Chapter 12 - THE TRAP
“Where are the files?” Ryan demanded.
Claire sat inside a police operations room.
Two investigators listened through headphones.
Natalie sat beside her.
Claire answered casually.
“Safe.”
“You don’t know what you’re looking at.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Claire.”
“You forged my signature.”
Silence.
“You stole from clients.”
Nothing.
“You used my father’s inheritance.”
Ryan breathed hard.
“Where are the files?”
Claire knew exactly what investigators wanted.
Keep him talking.
“I made copies.”
“You’re lying.”
“Am I?”
Ryan swore.
“Meet me.”
Claire looked at the lead investigator.
He nodded.
“Where?”
“Your dad’s old hardware store.”
Claire stiffened.
The building had been empty since her father died.
“Why there?”
“Because nobody else gets involved.”
“Jessica?”
“She’s fine.”
“Put her on.”
“No.”
“Then no meeting.”
Ryan cursed.
Seconds later, Jessica’s voice appeared.
“Claire?”
She sounded terrified.
“Jessica, are you hurt?”
“No.”
Ryan grabbed the phone.
“Now you heard her.”
Claire forced herself to stay calm.
“Eight o’clock.”
“Come alone.”
“Fine.”
The call ended.
Investigators moved quickly.
The old hardware store was surrounded before Claire arrived.
She wore a concealed microphone.
Officers watched from nearby buildings.
At 8:03, she entered.
The place smelled exactly as she remembered.
Dust.
Wood.
Metal.
Her father.
Ryan stood near the back counter.
Jessica sat in a chair.
Her hands were not tied.
But she looked terrified.
Claire stared at Ryan.
“You’ve really lost your mind.”
Ryan looked exhausted.
“You brought the files?”
“Where’s David?”
Ryan’s face changed.
“I don’t know.”
“His blood was found in his car.”
“He staged it.”
Claire blinked.
“What?”
“He’s running.”
That possibility hadn’t occurred to her.
“Why?”
“Because he stole from me.”
Claire almost laughed.
“You stole from everyone.”
Ryan stepped forward.
“No. David took the offshore accounts.”
“Then why kidnap Jessica?”
“I didn’t kidnap her.”
Jessica snapped, “You locked the car doors!”
Ryan shouted, “Because you were hysterical!”
Claire looked at Jessica.
Then Ryan.
“Let her leave.”
“Files first.”
“I don’t have them.”
Ryan froze.
Claire smiled.
“They’re already with investigators.”
His expression died.
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
He moved toward her.
“You stupid—”
The side door crashed open.
Police flooded the building.
“Hands!”
Ryan turned.
Jessica screamed.
Claire backed away.
Ryan reached inside his jacket.
Every officer raised a weapon.
“Don’t!”
Ryan stopped.
Slowly, he pulled out—
a flash drive.
He held it up.
“Everybody wants the truth?”
Nobody moved.
Ryan laughed.
“Then arrest Gregory Hawthorne.”
Gregory wasn’t there.
But Ryan’s next words changed the case again.
“Because Northstar wasn’t my idea.”
Claire stared at him.
Ryan dropped the drive to the floor.
May you like
“Gregory started it.”
And suddenly the man everyone thought was a victim became the biggest question of all.
