Chapter 8 - WHAT MONEY COULD NOT BUY
The detective took the threat seriously without pretending she knew who had sent it.
Claire showed her the message, described the gala, and gave a statement about the earlier threats. Mara preserved the hotel footage and helped coordinate additional security with Anna.
Lucy stayed home from school.
“Is the gold-dress lady coming here?” she asked.
Claire sat beside her on the carpet.
“The grown-ups are working to keep her away.”
“You said the party was safe.”
Claire felt the words cut.
“I thought it was. I was wrong.”
Lucy pushed Tuesday's ear between two fingers.
“Can grown-ups be wrong?”
“Yes. And we're supposed to tell the truth when we are.”
Across the room, Daniel lowered his eyes.
Later, with Claire's permission, he sat at the small table where Lucy was coloring. He didn't mention fathers. He asked about the crooked purple house on her page.
“That's ours,” she said. “Mommy says we can paint the kitchen when the landlord fixes the wall.”
“Purple?”
“Yellow. Purple is for roofs.”
He nodded as if this were an important building regulation.
When she offered him a crayon, his hand shook.
Ruth called him into the hallway before he could use it.
Martin had circulated a board memorandum accusing Daniel of exposing the company to liability while under emotional pressure from a former employee. Attached was a photograph of Daniel kicking Vanessa, cropped to exclude Claire and Lucy.
There was also an audio clip from the day Claire was fired.
Daniel's voice, unmistakable.
“Then pay whatever she's owed and keep her away from my office.”
Claire listened once.
“Is there missing context?”
“I thought she had stolen from the foundation.”
“That's not missing context.”
“No.”
He refused Ruth's suggestion that they wait before responding to the board.
“Give them the complete gala footage. My signature. Everything.”
“You could lose your position,” Ruth said.
Daniel glanced through the doorway. Lucy had set a second crayon beside his empty chair.
“Then they can vote.”
His phone rang before Ruth could answer.
Vanessa.
May you like
He put it on speaker with Claire's permission.
“I can stop Martin,” Vanessa said. “But Claire has to leave, and that box comes to me.”
