Chapter 4 - The Woman Outside the Door
Daniel moved between Claire and the door.
Rachel calmly placed the flash drive inside her jacket.
The handle turned again.
Then came a knock.
“Ms. Bennett?”
It was the bank manager.
Daniel opened the door halfway.
The manager looked nervous.
“There’s someone asking for Ms. Bennett.”
“Who?”
“Eleanor Cole.”
Claire felt her stomach drop.
Daniel looked at her.
“You don’t have to speak to her.”
Claire stood.
“Yes, I do.”
Eleanor was waiting in the lobby.
She looked exactly as Claire remembered.
Elegant gray hair.
Pearl earrings.
Perfect posture.
But when she saw Claire, something like panic crossed her face.
“Claire.”
Claire stopped several feet away.
“You stole the key from my apartment.”
Eleanor looked around.
“Please lower your voice.”
“No.”
“Claire—”
“You came into my home.”
“I didn’t.”
“Then how did you get the key?”
Eleanor’s silence answered.
Claire felt something inside her harden.
“Did you know what Richard was doing?”
Eleanor’s eyes filled with tears.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain it.”
Eleanor glanced toward Daniel.
“I need to speak to Claire alone.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Eleanor looked back at Claire.
“Your father made mistakes.”
Claire flinched.
“So did Richard.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Eleanor stepped closer.
“Your father was going to destroy everything.”
“Maybe everything needed destroying.”
Eleanor’s face tightened.
“You sound just like him.”
Claire stared at her.
“Was my father afraid of Richard?”
Eleanor looked away.
That was enough.
Claire whispered, “Oh my God.”
“Claire, listen to me.”
“No.”
“You need to stop.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard knows you opened the box.”
Claire froze.
Daniel stepped forward.
“How?”
Eleanor’s eyes moved toward the bank’s front windows.
A black SUV was parked across the street.
Its engine was running.
Eleanor whispered, “Because he sent me.”
Claire looked at the SUV.
Then back at Eleanor.
“Is he watching us?”
Eleanor nodded.
Rachel was already calling someone.
Daniel took Claire by the arm.
“We’re leaving through the back.”
But Eleanor grabbed Claire’s wrist.
“Wait.”
She pushed something into Claire’s palm.
A second flash drive.
Claire stared at it.
“What is this?”
Eleanor’s voice broke.
May you like
“The reason your father died.”
Then she turned and walked away.
