Chapter 9 - Claire Goes Back For Madison
Richard begged Claire not to return.
She ignored him.
“You couldn’t protect me by hiding me,” she said over the phone. “You
won’t protect Madison by hiding me now.”
Daniel arranged for police to surround the Hale property.
Victoria demanded Claire enter alone.
Claire refused.
Daniel entered with her.
“Your mother named me backup,” he said.
Despite everything, Claire smiled.
The ballroom was dark when they arrived.
The same room where Claire had carried a silver tray two nights earlier
now felt like a stage after the audience had gone home.
“Victoria?”
Her voice echoed.
A lamp switched on near the staircase.
Victoria stood beside Madison.
She held no weapon.
But Madison’s wrists were tied.
Richard shouted from outside.
Victoria ignored him.
“You brought Daniel.”
Claire stepped forward.
“I’m done following your rules.”
Victoria smiled sadly.
“You sound like Catherine.”
“Good.”
“Where is she?”
“Safe.”
Victoria’s expression tightened.
“The files?”
“Police have copies.”
For the first time, Victoria looked uncertain.
“You’re lying.”
“No.”
Daniel spoke.
“Robert’s archive is already secured.”
Victoria stared at him.
“You Whitmores always think possession makes you righteous.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“Not tonight.”
Claire looked at Madison.
“Are you hurt?”
Madison shook her head.
Victoria placed a hand on her shoulder.
“She’s fine.”
Claire’s voice sharpened.
“Then untie her.”
Victoria did.
Madison ran to Claire.
They held each other.
It was the first time Claire could remember Madison hugging her without
embarrassment.
“Why did you take her?” Claire asked.
Victoria’s face crumpled.
“Because nobody listens until you take something they value.”
Claire stared.
“Madison is a person.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Victoria sat.
The fight seemed to leave her.
“My uncle destroyed my mother.”
“Adrian?”
“Yes.”
“He controlled everyone. My mother spent her life covering for him.”
Claire almost laughed at the repetition.
Another family.
Another powerful man.
Another generation of people turning silence into inheritance.
Victoria continued.
“When Catherine disappeared, Adrian believed the evidence went to
Eleanor.”
“So you entered my family.”
“Yes.”
“You became Dad’s assistant.”
“Yes.”
“You married him.”
Victoria looked ashamed.
“At first, I was supposed to watch.”
“At first?”
“I fell in love with Richard.”
Claire stared.
“And that made everything okay?”
“No.”
Victoria looked toward Madison.
“I loved the girls too.”
Claire felt anger rise.
“You helped him treat me like a servant.”
“I thought if you remained dependent, you would remain visible to us.”
“That sentence doesn’t even make sense.”
“It did when I was afraid.”
Claire shook her head.
“You convinced Catherine I was happy.”
Victoria began crying.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because if she returned, Adrian’s remaining people might find her.”
“Adrian was dead for five years.”
“His company wasn’t.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Who still wants the files?”
Victoria looked at him.
“Adrian’s son.”
Claire frowned.
“Adrian had a son?”
“Yes.”
“Name?”
Victoria looked directly at Daniel.
“Michael Vale.”
Daniel went pale.
Claire noticed.
“You know him.”
Daniel did not answer quickly enough.
“Daniel.”
“He’s on my board.”
Claire stared.
“What?”
“Whitmore Capital.”
Victoria nodded.
“Michael has been inside your company for eight years.”
Daniel looked stunned.
Claire felt the same chill she had when learning Thomas had lived inside
her father’s house.
The watchers were always closer than expected.
Daniel took out his phone.
No signal.
Victoria laughed weakly.
“He already knows you’re here.”
A crash sounded upstairs.
Police shouted outside.
Then the mansion’s alarm began screaming.
Daniel grabbed Claire’s hand.
“Move.”
Smoke appeared near the second-floor landing.
“Fire!”
Madison screamed.
Victoria looked up in horror.
“I didn’t do that.”
Daniel pulled Claire toward the exit.
Then Claire stopped.
“The letters.”
“What?”
“My mother’s original letter is upstairs.”
“Claire, no.”
She looked toward the smoke.
For eleven years, everything had been taken from her because other
people decided what she could lose.
But Daniel tightened his grip.
“The letter has copies.”
Claire stared at him.
“You don’t need to prove anything by running into a fire.”
The words reached her.
She nodded.
They ran outside.
Firefighters entered.
Richard grabbed Madison.
Claire stood beside Daniel as flames appeared behind an upstairs window.
Her childhood bedroom.
She watched the curtains burn.
She expected grief.
Instead, she felt strangely calm.
The house had never been the proof of her place in the family.
Then Daniel’s phone finally connected.
His assistant called.
“Daniel, Michael Vale just emptied his office.”
“Find him.”
“We know where he’s going.”
“Where?”
The assistant paused.
“Whitmore Airport.”
Daniel’s private aviation facility.
Claire understood immediately.
“He’s running.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at Victoria.
“He’s going for Robert’s second copy.”
Victoria whispered, “The evidence.”
Daniel nodded.
“My father hid it somewhere Michael thinks only I can access.”
Claire stared.
“Where?”
May you like
Daniel’s face hardened.
“On my plane.”
