Chapter 9: The Woman Who Survived
I kept the phone against my ear.
"Clara?""
Nothing.
"Clara, don't hang up.""
A faint breath.
"I'm here.""
"Tell me who.""
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because if they know I contacted you, I'll disappear again.""
Nathaniel motioned for me to put the call on speaker.
I did.
"Ms. Reeve," he said, "this is Nathaniel Crowe. We can protect you.""
A bitter laugh came through the phone.
"No one protected Elaine.""
The room went quiet.
"You knew my mother.""
"Yes.""
"Then tell me the truth.""
"I was there.""
My heart stopped.
"Where?""
"The night she crashed.""
Voss closed his eyes.
I looked at him.
"You said she had no witnesses.""
"I didn't know Clara was there.""
Clara continued.
"Elaine wasn't alone on that road.""
"Who was with her?""
A pause.
"Arthur.""
My father's name again.
I gripped the table.
"My father was in the car?""
"No.""
"Then what do you mean?""
"He followed her.""
The room became unbearably still.
"Why?""
"Because he knew she was going to expose him.""
My anger rose.
"Expose him for what?""
"For protecting the wrong person.""
That wasn't an answer.
"Clara, stop speaking in riddles.""
Her voice softened.
"Wren, your father was not the villain.""
I froze.
"What?""
"He made mistakes.""
"Then why was he following my mother?""
"Because he was trying to save her.""
The words made no sense.
"Save her from who?""
Clara whispered.
"Gideon Mercer.""
I looked at Voss.
Impossible.
"You said Gideon wasn't responsible.""
"I wasn't," Gideon said.
Everyone turned.
He stood in the doorway.
Nobody had heard him enter.
Nathaniel immediately moved between us.
"How did you get in?""
Gideon ignored him.
He looked at the phone.
"Clara.""
Her voice changed.
"Gideon.""
For the first time, I heard fear from her.
"You told me you were dead.""
"I needed people to believe that.""
"You let me run for seventeen years.""
"I kept you alive.""
I stared between them.
"You two know each other.""
Gideon looked at me.
"We all know each other.""
"Stop.""
My voice shook.
"No more secrets.""
Gideon nodded slowly.
"Fair.""
He stepped forward.
"Clara worked with Elaine.""
"Against you?""
"No.""
"Then why was she hiding?""
"Because she discovered the real thief.""
My heart pounded.
"Who?""
Gideon looked at Voss.
Alistair's face changed.
"Don't.""
Gideon ignored him.
"The person who controlled every financial system in Corvina.""
Nathaniel whispered.
"The chief technology officer.""
I looked at him.
"Who was that?""
Gideon answered.
"Arthur Ashcombe.""
My knees weakened.
Again.
"My father?""
Gideon nodded.
"No.""
I stared.
"What?""
"Arthur was not the thief.""
"Then why keep saying his name?""
"Because he covered for the thief.""
The room spun.
Clara spoke through the phone.
"Wren, your father loved your mother.""
"Then why did she think he betrayed her?""
"Because Arthur made the worst decision of his life.""
"What decision?""
"He protected the person who actually betrayed Corvina.""
"Who?""
Silence.
Then Clara said:
"The person standing closest to him.""
I looked around the room.
Voss.
Gideon.
Nathaniel.
Nobody moved.
Then my eyes landed on the old photograph.
My father.
My mother.
Alistair.
Gideon.
Four founders.
One betrayal.
My phone buzzed.
A message appeared from an unknown number.
I opened it.
It contained one sentence.
Stop searching for the truth, Wren.
You won't like who you find.
And beneath it was a photograph.
A recent photograph.
Taken inside my apartment.
May you like
Of me.
Sleeping.
