moved.
Claire slowly lowered the phone.
Adrian's expression became murderous.
Claire looked at him.
"He knows."
Adrian nodded.
"Yes."
She placed a hand over her stomach.
"Then tomorrow..."
May you like
Her voice steadied.
"...we make sure he thinks I don't."
