Chapter 3: The Second Account
“Come inside.””
Claire immediately shouted, “No.””
Evan and I both looked at her.
She stood beside the kitchen island with her arms wrapped around herself.
“Daniel, make him leave.””
I closed the front door.
“He says he received twelve thousand dollars.””
Evan nodded.
“Three transfers. Four thousand each.””
I looked at Claire.
“That leaves thirty-nine thousand.””
She said nothing.
Evan removed an envelope from inside his jacket.
“I brought these because I knew she’d deny it.””
He placed printed bank records on the table.
Claire lunged forward.
“Don’t.””
I reached them first.
The transfers came from an account ending in 4817.
Claire’s name appeared on each transaction.
“What did she pay you for?””
Evan pulled out a chair.
Claire whispered, “Please.””
He looked at her.
“You called me after fourteen years, Claire. You said you needed help cleaning up something from the past.””
“What past?”” I asked.
Evan hesitated.
“Brooke.””
My entire body went rigid.
“Say exactly what you mean.””
Claire suddenly slammed both palms onto the counter.
“Enough!””
Brooke appeared at the top of the stairs.
Everyone froze.
She was still wearing her birthday pajamas.
“What’s happening?””
Claire rushed toward her.
“Nothing, sweetheart.””
Brooke looked at Evan.
“Who’s that?””
Nobody answered quickly enough.
Brooke’s smile disappeared.
“Dad?””
I forced my voice to remain calm.
“Go get dressed. Your mother and I are dealing with something.””
“Is this about Maya’s money?””
Claire’s head snapped around.
Brooke looked ashamed.
“I heard you fighting last night.””
She glanced toward the garage.
“Was the Mustang bought with Maya’s college fund?””
Claire stepped closer.
“Brooke—”
“Was it?””
“Yes,” I said.
Brooke stared at her mother.
Then she whispered, “Take it back.””
Claire blinked.
“What?””
“The car. Take it back.””
“Brooke, you wanted that car for two years.””
“Not with Maya’s money!””
Her voice cracked.
“I thought you and Dad saved for it.””
Claire reached for her.
Brooke stepped backward.
That hurt Claire.
I saw it.
But I also saw something else.
For the first time, Claire understood that the Mustang hadn’t purchased Brooke’s happiness.
It had purchased her disgust.
“I’m sorry,” Brooke whispered to me.
“You have nothing to apologize for.””
She ran upstairs.
Her bedroom door slammed.
Claire started crying.
Evan stood.
“I should go.””
“No.””
I pointed at the chair.
“You’re finishing this.””
He slowly sat again.
I pushed the photograph toward him.
“What is this?””
Evan looked at it.
His expression softened.
“That was taken in Maryland.””
“Who’s the baby?””
He looked at Claire.
She shook her head.
“Don’t.””
“Claire,” Evan said quietly, “you can’t keep doing this.””
“Doing what?””
“Building one lie to protect another.””
I stared between them.
“Someone tells me the truth right now.””
Evan exhaled.
“The baby wasn’t ours.””
I waited.
“She was Claire’s sister’s daughter.””
I frowned.
“Claire doesn’t have a sister.””
Evan gave me a grim look.
“Yes, she does.””
The kitchen seemed to tilt.
“Her name is Rebecca.””
Claire closed her eyes.
Evan continued.
“Rebecca had serious problems back then. She disappeared for weeks at a time. Claire helped care for the baby.””
“What happened to her?””
“I don’t know.””
“You’re lying.””
“No.””
I pointed toward Claire.
“Then why has my wife spent nineteen years telling me she’s an only child?””
Evan looked at her.
“That’s something Claire needs to answer.””
Claire finally sat down.
Her face looked twenty years older.
“Rebecca ruined everything she touched.””
“What does she have to do with Brooke?””
Claire’s lips trembled.
Before she could answer, Maya walked through the front door.
“I forgot my laptop.””
She stopped when she saw Evan.
“That’s him.””
Claire looked trapped.
Maya approached the table.
“What’s going on?””
I wanted to protect her.
But after what had happened to her money, lying to her felt impossible.
“Your mother has a sister named Rebecca.””
Maya stared at Claire.
“Aunt Rebecca?””
Claire whispered, “Yes.””
“Why have we never heard about her?””
No answer.
Maya noticed the papers.
She picked one up.
“Wait.””
She studied the account number.
“What?””
Maya pulled out her phone.
“I saw this number yesterday.””
Claire stood.
“Maya, give me the phone.””
Maya moved behind me.
“Where?””
I asked.
“When I logged into my 529 account, there was a linked external account in the transaction history.””
She tapped rapidly.
“This one. Ending 4817.””
Evan frowned.
“That’s the account Claire used to pay me.””
Maya kept scrolling.
Then her face changed.
“There are more transfers.””
“How many?””
“A lot.””
Claire moved toward the back door.
I stepped in front of her.
“Maya, what do they say?””
Maya swallowed.
“The money didn’t all go directly to Mom.””
She turned the screen toward me.
“There’s another account receiving transfers from 4817.””
“Whose?””
Maya stared at the name.
Then at her mother.
“Rebecca Bennett.””
Silence swallowed the kitchen.
Evan stood so quickly his chair scraped across the floor.
“That’s impossible.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
His face had gone white.
“Because Rebecca Bennett died six years ago.””
Claire made a small choking sound.
Then Maya scrolled farther down.
“Dad…”
I turned.
“What now?””
“There was a transfer to Rebecca’s account three days ago.””
My skin went cold.
“How much?””
“Thirty-nine thousand dollars.””
Claire closed her eyes.
That was the missing money.
Every unexplained dollar.
I looked at my wife.
“If Rebecca is dead, who did you send thirty-nine thousand dollars to?””
Claire opened her eyes.
Her voice barely carried across the room.
“I didn’t send it to Rebecca.””
“Then who?””
May you like
She stared toward the staircase where Brooke had disappeared.
“To the person who knows what really happened the night Brooke was born.””
