Chapter 11 - The Woman From My Office|
Claire Morgan had worked for me for seven years.
She managed my calendar, coordinated sensitive documents, and knew which calls I took personally.
She had also been one of the few people who could enter my home office without an appointment.
When Detective Bennett told me Claire had entered my mansion, I felt another piece of my life shift.
"Why would she go there?"
"She told the security staff she was collecting company documents."
"She doesn't need to collect anything from my house."
"That's why we're concerned."
We returned to Greenwich with two officers.
Claire was standing in my study when we arrived.
She held a leather folder.
"Marcus."
Her voice sounded calm, but her face was pale.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to help."
"Help with what?"
She glanced at the officers.
"I thought you might need the financial records from Olivia's trust."
"How did you know about the investigation?"
Claire didn't answer immediately.
Then she said:
"Daniel called me."
I looked at her.
"Why?"
"He wanted to know whether you had discovered the payments."
The room went silent.
Detective Bennett stepped forward.
"Did you know about the payments?"
Claire looked at me.
"I knew there were transfers."
"Did you authorize them?"
"No. I processed documents that were sent to me."
"Who sent them?"
"Daniel."
"Did you verify the authorization?"
Claire lowered her eyes.
"Marcus, I thought you had approved it."
I felt my anger rising.
"You thought? You were handling financial documents connected to my infant son's trust. Did you not think to ask me?"
"I sent you the forms."
"When?"
"Through your office."
"I never saw them."
"You were traveling."
"So you processed them anyway?"
Claire began to cry.
"I didn't know what the money was being used for."
Detective Bennett asked her to hand over the folder.
Claire hesitated.
Then she gave it to her.
Inside were printed transaction records, invoices, and several emails.
One email caught my attention.
It was dated two months earlier.
The sender was Daniel.
The subject line read:
Keep Marcus Away From The Details.
I read the message.
Daniel had instructed Claire to categorize the transfers as routine estate expenses.
He had also told her not to discuss them with me unless I specifically asked.
At the bottom was a sentence that made my blood run cold.
Once the child is sleeping normally, the family will stop asking questions.
I looked up.
"What does that mean?"
Claire shook her head.
"I don't know."
"Who wrote it?"
"Daniel."
Detective Bennett took the document.
"Ms. Morgan, you're going to need to come with us."
Claire looked at me.
"Marcus, please."
I stared at her.
"You had seven years to tell me the truth."
She wiped her cheeks.
"I was afraid of losing my job."
I almost laughed.
She had been afraid of losing a job.
I had nearly lost my son.
Then the household manager appeared in the doorway.
"Sir, there's something you should see."
He held out a small envelope.
It had been placed beneath my office door.
My name was written across the front.
Inside was a photograph of Olivia holding Zion shortly after his birth.
May you like
On the back, someone had written:
Your wife knew what Daniel was doing. Ask what she left in the blue box.
