Chapter 9 - MARGARET’S CONFESSION
Margaret sank into a chair.
“I didn’t kill Claire.”
Adrian stared at her.
“That sentence means you did something.”
She closed her eyes.
“I helped hide what happened afterward.”
Natalie lunged toward her.
“You covered up my sister’s death?”
Adrian caught Natalie before she reached Margaret.
“Let her talk.”
Margaret looked older than she had an hour earlier.
“Claire discovered everything.”
The stolen foundation money.
Daniel’s existence.
Madison’s involvement.
Caleb’s transfers.
Henry Westwood’s secret payments.
“She told me she would go public.”
“And you stopped her?”
“I begged her.”
Margaret’s voice cracked.
“She refused.”
Adrian felt disgust rise in him.
“So you called Hale.”
“Yes.”
“Before or after the crash?”
“After.”
Daniel laughed from across the room.
“Tell him the whole thing.”
Margaret glared at him.
Daniel crossed his arms.
“Tell him why you were already near Lake Forest that night.”
Adrian’s eyes locked on his mother.
“You were there?”
Margaret didn’t answer.
“Mom.”
“Yes.”
Natalie whispered a curse.
Margaret continued.
“I followed Claire.”
“Why?”
“I wanted the documents.”
Adrian stared at her.
“You chased my wife through a thunderstorm for paperwork?”
“She was going to destroy your father’s legacy!”
“My wife WAS my family!”
Margaret flinched.
Adrian had never screamed at her like that.
“Then what happened?”
Margaret looked toward the floor.
“She stopped.”
“Where?”
“Near the old rail bridge.”
“Who was there?”
“Caleb.”
“Madison.”
Her voice became quieter.
“And Daniel.”
Adrian turned toward his half brother.
Daniel’s eyes were cold.
“All four of you?”
Margaret nodded.
“Claire got back into her car.”
“What happened next?”
“Nobody touched her brakes.”
Adrian’s patience snapped.
“Then why did she drive off a cliff?”
Margaret started crying.
“Because someone followed her.”
“WHO?”
She looked at Madison.
Madison’s expression collapsed.
“No.”
Daniel laughed.
Adrian stepped toward Madison.
“You followed Claire?”
Madison shook her head.
“I just wanted the documents.”
“You followed her in a storm.”
“She wouldn’t stop!”
“So you chased her.”
“She was going to ruin everything!”
Natalie whispered, “You killed her.”
“No!”
Madison’s voice cracked.
“I never touched her car.”
Adrian looked at Margaret.
“What happened?”
Margaret swallowed.
“Madison pulled beside Claire on the narrow section near the guardrail.”
Adrian’s face went blank.
“She tried to force her to stop.”
Natalie covered her mouth.
“And Claire swerved.”
Margaret nodded.
Adrian looked at Madison.
Madison was sobbing now.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Adrian walked toward her.
“My wife died in that ravine.”
“I know.”
“You watched?”
Madison said nothing.
His voice dropped.
“Did you go down there?”
“No.”
“Did you call an ambulance?”
Madison looked away.
Adrian understood.
“You left her there.”
“No…”
“You left her there.”
Then Daniel spoke.
“She wasn’t dead yet.”
The room froze.
Adrian turned.
“What did you say?”
Daniel’s expression changed.
“When we reached the car…”
May you like
He swallowed.
“Claire was still alive.”
