Chapter 3 - THE MAN IN THE BLACK SUV
By midnight, the mansion was surrounded by Adrian's security team.
The police were not called.
Not because Adrian wanted to hide a crime.
Because he knew exactly how quickly information traveled once his name entered a police report.
Marcus Vale was brought inside.
His hands were empty.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
Adrian waited in the library.
Claire remained upstairs with one trusted nurse.
Marcus entered.
"You wanted me?"
Adrian looked at him.
"I saw you outside my house."
"I was protecting you."
"From whom?"
Marcus didn't answer.
Adrian leaned back.
"Try again."
"I received information that someone might target Claire."
"You didn't tell me."
"I was ordered not to."
"By whom?"
Marcus hesitated.
Adrian smiled.
"That hesitation just cost you."
Marcus's jaw tightened.
"Victor."
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"Victor Hale?"
"He said Claire had become a liability."
Adrian stood.
"Why?"
"She knew about the accounts."
"What accounts?"
"The foundation."
Adrian stared at him.
"How much?"
"Eight million."
Silence.
Eight million dollars had disappeared from his charitable foundation over fourteen months.
Adrian had assumed it was fraud.
Marcus continued.
"It wasn't stolen."
"What?"
"It was transferred."
"Where?"
"Medical research companies."
Adrian frowned.
"Why would Victor move foundation money into medical companies?"
Marcus placed a folder on the table.
"Because the companies were connected to Claire's treatment."
Adrian opened it.
His hands froze.
Every payment matched dates on Claire's medical records.
Infusions.
Laboratory tests.
Specialists.
Hospital deposits.
But the amounts were enormous.
Too enormous.
"This is impossible."
Marcus shook his head.
"Someone used the foundation to pay for Claire's treatment."
Adrian's face tightened.
"Who authorized it?"
"Daniel."
The room went silent.
Adrian picked up the phone.
He called his attorney.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then a text arrived.
You shouldn't have torn the papers.
Adrian stared at the screen.
He immediately sent a reply.
Who are you?
The response came seconds later.
Ask your wife what happened at Saint Mary's.
Adrian looked toward the staircase.
He went upstairs.
Claire was awake.
The nurse had left.
"You know Saint Mary's?"
Claire's face changed.
"Why?"
"Tell me."
She looked away.
"Adrian, please."
"What happened there?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Claire."
She closed her eyes.
"That was where I lost the baby."
Adrian stopped breathing.
"What baby?"
Claire looked at him.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"The baby we were supposed to have."
Adrian's face went blank.
"When?"
"Two years ago."
He remembered.
Claire had told him she miscarried early in the pregnancy.
He had been in New York.
He had come home three days later.
He had accepted her silence.
He had never asked enough questions.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I did."
"No."
"You were standing in the hallway."
Adrian shook his head.
"I don't remember."
"I know."
Claire wiped her tears.
"Because you were on the phone."
The words devastated him.
"I said I was pregnant."
Adrian's throat tightened.
"You said you were tired."
"I said both."
He sat down.
"Why did you lose the baby?"
Claire looked at him.
"I didn't."
Adrian froze.
"What?"
"I didn't lose the baby naturally."
She reached beneath her pillow.
She pulled out a medical report.
The diagnosis had been changed.
The original record showed evidence of drug exposure.
Adrian read it twice.
"What drug?"
Claire whispered,
"Something that caused the miscarriage."
His eyes lifted.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Claire."
"I woke up in the hospital and the doctor told me the pregnancy had ended."
She looked toward the window.
"But I remembered someone standing beside my bed."
"Who?"
"Daniel."
Adrian stood so quickly the chair struck the floor.
"Daniel was there?"
Claire nodded.
"He told me you already knew."
Adrian's breathing became heavy.
"Did you believe him?"
"I did."
"Why?"
"Because you didn't come."
Adrian closed his eyes.
The guilt hit him like a physical blow.
Claire continued.
"Then six months ago, I found the original medical file."
"Where?"
"Inside an old foundation archive."
"Who put it there?"
"I don't know."
Adrian stared at her.
"Claire, someone has been controlling information between us for years."
She nodded.
"And now they're afraid."
"Why?"
She reached for the hospital bag.
Inside the inner pocket was a tiny flash drive.
"Because I found this."
Adrian took it.
"What is it?"
"Everything."
He looked at her.
"Everything about what?"
Claire whispered,
"The people who have been stealing from you."
A gunshot exploded downstairs.
Claire screamed.
Adrian grabbed her and pulled her behind the bed.
Another shot.
Then footsteps.
Heavy.
Fast.
Coming upstairs.
Adrian's hand went to the weapon hidden beneath his jacket.
The bedroom door handle began to turn.
And someone whispered from the hallway:
"Claire, it's me."
May you like
She went pale.
"Michael."
