Chapter 8 - THE BETRAYAL ADRIAN REFUSED TO BELIEVE
Victor's next move arrived Monday.
Police entered Claire's temporary residence at 6:20 a.m.
They had a warrant.
Inside a suitcase in her bedroom, they found $300,000 in cash.
A burner phone.
Copies of Atlantic Harbor contracts.
And a flash drive containing forged Moretti signatures.
Claire stared at the items.
"I've never seen any of that."
Adrian's attorney raised a hand.
"Say nothing else."
Claire was arrested.
Adrian arrived as officers placed her in the vehicle.
For one terrible second, she expected his face to change.
Expected doubt.
Victor had built the scene perfectly.
Physical evidence.
Her room.
Her suitcase.
Her fingerprints on the outer handle.
Adrian walked directly toward her.
An officer blocked him.
"Mr. Moretti."
"Claire."
She looked at him.
"I didn't—"
"I know."
Two words.
No hesitation.
Claire stopped breathing.
"I know."
The officer moved her into the car.
Adrian watched until it disappeared.
Then turned to Marcus.
"Find the entry point."
Security video showed no intrusion.
Which meant someone had access.
Only six people knew the location.
Adrian.
Marcus.
Claire.
Daniel.
Two security officers.
One officer, Joseph Kane, disappeared that morning.
His bank account received $80,000 through a company connected to Atlantic Harbor.
By noon, authorities had him at Logan Airport.
By three, Kane was cooperating.
Victor paid him.
He planted everything.
Claire was released by evening.
When she walked out, reporters screamed questions.
Adrian stood beside his car.
She stopped.
"You came."
"Obviously."
"Why obviously?"
He frowned.
"Get in."
Inside, Claire looked at him.
"You didn't doubt me."
"No."
"Not even for a second?"
"No."
"Why?"
Adrian stared ahead.
"Because I know you."
Claire's eyes filled.
"That's all?"
"No."
He turned.
"Because when you thought you might die, you wrote my name."
The city moved beyond the window.
"Not your father's. Not your sister's. Mine."
Claire looked down.
"I was trying to warn you."
"I know."
"That doesn't mean—"
"I know."
He leaned closer.
"But I also know Victor's mistake."
"What?"
"He thinks trust means believing someone because evidence is absent."
Adrian shook his head.
"Trust means knowing which evidence doesn't fit the person."
Claire swallowed.
"You've changed."
"Don't sound disappointed."
"I'm not."
Silence.
Then Claire asked:
"What happens when this is over?"
Adrian frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"I was serious about resigning."
"No."
She laughed.
"We've covered this."
"You can't leave."
"Why?"
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came.
Claire waited.
"Adrian."
"Because I don't want you to."
"That's not enough."
"I know."
He hated conversations where money, intimidation, or authority did not help.
Claire seemed to enjoy them.
"Give me a better reason."
He looked at her.
"I wake up knowing you're going to be in the office."
Her expression changed.
"I know you'll have already fixed three problems nobody told me existed."
He continued.
"I know you'll argue about my schedule."
"You overbook."
"I know you'll move meetings I wanted and keep meetings I didn't."
"Because you're terrible at prioritizing."
"Claire."
"Sorry."
"No, you're not."
"No."
He almost smiled.
Then his voice softened.
"When that elevator opened and I saw you on the floor..."
He stopped.
Claire waited.
"I thought you were dead."
"I'm not."
"I know."
"But for approximately five seconds, I understood what my life would look like if you were."
Claire barely breathed.
"And?"
"I didn't like it."
That was possibly the most Adrian Moretti declaration imaginable.
Claire laughed through tears.
"That is terrible."
"I warned you I'm bad at this."
"At what?"
He looked at her.
"Whatever this is."
The air changed.
Claire's smile disappeared.
"Adrian."
"I know."
"I'm your employee."
"Suspended employee."
"Not helping."
"I know."
"And you're in the middle of a criminal investigation."
"Also not ideal."
"And my father apparently helped betray yours."
"Historically inconvenient."
She laughed again.
Then became serious.
"We cannot do this now."
Adrian nodded.
"Agreed."
Claire blinked.
"That was easier than expected."
"I'm learning."
"Slowly."
"Careful."
But neither moved away.
For several seconds, they simply looked at each other.
Then Marcus opened the driver's door.
"Sorry to interrupt whatever deeply uncomfortable thing is happening."
Claire turned red.
Adrian glared.
Marcus smiled.
"We found Nathan Vale."
"Where?"
"Airport."
"Leaving?"
"No."
Marcus's expression changed.
"Arriving."
Adrian frowned.
"From where?"
"Geneva."
"And?"
"He wasn't alone."
Marcus handed Adrian a photograph.
Nathan Vale walking through private arrivals beside a woman.
Mid-fifties.
Dark hair.
Elegant coat.
Claire leaned closer.
"Who is she?"
Adrian went completely still.
He had not seen that face in nineteen years.
"That's impossible."
"Who?"
Adrian stared at the photograph.
"My mother."
Isabella Moretti.
Officially dead since Adrian was twenty-four.
Killed in a boating accident less than a year after Vincent's death.
No body had ever been recovered.
And now she was walking through Logan Airport beside the son of the man tied to her husband's murder.
Claire whispered:
"Adrian..."
He could barely hear her.
His father had been murdered.
Claire's father had faked his death.
Now Adrian's mother had apparently done the same.
May you like
The dead were returning.
And every one of them seemed connected to Victor Hale.
