Chapter 10 - Uncle Stephen
Stephen Harper answered on the third ring.
"Claire? It's late."
"I talked to my mother."
A pause.
"That's a mistake."
"She says Dad was investigating you."
"Your mother says many things."
"Did you pay anyone to cut his brake line?"
"Where are you?"
"Answer me."
"Where are you, Claire?"
Five minutes later, Detective Ross called.
"Don't leave the house."
"Why?"
"We just got an alert. Your uncle accessed the old Harper family safe-deposit box downtown."
"So?"
"The bank flagged it because your father put a hold instruction on that box years ago."
Ross said, "Stay there."
We didn't.
It was reckless, but my father's secrets had already cost twelve years.
Stephen stood beside a black SUV holding a document case.
"Claire, go home."
"What's in the case?"
"Nothing that concerns you."
"Everything concerns me now."
Noah stepped beside me.
"This is family business."
"No," Noah said. "Your family nearly killed my daughter."
Stephen flinched.
"You knew," I said.
He rubbed a hand over his face.
"I knew Marlene was dangerous."
"And you let her near Sofia."
"I didn't know she would—"
"You knew."
His shoulders dropped.
Then he held out the case.
"Your father found evidence that your grandfather's company had been used to hide money. Marlene helped move it. So did I."
"How much?"
"Millions."
"Why would Dad care years after the company sold?"
"Because the trust was built with some of that money."
My stomach twisted.
"If the trust gets audited?"
"It can be frozen."
"That's what Mom wants?"
"No."
Stephen looked toward the garage entrance.
Fear moved across his face.
"Your mother doesn't want the money."
A car engine roared behind us.
Stephen grabbed my arm.
"DOWN!"
The first bullet shattered the SUV window.
As Noah pulled me behind a concrete pillar, Stephen shouted the truth over the gunfire.
"She wants the evidence buried because she wasn't working for me."
May you like
He looked toward the speeding car.
"She was working for your grandfather."
