Chapter 5: The Person Claire Trusted
My first instinct was disbelief.
My second was anger.
My third was fear.
Because the person entering the warehouse wasn’t a stranger.
It was someone Claire had trusted completely.
Her best friend.
Lena.
I stayed outside and watched through the cracked window.
Daniel handed her the folder.
“You said he wouldn’t come home early.””
Lena looked nervous.
“He wasn’t supposed to.””
My heart sank.
They were talking about me.
Daniel opened the folder.
“The evidence is gone?””
Lena nodded.
“Most of it.””
“Most?””
She swallowed.
“There’s still one recording.””
My hands tightened.
Claire’s recording.
The red flash drive.
The one Vanessa tried to take.
Daniel slammed the folder down.
“You promised me.””
Lena looked angry.
“I promised Claire.””
The words stopped me.
Claire.
Not Daniel.
Not Vanessa.
Claire.
Lena continued.
“I helped her because she was afraid.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“You have no idea what you’ve done.””
“No.””
Lena’s voice shook.
“I know exactly what I did.””
I stepped into the warehouse.
“Then explain it to me.””
Both of them froze.
Lena covered her mouth.
“Ethan.””
Daniel immediately stepped backward.
“This is not what it looks like.””
I almost laughed.
“Everyone says that right before the truth comes out.””
Lena looked at me with tears in her eyes.
“I tried to protect her.””
“Protect who?””
“Claire.””
The name hurt.
Because for months, everyone had acted like Claire was gone.
But standing there, I realized she had still been fighting.
Even after death.
I looked at Daniel.
“You stole from my company.””
He didn’t deny it.
“You don’t understand.””
“I understand enough.””
“No, you don’t.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“Your wife discovered everything.””
“Everything?””
He looked away.
“Grant wasn’t the mastermind.””
The warehouse went silent.
My stomach dropped.
“Then who was?””
Daniel hesitated.
And that hesitation told me the answer was worse.
Lena whispered:
“Ethan…”
I turned toward her.
“Who?””
She looked terrified.
Then she said:
“The person Claire was protecting you from was someone you would never suspect.””
My phone suddenly rang.
Vanessa.
I answered.
Her voice was shaking.
“Ethan, don’t trust Lena.””
I looked at Lena.
Then at Daniel.
Vanessa continued.
“She’s the reason Claire died.””
The call ended.
Nobody spoke.
I stared at Lena.
She looked devastated.
Not angry.
Not guilty.
Devastated.
Then she reached into her bag.
Slowly.
Carefully.
And pulled out a second red flash drive.
“I was waiting until you were ready.””
She placed it on the table.
“This is Claire’s final recording.””
I didn’t move.
“What does it say?””
Lena looked at me.
“It says who really betrayed your family.””
I picked up the drive.
And before I could insert it, every light in the warehouse turned off.
Someone had cut the power.
Then a voice came from the darkness.
A voice I recognized.
A voice that made my blood run cold.
“Ethan.””
A pause.
May you like
“Claire should have stayed quiet.””
And then I heard the sound of a gun being loaded.