Chapter 2 - THIRTEEN MONTHS OF EMAILS
Mara Collins, Carter Meridian's general counsel.
Daniel handed her the certificate.
"Where did you get this?"
"My desk."
"Who put it there?"
"Vanessa says she doesn't know."
"Do not let her leave."
Too late.
Vanessa's car was already gone.
Police issued an alert.
Thirteen months of messages.
At first they sounded like her.
Claire always wrote "okay."
The emails used "OK."
Claire hated emojis.
Three messages had them.
Claire never called Daniel "Danny."
One email did.
Mara pulled up the transaction log.
Claire's credentials had approved forty-seven million dollars in transfers after the date on the death certificate.
"Where did the money go?"
"Six shell vendors."
"Who owns them?"
"We don't know yet."
Her face appeared on screen.
Low light.
Hair pulled back.
"Daniel, I'm safe. Stop searching. I need time."
Now Mara paused the frame.
"Look at her left ear."
Claire had a small scar from a childhood accident.
The woman in the video did not.
"That's not her."
"A deepfake?"
"Or a double."
Daniel's phone rang.
Unknown number.
A woman whispered, "Mr. Carter?"
"Who is this?"
"My name is Elise Monroe. I worked in executive services."
"Worked?"
"I quit six months ago."
"Why are you calling?"
"Because I saw the news alert for Vanessa."
"What do you know?"
Elise breathed hard.
"Claire never sent those emails."
His grip tightened.
"How do you know?"
"Because I sent them."
Silence.
Daniel's voice went cold.
"Where are you?"
"Don't call the police."
"That isn't your choice."
"Please. If Marcus knows I'm talking, he'll find me."
"Why did you impersonate my sister?"
"Because they told me she was alive."
"Who told you?"
A car horn blasted through the phone.
Elise gasped.
Then she whispered, "Vanessa."
The line cut out.
Thirty seconds later, a text arrived.
One address.
May you like
And one warning.
COME ALONE OR YOU'LL NEVER LEARN WHERE CLAIRE'S BODY IS.
