Chapter 10 - SHE WAS ALIVE
Adrian couldn’t hear anything except his heartbeat.
“Claire was alive?”
Daniel nodded.
“For maybe fifteen minutes.”
Natalie started shaking.
“Why didn’t anyone call 911?”
“I wanted to.”
Margaret whispered, “That’s a lie.”
Daniel snapped toward her.
“You told me if police came, everyone was finished.”
Adrian looked from one face to another.
His mother.
His brother.
Madison.
Daniel.
All of them had been there.
All of them had left Claire dying.
Caleb groaned on the floor.
Marcus had wrapped his wounded shoulder.
Adrian knelt beside him.
“Tell me the truth.”
Caleb cried.
“I called.”
Everyone looked at him.
“I called 911.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
Caleb continued.
“Then Madison took my phone.”
Adrian turned toward her.
Madison whispered, “They could trace it.”
Natalie screamed.
“So you stopped the call?”
“I panicked!”
“My sister was DYING!”
Emma buried her face against Rachel.
Adrian forced himself to stay calm.
“Was Claire conscious?”
Caleb nodded.
“She kept saying your name.”
Adrian’s eyes filled with tears.
“What else?”
“She said…”
Caleb struggled to breathe.
“She said there was something in the trunk.”
“The red box?”
“No.”
Adrian leaned closer.
“What?”
“A second phone.”
Madison suddenly ran.
Natalie saw her first.
“She’s leaving!”
Madison sprinted toward the side exit.
Adrian chased her through the conservatory.
Glass doors slammed open.
Rain hit his face.
Madison reached a car.
Adrian grabbed the door before she could close it.
“Where is Claire’s phone?”
“I don’t know!”
“You knew she had it.”
“She recorded everything!”
Adrian froze.
“What?”
Madison shoved him.
“Claire didn’t trust anyone.”
“She was recording the chase?”
“Yes!”
“Where’s the phone?”
Madison looked toward the mansion.
Daniel appeared in the doorway.
And Madison’s fear returned.
“He has it.”
Daniel ran again.
Adrian chased him through the rain.
Daniel reached a black sedan.
Marcus blocked the driveway.
Daniel stopped.
Then sirens sounded in the distance.
Police.
Natalie had called them.
Daniel slowly raised his hands.
Adrian approached.
“Give me the phone.”
Daniel smiled.
“You really want to hear your wife’s last moments?”
Adrian’s jaw clenched.
“Yes.”
Daniel reached into his jacket.
Police shouted.
“Hands where we can see them!”
He pulled out a phone.
Old.
Cracked.
Wrapped in plastic.
Claire’s.
He tossed it onto the wet pavement.
Adrian caught it.
Daniel smiled.
“Listen carefully, little brother.”
Adrian looked at the dead phone.
“Because the last person Claire spoke to before she crashed…”
Daniel glanced toward Rachel.
May you like
“…wasn’t Madison.”
Rachel went completely still.
