Chapter 2: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Charleston Memorial Hospital smelled of disinfectant, burnt coffee, and wet clothes.
Marcus sat outside the intensive care unit with Ava asleep against his chest.
Her tiny silver shoes were gone. A nurse had cleaned the cuts on her feet and wrapped them in white bandages.
Every few minutes, she stirred.
"Mommy?""
Marcus kissed her forehead.
"She's getting help, sweetheart.""
"Can I see her?""
"Not yet.""
"Will she wake up?""
He had no answer.
Across the corridor, Daniel paced with his phone pressed to his ear.
"Yes, Detective. I understand. No, he hasn't touched anything on the phone.""
He listened.
"Wait. You found the wedding coordinator?""
Marcus looked up.
Daniel's expression darkened.
"What do you mean she isn't at home?""
He ended the call.
"What's happening?"" Marcus asked.
"Police went to Rebecca's apartment. Her neighbor says she left this morning with two suitcases.""
"She ran?""
"Apparently.""
Marcus rubbed his face.
"How many people knew Claire was coming today?""
"Probably everyone working at the estate.""
"Who had access to the pool?""
Daniel sat beside him.
"Marcus, we need to slow down.""
"Slow down? My ex-wife almost died. My daughter watched it happen.""
"I know.""
"And somebody is threatening Ava.""
Daniel glanced at the sleeping child.
"Did you tell the detective about the messages?""
"Yes.""
"Good. They need to know.""
Marcus looked at the cracked phone.
The screen had gone dark, but he could still see the message in his mind.
IF HE FINDS OUT WHAT YOU DID, WE BOTH GO TO PRISON.
He opened the phone again.
It had no passcode.
Claire had apparently left it unlocked.
There were several missed calls, photographs, and an open conversation with an unsaved number.
He didn't want to invade her privacy.
But this was no longer about privacy.
He scrolled upward.
The first message was dated two days earlier.
You promised me the paperwork would be signed before Saturday.
Claire's response:
I told you I'm not signing anything.
The next message:
Then Marcus will find out what happened to the money.
Claire:
You already know I didn't take it.
The sender:
You should have thought about that before you got involved.
Marcus read the exchange twice.
Money?
What money?
Three years earlier, shortly before their divorce, a substantial amount had disappeared from the investment account they shared.
Marcus had accused Claire.
She had denied everything.
The divorce settlement had been brutal, and Marcus had eventually agreed to let the attorneys handle the missing funds.
Vanessa had later told him that Claire had secretly transferred the money to an account overseas.
He had believed her.
Now the messages suggested Claire had been trying to prove something.
He opened the photographs.
The first showed a bank statement.
The second showed a screenshot of a wire transfer.
The third made his fingers go numb.
It was a photograph of Vanessa.
She was standing outside a bank, wearing a red coat.
Beside her was a man Marcus recognized.
His former financial adviser.
Gregory Shaw.
Marcus zoomed in.
The date on the photograph was November 18, three years earlier.
Three weeks before his divorce from Claire had become final.
"Daniel.""
His brother leaned over.
"What?""
"Do you recognize him?""
Daniel studied the image.
"Greg Shaw?""
"Yes.""
"Your financial adviser?""
"He was.""
Daniel frowned.
"Why is Vanessa with him?""
Marcus scrolled to the next photograph.
This one showed Gregory handing Vanessa a brown envelope.
Daniel stared.
"That's interesting.""
"Interesting?""
"Marcus, she told you Claire stole your money.""
"I know what she told me.""
"And now we find her meeting the man who handled your investments?""
Marcus stood.
"I'm calling the detective.""
Before he could dial, the ICU doors opened.
A doctor stepped into the corridor.
"Mr. Reed?""
Marcus rushed toward him.
"How is she?""
"I'm Dr. Patel. Your former wife is stable.""
Marcus exhaled.
"She's awake?""
"Not yet. She experienced significant oxygen deprivation, but we were able to stabilize her. We're monitoring her neurological response.""
"Will she recover?""
"We're cautiously optimistic. The next several hours are important.""
Marcus nodded, swallowing hard.
"Can I see her?""
"One person at a time. A brief visit.""
Marcus looked at Ava.
She had woken up.
"Mommy?"" she whispered.
The doctor smiled gently.
"Your mommy is resting. Would you like to say hello?""
Ava nodded.
Marcus carried her into the room.
Claire lay beneath a thin white blanket, connected to monitors. Her hair had been dried and brushed away from her face.
She looked smaller than he remembered.
Ava climbed onto the chair beside the bed.
"Mommy?""
Nothing.
She reached for Claire's hand.
"I told Daddy.""
Marcus stood at the foot of the bed.
Ava leaned closer.
"I told him Aunt Vanessa pushed you.""
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"Please wake up. I don't like it when you're sleeping like this.""
Marcus turned his face away.
He couldn't bear it.
Then Claire's fingers moved.
At first, he thought he had imagined it.
But Ava gasped.
"Mommy!""
Claire's eyelids fluttered.
The monitor beeped steadily.
She struggled to open her eyes.
"Claire?"" Marcus whispered.
Her gaze wandered across the room before settling on Ava.
Her lips moved beneath the oxygen tubing.
Ava leaned closer.
"Mommy, I'm here.""
Claire's fingers tightened around hers.
Then her eyes shifted toward Marcus.
He stepped forward.
"Claire, it's me.""
Her expression changed.
Not relief.
Not gratitude.
Fear.
She tried to pull her hand away.
"Easy," Marcus said.
"You're safe.""
Claire shook her head weakly.
"No...""
"You're in the hospital. The doctors helped you.""
She struggled to speak.
"Vanessa...""
"I know.""
Claire's eyes widened.
"She...""
Marcus leaned closer.
"What? What did she do?""
Claire's lips trembled.
"Don't...""
Her voice was barely audible.
"Don't trust...""
Marcus waited.
"Don't trust who?""
Claire looked at him with desperate eyes.
"Rebecca.""
Marcus froze.
"Rebecca Miller?""
Claire tried to nod.
"She... she helped...""
The monitor began beeping faster.
Dr. Patel hurried into the room.
"That's enough for now. She needs to rest.""
Marcus stepped back.
But before the doctor guided him toward the door, Claire reached out and caught his sleeve.
Her fingers were surprisingly strong.
"Marcus.""
He bent down.
"What is it?""
Claire swallowed.
"Your... father.""
Marcus frowned.
"My father?""
She stared at him.
"Ask... your father.""
Then her eyes closed.
The doctor checked her monitor.
"She needs rest. Please leave.""
Marcus followed Ava into the corridor.
Daniel was waiting.
"What happened?""
Marcus stared at him.
"Claire said something.""
"What?""
"She told me not to trust Rebecca.""
Daniel frowned.
"That makes sense. Rebecca may have helped Vanessa.""
"Then she said something else.""
"What?""
Marcus swallowed.
"She told me to ask my father.""
Daniel went still.
Their father, Richard Reed, had died four years earlier.
A heart attack.
At least, that was what the family had been told.
"Why would she mention Dad?"" Daniel asked.
"I don't know.""
Daniel looked toward the ICU doors.
"Maybe she was confused.""
"Maybe.""
But Marcus remembered the way Claire had looked at him.
She hadn't seemed confused.
She had seemed terrified.
His phone rang.
Detective Brooks.
"Mr. Reed, we have a development.""
"What happened?""
"We located the vehicle registered to Vanessa Cole.""
"Where?""
"Abandoned near the marina.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
"Did you find her?""
"No.""
"Then what development?""
There was a pause.
"We found blood in the trunk.""
Marcus felt his stomach turn.
"Whose blood?""
"We're waiting on forensic confirmation.""
Daniel stepped closer.
Marcus lowered his voice.
"Is there anything else?""
"Yes. The estate's security footage shows someone entering the conservatory at 11:42 this morning.""
"Who?""
"The footage is partially obstructed, but we can identify the vehicle.""
"Whose?""
Detective Brooks hesitated.
"Your father's old Mercedes.""
Marcus stopped breathing.
"That's impossible.""
"Why?""
"My father died four years ago.""
"We know that, Mr. Reed.""
Marcus looked at Daniel.
"Who owns the car now?""
"According to the registration, your older brother Daniel.""
The corridor seemed to tilt.
Marcus slowly turned.
Daniel's face had lost all color.
"Daniel?""
His brother looked at him.
For several seconds, neither man spoke.
Then Daniel whispered, "I can explain.""
Marcus stepped away.
"What did you do?""
Daniel glanced toward Ava.
"Not here.""
Marcus's voice hardened.
"You better start explaining.""
Daniel looked at the ICU doors.
May you like
Then he said something Marcus would never forget.
"Your father didn't die the way we were told.""
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