Chapter 7 - Daniel's Secret
I didn’t confront him immediately.
That was the old Claire.
The new one had finally learned to ask questions before trusting anyone.
At six in the morning, Daniel woke.
“You slept?”
“A little.”
I held up my phone.
“Where were you the night my mother died?”
His face changed.
Not guilt.
Pain.
“That message came sooner than I expected.”
My skin went cold.
“You expected it?”
“Yes.”
“Who is sending these?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then explain.”
Daniel stood and looked out the hospital window.
“The night your mother died, she called me.”
“You told me you hadn’t spoken to her that day.”
“I lied.”
My voice sharpened.
“Why?”
“Because I was ashamed.”
“Of what?”
He turned.
“She asked me to come.”
I waited.
“I was in Chicago.”
“You flew back?”
“Yes.”
“What time?”
“Just after midnight.”
“My mother died at two thirteen.”
“Yes.”
My heartbeat quickened.
“Were you with her?”
“For forty minutes.”
“Why wasn’t that in the hospital record?”
“She was still at home.”
“What?”
He sat.
“After the argument with Margaret, your mother refused the ambulance. Linda stayed until around nine.”
Linda had never said that.
Daniel continued.
“Your mother called me at ten forty. She sounded scared.”
“What did she say?”
“That she thought someone had been inside the house.”
I stared.
“Who?”
“She didn’t know.”
“So you came.”
“I got there around twelve twenty.”
“What happened?”
“She gave me documents.”
“The investigation into Ethan?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“She asked me to destroy them.”
“Why?”
“She said Ethan knew where you were staying.”
My blood went cold.
“We lived together.”
“Yes.”
“She thought he would hurt me?”
“She was terrified.”
“Did you believe her?”
“I thought she was sick and frightened.”
Daniel looked down.
“That is what I’m ashamed of.”
He continued.
“I told her she was overreacting.”
My chest tightened.
“She begged me to stay.”
“But you left.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because we argued.”
My voice broke.
“About me?”
“Yes.”
He looked at me.
“She wanted me to tell you everything immediately.”
“And you didn’t.”
“I told her I needed proof.”
“What happened after you left?”
“She called emergency services twenty minutes later.”
“Why?”
“She collapsed.”
The room felt airless.
“Did you see anyone outside?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“A car.”
“What car?”
“Black Mercedes.”
“Margaret drives a black Mercedes.”
“She did then too.”
My fingers tightened.
“Why didn’t you tell police?”
“I did.”
I blinked.
“They said traffic cameras showed Margaret’s car at home.”
“So it wasn’t her.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
Daniel leaned forward.
“The plate had been cloned.”
My mind raced.
“Who had access to her car?”
“Ethan.”
I looked away.
Daniel spoke quietly.
“Claire, I spent four years trying to prove what happened.”
“Without telling me.”
“You were married to him.”
“I deserved to know.”
“You did.”
His honesty hurt worse than excuses.
“I failed you.”
I looked at him.
“You don’t get to decide what truth I can handle.”
“No.”
“If we’re doing this, no more secrets.”
“You have my word.”
My phone buzzed again.
Another message.
This time it included an address.
Storage Unit 417. Westbridge Self Storage.
Then:
YOUR MOTHER LEFT SOMETHING THERE.
Daniel looked at the screen.
“I know that place.”
“How?”
“Your mother rented a unit there.”
My heart pounded.
“You knew?”
“I thought it was emptied after her death.”
“Apparently not.”
Daniel stood.
“You’re not going.”
“I absolutely am.”
“You’re still under observation.”
Dr. Foster entered at that exact moment.
“No, she’s not going anywhere.”
I stared at him.
“When can I leave?”
“If your blood pressure stays stable, this afternoon.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Claire.”
“No more being handled.”
He sighed.
“Then we go together.”
At three fifteen, I was discharged.
We drove directly to Westbridge.
Rachel came with us.
So did two security officers.
Unit 417 was at the end of a narrow hallway.
Daniel entered the access code my mother had once used.
The lock clicked.
Inside were three boxes.
A chair.
A locked metal case.
And a framed photograph of me on my wedding day.
On the back, my mother had written:
IF CLAIRE EVER FINDS THIS, TELL HER I WAS RIGHT.
My hands shook.
Rachel opened the metal case.
Inside was a laptop.
Several flash drives.
And a sealed envelope with my name on it.
Claire.
I opened it.
The first line made my knees weak.
My darling girl,
If you are reading this, Ethan has already tried to take what belongs to you.
Then a noise echoed from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Fast.
Daniel turned.
One of the security officers shouted.
“Back!”
A man in a hooded jacket appeared at the end of the corridor.
He raised his arm.
May you like
Something flashed in his hand.
And the lights went out.
