Chapter 12 - What Clara Remembered
Daniel pulled Clara into the study.
Vanessa stared at her.
“How long were you listening?”
Clara said nothing.
Daniel locked the door.
“Answer me.”
Clara’s fear became anger.
“You’re going to hurt Arthur.”
Daniel crouched.
“Arthur is a thief.”
“You’re lying.”
“Clara.”
“You lied about Mommy’s necklace.”
Vanessa touched the silver bird unconsciously.
“You lied about her desk.”
Daniel’s face hardened.
“You lied about me being home the night she disappeared.”
That silenced him.
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
Clara saw the panic pass between them.
Daniel spoke carefully.
“What do you remember?”
Clara’s breathing quickened.
Rain returned inside her mind.
Her mother’s car.
The roadside.
Daniel’s vehicle blocking them.
Vanessa standing in the rain.
Evelyn shouting.
Then Clara remembered everything.
Her mother had pulled over because Daniel called and claimed there was an emergency.
When Evelyn stepped from her car, Daniel confronted her.
He demanded the memory drive containing copies of the financial records.
Vanessa tried to search the car.
That was when Vanessa saw Clara.
“She’s here?” Vanessa had shouted.
Daniel looked shocked.
Evelyn ran back toward her daughter.
Daniel grabbed her.
Evelyn broke free.
A passing truck appeared around the curve.
Vanessa panicked.
She jumped into Evelyn’s car.
Daniel shouted at her to stop.
But Vanessa shifted the vehicle into neutral.
The wet slope pulled the car backward.
Clara was still inside.
Evelyn screamed.
She ran after the moving car.
She opened the rear door and pulled Clara out seconds before the vehicle crashed through the barrier.
Mother and daughter rolled into the mud.
Daniel grabbed Clara.
Evelyn fought him.
Then another vehicle approached.
Vanessa shoved Evelyn toward the cliffside brush.
Evelyn disappeared down the embankment.
Daniel took Clara.
Vanessa sent Evelyn’s car over the edge.
Later Daniel told Clara her mother had drowned.
Clara stared at Vanessa now.
“You tried to send me over the cliff too.”
Vanessa went white.
Daniel turned toward her.
“What?”
Clara saw genuine surprise.
“You didn’t know?”
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa shook her head.
“She’s confused.”
“No,” Clara whispered.
“You put Mommy’s car in neutral while I was inside.”
Daniel’s face changed.
For the first time, Clara understood something.
Daniel had betrayed Evelyn.
He had stolen from her.
He had helped cover up her disappearance.
But even he had not known Vanessa nearly caused his daughter’s death.
Daniel slowly stood.
“Is that true?”
Vanessa backed away.
“Daniel.”
“Was Clara inside the car?”
Vanessa’s silence answered.
Daniel’s hand curled into a fist.
Then the study windows exploded inward.
May you like
The security alarm began screaming.
And every light in the estate went dark.
