Chapter 7 - Claire’s Last Investigation
Charles Merrick looked exhausted in the recording.
The date showed six days before Claire’s accident.
He sat inside the estate library, glancing repeatedly toward the door.
“Claire discovered that Callahan Industrial funds were being redirected through shell companies.”
Merrick held several documents toward the camera.
“The money financed illegal acquisitions, political bribes, and industrial sabotage.”
Grant watched without moving.
“The transactions were authorized using Grant’s digital credentials.”
“I believed Grant was responsible.”
“So did Claire.”
Grant’s face tightened.
Merrick continued.
“Then we discovered his credentials had been cloned.”
“The access originated from Daniel Mercer’s security office.”
I looked at Grant.
He had employed Mercer before marrying Claire.
Mercer had controlled the estate’s surveillance and Grant’s personal protection.
“Mercer was not acting alone,” Merrick said.
“The payments traveled through Cole Meridian subsidiaries.”
“Victor Cole is involved.”
“But there is another person inside Callahan Industrial who approved every transfer.”
Merrick looked toward the library door again.
The recording distorted.
For several seconds, the screen went black.
When the image returned, Merrick spoke more quietly.
“Claire believes the internal partner is a member of Grant’s family.”
Grant paused the video.
“My family?”
“Who had access?” I asked.
“My younger brother, Nathan.”
“Your parents?”
“Both dead.”
“Any cousins on the board?”
“One.”
“Which director?”
“Elaine Porter.”
“The woman who said she was concerned about your leadership?”
Grant nodded.
“Her mother was my father’s sister.”
We resumed the recording.
Merrick placed a folder on the table.
“Claire is planning to confront Elaine.”
“I told her to wait.”
“She refused.”
“She believes Lily saw Renata in the garage.”
Grant pressed both hands against the desk.
“Claire knew?”
The recording continued.
“Lily drew the scene twice.”
“Claire asked Renata why she had been near the car.”
“Renata denied it.”
“Mercer later removed the drawings from Lily’s room.”
Merrick’s voice shook.
“If Claire dies, Grant must know the crash was planned.”
“Mercer altered the vehicle.”
“Renata distracted Claire.”
“Elaine financed the operation.”
“And Victor Cole promised them control of the company after Grant married Renata.”
Grant stopped the video again.
“He planned it two years in advance.”
I understood.
Victor could not simply seize Callahan Industrial.
But he could weaken Grant.
Isolate Lily.
Place Renata inside the family.
Arrange a marriage.
Then create an accident for Grant after the wedding.
Renata would become Lily’s guardian.
Elaine would control the board.
Victor would control them both.
“Play the rest,” I said.
Merrick took a breath.
“There is a second file.”
“It contains Claire’s final conversation with Elaine.”
“If I cannot reach Grant, the password is the sentence Lily said the morning after the rain.”
The recording ended.
The second file was encrypted.
Grant stared at the password field.
“What did Lily say that morning?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
“She stopped speaking after the accident.”
“Maybe she said something before she became silent.”
Grant covered his eyes.
“I was not here.”
“Where were you?”
“Tokyo.”
“Claire called me six times.”
His voice cracked.
“I was in negotiations.”
“I turned off my phone.”
I said nothing.
There are moments when comfort becomes an insult.
Grant needed to feel the truth.
He had chosen work.
Claire had needed him.
Lily had needed him.
He had not answered.
“I came home after the accident,” he said.
“Lily was sitting beneath the piano.”
“Margaret said she had been there for hours.”
“What was she holding?”
Grant lowered his hands.
“A silver music box.”
“What happened to it?”
“I don’t know.”
We searched the estate until midnight.
The music box was not in Lily’s room.
It was not in storage.
It was not among Claire’s possessions.
Margaret, still recovering in the hospital, remembered Lily carrying it on the morning after the crash.
“She kept turning the key,” Margaret said over the phone.
“The melody played again and again.”
“Did she speak?” Grant asked.
Margaret was silent.
“Please.”
“She said one sentence.”
“What sentence?”
Margaret began crying.
“She said, ‘The red lady broke Mommy’s wheel.’”
Grant typed the sentence.
The file did not open.
We tried different punctuation.
Different capitalization.
Nothing worked.
Then Lily entered the library.
She wore blue pajamas and carried the drawing of Renata near Claire’s car.
She looked at the screen.
Grant crouched beside her.
“Do you remember what you said after Mommy died?”
Lily nodded.
“Can you tell me?”
Her eyes moved toward the painting.
Then she whispered.
“Red lady made Mommy fly.”
Grant typed the words.
The file opened.
An audio recording began.
Claire’s voice filled the room.
“You will not take this company from my daughter.”
Elaine Porter answered.
“You should have stayed out of things you did not understand.”
“I understand that you stole millions.”
“I understand you brought Victor Cole into our family.”
“And I understand Renata is using my husband.”
Elaine laughed softly.
“By the time Grant understands anything, you will be gone.”
Grant gripped the desk.
Claire’s voice became colder.
“If anything happens to me, Merrick has everything.”
“No,” Elaine said.
“He has what we allowed him to find.”
A door opened in the recording.
Renata spoke.
“Claire, your car is ready.”
The audio ended with Claire saying one final sentence.
“Lily saw you in the garage.”
Then came the sound of a struggle.
The recording cut off.
Grant immediately called Detective Ruiz.
Before she answered, every light in the library flashed red.
A warning appeared on the computer.
REMOTE ACCESS DETECTED.
May you like
Someone was trying to erase Claire’s evidence.
And the signal was coming from inside the estate.
