Chapter 12 - Room 1908
Claire reached room 1908 with Naomi and hotel security.
No one answered.
A manager unlocked the door.
The room was empty.
There was no Thomas.
No Diane.
No luggage.
Only a broken drinking glass near the window.
Claire walked farther inside.
Thomas’s leather folder lay open on the desk.
The medical records were gone.
Naomi examined the room.
“Don’t touch anything.”
Claire looked at Paige.
“What happened?”
“I left them talking.”
“Why?”
“Mom told me to.”
“You still obey her?”
Paige laughed bitterly.
“You think I know how to stop?”
For the first time, Paige looked younger than Claire remembered.
Not innocent.
Just trapped.
Claire ignored the sympathy.
“You helped Julian.”
“Yes.”
“You slept with him.”
Paige looked down.
“Yes.”
“You lied about me in court.”
Paige’s eyes filled.
“Mom said the affidavit would only delay you.”
“Delay me until Monday.”
Paige nodded.
Claire understood.
Diane was not protecting Paige.
She was protecting the financial scheme.
“What is Julian planning Monday?”
Paige whispered, “He has a buyer.”
“For Mercer Hale?”
“For everything.”
Claire stared.
“A private equity group offered ninety million if Julian can deliver control of the trust-backed properties.”
Naomi cursed.
Claire did the math.
Julian could pay the debt and walk away wealthy.
Diane could conceal decades of transfers.
Everyone survived except Claire.
“Where is Thomas?”
Paige shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
Claire stepped closer.
“If you lie to me again, I will make certain every investigator in Illinois learns exactly what you did.”
Paige’s voice broke.
“I’m telling you the truth.”
Her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
“Mom.”
Claire held out her hand.
“Answer.”
Paige put it on speaker.
Diane’s voice came through.
“Did Claire come?”
Paige’s eyes widened.
“Yes.”
Diane sighed.
“Of course she did.”
Claire spoke.
“Where is Thomas?”
Silence.
Then Diane said, “Your father finally decided to become brave.”
“Where is he?”
“Ask him.”
“He’s missing.”
“That sounds like Thomas.”
Claire forced herself not to scream.
“Did you take the medical records?”
“Yes.”
Naomi began recording.
Diane continued.
“They prove nothing.”
“They prove you switched Evelyn’s medication.”
“They prove prescriptions changed.”
“Thomas saw you do it.”
“Thomas has spent forty years changing his story.”
Claire looked at Paige.
Paige was crying now.
“Where are you?”
Claire asked.
Diane laughed softly.
“You’ve become very confident since meeting Evelyn.”
Claire’s skin prickled.
“How do you know I met her?”
“Because Rosewood called me.”
Claire looked at Naomi.
Samuel had said nothing about Diane still receiving updates.
Diane continued.
“You think Evelyn is your salvation.”
“She is my mother.”
“She gave birth to you.”
“That is more than you had the right to steal.”
Diane’s voice sharpened.
“I raised you.”
“You raised me inside a lie.”
“And gave you a life she never could have.”
Claire’s hands shook.
“Where is Thomas?”
Diane went quiet.
Then she said, “He is exactly where he chose to be.”
The call ended.
Ten seconds later, Claire received a photograph.
Thomas was sitting inside a small airport lounge.
A newspaper beside him showed that day’s date.
He looked tired but unharmed.
Under the photograph were six words.
I NEED TO FIX THIS ALONE.
Claire stared at it.
Naomi looked over her shoulder.
“At least he’s alive.”
Claire zoomed in.
Then she noticed the departure board behind him.
One flight was highlighted.
Zurich.
Martin called at that exact moment.
“Claire, Thomas accessed an old Hale account forty minutes ago.”
“How much?”
“Seventeen million dollars.”
Claire looked at the photograph again.
May you like
Her father had not been kidnapped.
He was running.
