Chapter 9 - THE GUARDIAN CLAIRE CHOSE
Emily stared at Claire’s image.
She had not known about the guardianship clause.
Eleanor must have arranged it after Claire’s death.
Vale had spent years trying to locate the original trust and destroy it.
Victoria’s plan to frame Emily had served two purposes.
It removed the boys’ protector.
It removed the independent guardian before the children were declared medically unfit.
Richard looked at Emily.
“My wife trusted you with everything.”
“She trusted me to protect the boys.”
“She trusted you more than she trusted me.”
Emily did not answer.
Claire’s recording continued.
“Richard loves our children.”
“But he believes authority is the same as attention.”
“He trusts people who speak confidently.”
“He ignores people whose uniforms make them easy to dismiss.”
Richard lowered his eyes.
Every word described exactly what happened in the library.
Vale shut off the screen.
“Sentimental nonsense.”
Detective Ellis looked at him.
“It is also evidence.”
“It proves nothing about Claire’s death.”
Emily opened the brass box.
Inside were sealed medical samples Claire had stored before she died.
Hair.
Blood slides.
Medication capsules.
She had preserved them outside Cole’s control.
The box also contained the original trust.
Vale raised the gun toward Emily.
“Give it to me.”
Victoria stepped between them.
“You killed Claire.”
Vale laughed.
“You helped poison her children.”
“You told me the tablets only caused temporary weakness.”
“And you believed me because the money mattered.”
Victoria looked at Noah.
The boy stood beside Richard, watching her.
Something changed in her face.
She understood that Vale would blame every crime on her.
He had chosen the pills.
He created the trust documents.
He controlled Cole.
Victoria had performed the visible acts.
Vale had designed the trap.
“You planned to kill the boys,” she whispered.
“I planned to control the estate.”
“You sent Pike to the hospital.”
Vale did not deny it.
Noah gripped Richard’s hand.
“You tried to finish us.”
Vale aimed toward the child.
Victoria struck his arm.
The gun fired into the wall.
Detective Ellis moved.
She forced Vale against the desk.
Emily pulled Noah behind the equipment shelves.
Richard helped Ellis fight for the gun.
Vale struck him across the face.
Victoria ran toward the tunnel door.
She did not attempt to help.
She entered the passage and locked it behind her.
Vale broke away from Ellis.
He grabbed the brass box.
Then he opened a second exit hidden beneath the stairs.
Richard followed.
The passage led toward the greenhouse.
Vale climbed into a waiting vehicle.
Marcus stood beside it.
For one terrible second, Richard believed his security director had betrayed him.
Marcus stepped away from the driver’s door.
Then he removed the keys.
“You changed the access logs,” Richard said.
Marcus nodded.
“Vale ordered me to.”
Richard’s face hardened.
Marcus continued.
“I changed them so the originals would copy to an outside server.”
“I knew someone was watching the nursery.”
“I did not know who.”
Vale raised the gun again.
Marcus threw the keys into the greenhouse fountain.
Police sirens approached the estate.
May you like
Vale looked toward the forest.
Then he ran.
