Chapter 14 - Claire’s Last LieClaire admitted withdrawing the money.
Emily confronted her the next morning in Susan’s office.
“It was ten thousand dollars.”
“That isn’t an explanation.”
“I needed cash.”
“For what?”
“To leave.”
Emily stared at her.
Claire’s hands shook.
“I was going to disappear.”
“You stole from my mother.”
“I intended to repay it.”
Robert laughed bitterly.
“Apparently that sentence runs in circles.”
Claire looked at him, confused.
Emily almost smiled despite herself.
Then she became serious.
“You want immunity while continuing to steal.”
“I was scared.”
“So was I.”
Claire lowered her eyes.
Emily continued.
“I was scared in my own kitchen while you were helping my husband plan to take my money.”
“I know.”
“No. I don’t think you do.”
Emily placed the life insurance document on the desk.
“You watched him create this.”
“I didn’t know about it until later.”
“You helped him forge the power of attorney.”
“Yes.”
“You helped him steal the blue box.”
“Yes.”
“You entered my home while my baby and I were sleeping.”
Claire’s eyes filled.
“Yes.”
“Then you stole another ten thousand dollars from me while pretending you came forward because you had developed a conscience.”
Claire whispered, “I was trying to survive.”
Emily stared at her.
“So was Ryan, according to Ryan.”
That silenced her.
Susan stepped in.
“Claire, prosecutors will decide what happens. But cooperation only helps if it’s complete.”
Claire nodded.
Then she said, “There’s one more thing.”
Emily almost laughed.
Of course there was.
“Tell me.”
“Ryan has another account.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“How do you know it exists?”
“He told me never to worry about money because he had an emergency fund.”
“How much?”
“At least three hundred thousand.”
Robert frowned.
“From the trust?”
“No.”
Claire looked uneasy.
“He had it before he started taking from the reserve.”
Emily’s mind raced.
Ryan’s contracting company had never been that profitable.
“Did you ask where it came from?”
“He said an investment.”
“What investment?”
“He never told me.”
Susan asked, “Cash or bank?”
“Mostly cash.”
Emily remembered Ryan installing the safe.
Two years ago.
Maybe the documents were only part of what it once held.
“What else?”
Claire hesitated.
“He keeps a storage locker.”
Emily stared.
“Another one?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then how do you know?”
“I followed him once.”
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
“Why?”
Claire looked embarrassed.
“I thought he was seeing another woman.”
The irony almost made Emily laugh.
“Was he?”
“No.”
“What did you see?”
“A warehouse facility south of Nashville.”
Susan began searching.
Claire described the logo.
Within minutes they identified three possibilities.
Police would handle it.
Emily was done chasing Ryan personally.
Or she thought she was.
That evening, Robert cooked dinner.
It was the first normal thing anyone had done in days.
Emily sat at the table feeding Lily mashed banana.
Robert put a plate in front of her.
“You need to eat.”
“I know.”
Neither spoke for a while.
Then Robert said, “I’m sorry.”
Emily looked up.
“For which thing?”
“All of it.”
She appreciated the answer.
“You should have told me about Mom.”
“Yes.”
“You should’ve told me about Thomas.”
“Yes.”
“You should have checked the trust more carefully.”
“Yes.”
Emily looked at him.
“You keep saying yes.”
“Because you’re right.”
She sighed.
“I don’t know when I’ll stop being angry.”
“You don’t have to stop for me.”
That was different from Ryan.
Ryan always needed her emotions to end on his schedule.
Robert simply sat there.
Emily finally ate.
At 9:14 p.m., Susan called.
Police had located Ryan’s storage locker.
A warrant had been obtained as part of the suspected financial-fraud investigation.
Inside were $284,000 in cash.
Copies of Emily’s personal documents.
Blank notarized forms.
And dozens of small envelopes.
“What envelopes?”
Susan hesitated.
“They’re labeled with women’s names.”
Emily’s skin prickled.
“How many?”
“Eleven.”
She stopped breathing.
“Claire?”
“Yes.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“What’s inside?”
“Photos. Personal information. Copies of IDs. Some financial records.”
Emily felt ill.
“This isn’t just about me.”
“No.”
Ryan had done this before.
Maybe not the trust.
Maybe not the same scheme.
But he had collected information on women.
Stored it.
Used it.
Susan continued.
“There’s something else.”
Emily closed her eyes.
“What?”
“A hard drive.”
“And?”
“Investigators found recordings.”
“Of me?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“Hundreds.”
Emily looked toward Lily.
Her stomach turned.
“Bedroom?”
Susan’s voice softened.
“Some.”
Emily shut her eyes.
The violation hit differently.
Private moments.
Arguments.
Changing clothes.
Breastfeeding.
Sleeping.
Ryan had been recording inside their home.
Some files were organized by date.
Others by category.
Angry.
Crying.
Confused.
Lily Present.
He had built an archive of her worst moments.
Then Susan said something that changed the meaning entirely.
“But there’s a problem for Ryan.”
Emily opened her eyes.
May you like
“What?”
“He recorded himself too.”
Related Stories
