Chapter 8 - WHAT CLAIRE KNEW
The video was enough to change the investigation.
Not enough to prove attempted murder.
But enough to turn questions into warrants.
Detective Park ordered Adrian not to contact Claire.
Adrian agreed.
Then immediately called Claire.
Marcus grabbed for the phone.
“What are you doing?”
Adrian stepped away.
Claire answered on the fourth ring.
“Adrian.”
Her voice sounded calm.
Too calm.
“You look good on camera,” he said.
Silence.
Then:
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Red wire cutters suit you.”
Another pause.
Marcus mouthed, Hang up.
Adrian ignored him.
Claire’s voice changed.
“You have no idea what you’re playing with.”
“That sounds almost like a confession.”
“It sounds like concern.”
“For me?”
“For yourself.”
Adrian’s hand tightened around the phone.
“Did you cut my brakes?”
“No.”
“Did Grant?”
Claire inhaled slowly.
“You always did ask the wrong question.”
Adrian froze.
“What’s the right one?”
“Why did you survive?”
The line went dead.
Marcus swore.
Detective Park, who had been listening through speakerphone, gave Adrian a furious look.
“I told you not to call her.”
“And now we have that.”
“We have an ambiguous statement from a woman with excellent attorneys.”
Adrian looked at Elena.
She was staring at the hard drive.
“What?”
Elena pointed.
“Open the service corridor folder.”
The technician clicked it.
Another video.
No sound at first.
Then audio flickered.
Grant and Claire stood near the service elevators.
This recording was dated three weeks after Adrian’s accident.
Claire was furious.
“He won’t sign anything if he thinks he’s recovering.”
Grant answered.
“He can barely walk.”
“He’s stubborn.”
“He’s also medicated.”
Claire stepped closer.
“You said the crash would scare him into stepping away.”
Adrian’s stomach turned.
Grant lowered his voice.
“It was supposed to be a warning.”
Claire laughed.
“A warning that nearly killed him.”
Grant said something too quiet to hear.
Claire snapped back:
“Then make sure next time there isn’t a next time.”
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
Marcus sat down slowly.
Elena looked sick.
Detective Park immediately reached for her phone.
“We’re moving.”
Adrian stopped her.
“What does that mean?”
“Search warrants. Detentions if we can establish probable cause.”
“You think Claire ordered a second attempt?”
“I think she knew enough to be dangerous.”
Adrian’s phone buzzed.
A news alert appeared.
CLAIRE BEAUMONT CALLS EMERGENCY PRESS CONFERENCE.
The live video started automatically.
Claire stood behind a bank of microphones.
Tears filled her eyes.
She looked frightened.
Fragile.
Convincing.
“My former fiancé is using his wealth and influence to intimidate me.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
Claire continued.
“He has become obsessed with blaming me for his accident.”
Then she lifted a document.
“And I have proof that Adrian Cole planned the wheelchair deception months ago.”
Marcus whispered, “What the hell?”
May you like
Claire looked directly into the camera.
“And tonight, I will release messages proving Elena Marquez was paid to participate.”
