Chapter 3 - THE WOMAN WHO WANTED CLARA GONE
I confronted Patricia the next morning.
She arrived at my office wearing a cream suit and carrying coffee.
She smiled when she entered.
"You look tired."
"I am."
"Chicago?"
"I didn't go."
Her smile faded.
"I heard."
I closed the door.
"Why did you write this?"
I placed the note on the desk.
Patricia stared at it.
For the first time since I'd known her, she looked genuinely frightened.
"I didn't."
"That's your handwriting."
"No."
I pushed it toward her.
She picked it up.
Her hands trembled.
"Ethan, listen to me."
"I'm listening."
"I did not write this."
"Then who did?"
She looked toward the window.
"I don't know."
I leaned closer.
"You've been telling me Clara is manipulating my daughters."
"Because she is."
"Why?"
"Because she knows things she shouldn't."
"Like what?"
Patricia's lips tightened.
"About Madeline."
The room went silent.
"What does Clara know about my wife?"
"I don't know."
"You just said she knows things."
"I said she knows too much."
I stared at her.
"Explain."
Patricia sat down.
"I knew Madeline before you married her."
That surprised me.
"How?"
"Through her family."
"What family?"
Patricia looked away.
"Madeline never told you everything."
I felt anger rising.
"Stop speaking in riddles."
She finally looked at me.
"Your wife had a sister."
I froze.
"She was an only child."
"That's what she told you."
I sat back.
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
Patricia took a breath.
"Madeline's father had another daughter."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"That's impossible."
"Madeline made sure nobody knew."
"Why?"
"Because the girl disappeared."
The room suddenly felt smaller.
"Where?"
"I don't know."
Patricia stood.
"I only know that Madeline spent years trying to find her."
I stared at her.
"And Clara?"
Patricia didn't answer.
"Does Clara know this woman?"
"I don't know."
"Then why are you afraid of her?"
Patricia's eyes met mine.
"Because your wife trusted her."
I felt something shift.
"How do you know that?"
"Because I saw them together."
"When?"
"Before Madeline died."
That sentence hit me like a physical blow.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because Madeline asked me not to."
"Why?"
Patricia looked exhausted.
"She said if anything happened to her, you would become obsessed with the truth."
I almost laughed.
"I became obsessed anyway."
"Exactly."
I stepped away.
"Leave."
"Ethan—"
"Leave."
She hesitated.
Then walked out.
I remained standing alone.
My entire understanding of Madeline had begun cracking.
That afternoon, I searched her old files.
There were hundreds.
Most were business documents.
Insurance.
Medical records.
Travel.
Then I found a folder labeled only:
C.B.
My pulse accelerated.
Inside was one photograph.
Madeline standing beside a younger woman.
The woman looked familiar.
Very familiar.
I stared at the face.
Then I understood.
Clara.
But Clara looked younger.
Maybe twenty.
Beside her stood Madeline, smiling.
On the back of the photograph were three words.
We found her.
I called Clara.
She came to the study.
I placed the photograph on the desk.
She looked at it.
Then sat down.
"You knew Madeline."
Clara nodded.
"Yes."
"How?"
"She was my friend."
"Friend?"
"More than that."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"She asked me not to."
I felt betrayed.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
Clara's eyes filled.
"Because Madeline was trying to protect you."
"From what?"
"From your own family."
Silence.
"What does that mean?"
Clara looked toward the door.
"Your father wasn't the man you think he was."
My blood chilled.
"My father died twelve years ago."
"I know."
"He built this company."
"He built more than that."
"What did he build?"
Clara took a slow breath.
"A network."
I stared.
"Your father controlled people through money, contracts, and fear. When Madeline discovered that some of his old operations were still active, she started investigating."
"Why?"
"Because she found evidence that someone had been moving money through charities connected to your family."
I felt sick.
"Who?"
Clara shook her head.
"I never found out."
"Then why did Madeline leave?"
Clara looked directly at me.
"Because she discovered someone inside your organization was planning to use your daughters."
My hands clenched.
"For what?"
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
"Then tell me what you do know."
Clara's voice broke.
"Madeline told me if she ever disappeared, I was to protect Avery and Sophie."
I stared at her.
"Protect them from whom?"
May you like
Clara whispered:
"From Patricia."
