Chapter 7 - THE BOX SARAH TRIED TO HIDE
Police took statements for two hours.
Daniel told them about Claire, the missing trust money, the threats, and the box.
He did not like how slowly everyone moved.
To them, it was a burglary.
To him, it was somebody cleaning up a three-year-old secret.
Reed finally agreed to talk without excuses.
“Sarah believed someone inside the foundation was stealing from donors.”
“Claire?”
“Claire helped move the money.”
“Who was above her?”
Reed looked away.
“I never knew for sure.”
Daniel didn’t believe him.
Reed continued.
“Sarah copied records into a private archive.”
“She put the access information in that blue box.”
“Why Lily’s trust?”
“Because the trust was separate from the foundation.”
“Sarah thought nobody could reach it without you.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“She was wrong.”
Reed lowered his voice.
“She also left instructions.”
“What instructions?”
“If anything happened to her, a sealed packet was supposed to go to you when Lily turned ten.”
Daniel stared.
“Lily is six.”
“I know.”
“Where is the packet?”
Reed’s face went pale.
“Missing.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Since when?”
“Since the week after Sarah died.”
That evening, Daniel searched Sarah’s old study again.
He removed books.
Opened vents.
Checked drawers he had not touched since the funeral.
Lily sat on the floor beside him coloring quietly.
Then she looked up.
“Daddy, Mommy had a hiding place.”
Daniel stopped.
“Where?”
Lily crawled beneath Sarah’s old desk.
She pressed one wooden panel.
A narrow compartment opened.
Inside was a folded envelope.
Daniel’s name was written across the front in Sarah’s handwriting.
His hands shook as he opened it.
There was only one page.
Daniel, if Claire Bennett ever enters Lily’s life, it means I was right to be afraid.
Daniel stopped breathing.
May you like
Sarah had written the warning before she died.
Before Daniel ever met Claire.
