Chapter 13 - The Person Claire Trusted Most
Suspicion destroyed rooms faster than gunfire.
Claire watched everyone differently.
Nora had protected the Parker family for decades.
Ortiz had risked her life at Harbor Point.
Daniel Mercer had frozen Blackthorn accounts within hours.
The FBI agent, Samuel Reeves, had coordinated every major arrest.
One of them had leaked Elena’s location.
Or Richard had another source.
Ortiz designed a test.
Four fake transfer locations.
Each suspect received a different one.
Nora was told Elena would be moved to Annapolis.
Mercer heard Virginia.
Reeves heard Delaware.
A junior case supervisor received Pennsylvania.
Claire received nothing.
Then they waited.
At 2:13 a.m., armed men approached a warehouse in Delaware.
The location given only to Samuel Reeves.
Ortiz stared at the surveillance monitor.
“Got you.”
Reeves was arrested in his office before sunrise.
But his confession delivered another shock.
“I wasn’t working for Richard.”
“Who?”
“The Circle.”
“Who runs it?”
Reeves refused.
Federal prosecutor Mercer threatened life imprisonment.
Reeves laughed.
“You still think Richard matters.”
Claire leaned forward.
“He tried to bury me alive.”
“He panicked.”
“Richard doesn’t panic.”
“He did when Michael’s ledger resurfaced.”
Reeves smiled.
“Richard knows what happens to people who expose the Circle.”
“Then why hasn’t he surrendered?”
“Because surrender won’t save him.”
Claire understood.
Richard wasn’t only hiding from police.
He was hiding from his partners.
Reeves revealed the Circle had ordered Richard to eliminate Claire permanently after the funeral failed.
Richard refused.
Not from compassion.
Because Claire had become his bargaining chip.
If he could trade her for immunity, he might survive.
“Where is he?” Ortiz asked.
Reeves shook his head.
“Only one person knows.”
“Who?”
Reeves looked directly at Claire.
“Nora Vance.”
Claire slowly turned.
Nora went pale.
“That is a lie.”
Reeves laughed.
“Ask her about April 3, 2018.”
Claire looked at Nora.
Nora’s hands trembled.
That was enough.
“What happened April third?”
Nora closed her eyes.
“Michael contacted me.”
Claire stood.
“What?”
“Three days before he created the watch file.”
“You told me Dad came to you months before his death.”
“He did.”
“What happened in 2018?”
“That date was seven years ago.”
Claire’s voice sharpened.
“Exactly.”
Nora began crying.
“Michael called me from the marina.”
Ethan stared at her.
“The night he died?”
“Yes.”
“You spoke to my dad?”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
Nora’s voice broke.
“He told me Richard had found him.”
Claire went completely still.
“And you never told me?”
“I was afraid.”
“He was alive.”
“I know.”
“You could have called police.”
“Michael begged me not to.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard had threatened you and Ethan.”
Claire stepped backward as if struck.
Nora continued.
“Michael said he would keep Richard occupied. He told me to take you somewhere safe.”
“But you didn’t.”
“I tried.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Claire—”
“You came to my house the next morning and told me the Coast Guard was searching for Michael.”
Nora cried harder.
“I thought he escaped.”
“You let me believe he drowned.”
“I didn’t know Richard killed him until later.”
“When?”
“After you married Richard.”
Claire stared.
“How?”
Nora reached into her purse and removed an old key.
“Richard came to me.”
“When?”
“Six months after your wedding.”
“He knew Michael had called me.”
“What did he want?”
“The Harbor Ledger.”
“Did you give it to him?”
“I didn’t have it.”
“Then why are you still alive?”
Nora looked toward Ethan.
“Because I made a deal.”
The room fell silent.
“I promised that if Michael’s evidence ever surfaced, I would tell Richard.”
Claire whispered:
“And did you?”
Nora could not answer.
Claire already knew.
“You told him six weeks ago.”
Nora covered her face.
“I thought he would destroy the papers.”
“He put me in a coffin.”
“I didn’t know.”
“You gave him the reason.”
Nora sank into the chair.
Ethan stood.
He looked at the woman who had been part of his family his entire life.
“Richard didn’t find Mom’s evidence.”
Nora cried silently.
“You told him where to look.”
“Yes.”
Claire walked out.
For years she had wondered how Richard discovered Michael’s trail so quickly.
Now she knew.
The betrayal had not begun with a stranger.
It had come from the person her father trusted with the family’s secrets.
But Nora had one final piece of information.
Before Claire reached the door, Nora whispered:
“I know where Richard is going.”
Claire stopped.
“Where?”
“The same place this started.”
“The funeral home?”
May you like
Nora shook her head.
“Michael’s boat.”
