Chapter 5 - The Funeral Without a Body
My father had been dead for eighteen months.
I had watched them lower his casket into the ground.
I had signed probate documents.
I had taken control of Hayes Development.
I had stood beside Vanessa at the memorial while Lily released a white balloon into the sky.
"No," I said.
Claire didn't argue.
That was worse.
She opened her hand.
Inside was a small brass key.
"He came into the room three weeks ago."
My breath stopped.
"Who?"
"Richard."
Vanessa whispered, "Claire."
Claire turned on her.
"He deserves to know."
"Not before we know who else is listening."
"He deserves to know what his father did."
I slammed my palm against the desk.
Lily stirred on the couch.
I lowered my voice.
"Stop deciding what I deserve. Both of you."
Claire flinched.
I hated that she flinched from me.
"Why would my father fake his death?"
"Because the federal investigation was getting close to the Foundation," Vanessa said.
"What investigation?"
"Guardianship fraud. Medical billing. Asset transfers."
I stared at her.
"And you know this because?"
She hesitated.
That hesitation told me there was another bomb coming.
"My mother was Subject Four."
Claire looked away.
Vanessa sat down.
Her mother, Patricia Vale, had married a Cincinnati real-estate investor named Warren Bell when Vanessa was twelve. Warren died five years later, leaving Patricia controlling interest in several riverfront properties.
Within six months, Patricia was declared mentally incompetent.
A Hayes Foundation doctor signed the evaluation.
A family court transferred control of her assets.
Patricia spent eleven months in a private residence before dying of what the record called accidental aspiration.
"How old were you?" I asked.
"Seventeen."
"And you married me because of my father."
Vanessa looked at me.
"At first, I got close to Claire because of your father."
The sentence cut differently.
Claire's eyes narrowed.
"You told me you found me because of the Foundation files."
"I did."
"But you were looking before that."
Vanessa said nothing.
I laughed once.
It sounded ugly.
"So my first wife staged her death. My second wife infiltrated my family. My father faked his funeral. My sister may be alive. Anything else?"
Evan entered the office holding his phone.
"Yes."
We all looked at him.
"Someone just accessed Claire's medical record from inside Hayes Development headquarters."
I stood.
"That's impossible."
"It happened thirty seconds ago."
He showed me the screen.
The login belonged to a senior executive account.
AARON HAYES.
My younger brother.
My closest friend.
The man running my company while I sat in that clinic.
Then my phone rang.
Aaron.
I answered.
"Daniel," he said calmly. "Whatever Claire told you, don't bring her home."
I looked at her.
"Why?"
Aaron took a breath.
"Because Dad is waiting there."
---
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