Chapter 10 - The Greenhouse
The charity dinner began at seven.
Judges, politicians, doctors, and investors filled the Whitmore estate.
Daniel wore a tuxedo.
Vanessa wore Evelyn’s diamond earrings.
Clara hated seeing them on her.
At eight-ten, Clara slipped away.
Margaret deliberately dropped a tray near the ballroom doors to distract security.
Clara crossed the garden.
The greenhouse was dark.
She entered.
“Hello?”
A light clicked on.
Arthur stepped from behind a row of lemon trees.
Clara ran into his arms.
“You’re back.”
“Not officially.”
He smiled.
Then another man emerged.
Clara recognized him from old family photographs.
Thomas Whitmore.
Evelyn’s older brother.
Daniel had told Clara that Uncle Thomas moved permanently to Europe after Evelyn died.
Thomas knelt.
“You’ve gotten tall.”
Clara hugged him.
Then remembered Evelyn’s words.
Someone Daniel thinks disappeared forever.
“Where is Mommy?”
Thomas looked toward Arthur.
“Not here.”
Clara’s disappointment showed.
Thomas handed her a small red case.
Inside was a digital recorder.
“This belonged to Evelyn.”
Clara remembered it.
The cliff.
Her mother holding it.
“Daddy wanted this.”
“Yes.”
“How did you get it?”
“Your mother threw it into the woods before the car went over.”
Thomas had recovered it weeks later after Evelyn told him where to search.
Most of the audio was damaged.
But one section survived.
Thomas pressed play.
Rain filled the recording.
Evelyn’s voice said, “Daniel, stay away from Clara.”
Then Daniel shouted, “Give me the drive.”
Vanessa said, “Daniel, someone’s coming.”
Evelyn screamed.
A door slammed.
Then Clara’s younger voice cried, “Mommy!”
Clara covered her ears.
Thomas stopped the recording.
“You were there.”
Clara nodded.
“We need your memories only if you want to share them.”
“What happened after?”
Thomas looked grim.
“Your mother escaped.”
“From the car?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“She jumped before the vehicle went over.”
Clara stared.
“Then whose coat was inside?”
“Someone placed it there afterward.”
Clara understood.
“They wanted everyone to think she died.”
“Yes.”
A flashlight suddenly swept across the greenhouse glass.
Arthur killed the light.
A man’s voice came from outside.
“Mr. Whitmore wants the greenhouse searched.”
Thomas pulled Clara behind a stone planter.
Arthur moved toward the rear exit.
Then Clara heard another voice.
May you like
Vanessa.
“Check every corner.”
