Chapter 2 - The Drawing in Claire's Pocket
Adrian Vale emerged from the restaurant.
Marcus immediately lowered his hand.
Claire noticed.
That mattered.
Adrian's gaze moved from Marcus to Claire.
"What's happening?"
Marcus answered first.
"She took something belonging to Lily."
Claire almost laughed from disbelief.
"Lily gave it to me."
"Claire," Marcus said, "don't make this harder."
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"Show me."
Claire hesitated.
Marcus watched her pocket.
Not her face.
That mattered too.
Claire removed the drawing.
Adrian reached for it.
Marcus stepped closer.
Claire pulled it back.
"If this belongs to your daughter, you should see it."
"That's what I'm asking."
"Only you."
Marcus smiled faintly.
"Are we doing theater now?"
Claire ignored him.
"Only him."
Adrian studied her for several seconds.
Then turned.
"Marcus, go inside."
Marcus's smile disappeared.
"Adrian."
"Inside."
It was the first time Claire saw the relationship change.
Only slightly.
But enough.
Marcus obeyed.
When the door closed, Claire handed Adrian the drawing.
He looked at the front.
His face revealed almost nothing.
Then he turned it over.
HE CHANGED MOM'S.
His thumb stopped moving.
"What does this mean?" Claire asked.
"Nothing."
"You don't believe that."
Adrian folded the paper.
"My daughter hasn't spoken to a stranger in eleven months."
Claire remembered Lily's whisper.
"Him."
"What happened eleven months ago?"
Adrian looked at her sharply.
"That isn't your concern."
"Then why did she choose me?"
"I don't know."
"Maybe because everyone around her already knows you."
That landed harder than Claire intended.
Adrian stepped closer.
"You think you understand my daughter because she grabbed your sleeve?"
"No. I think I understand fear."
For several seconds neither spoke.
Then Adrian asked, "Why?"
"Because I saw who she watched."
"Marcus?"
"Every time he moved."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"Marcus has known Lily since she was born."
"That doesn't make her less afraid of him."
"It makes your conclusion absurd."
"Then forget my conclusion. Watch your daughter."
Adrian looked toward the restaurant.
Claire could see the conflict in him.
The powerful man who trusted evidence.
The father who wanted desperately for the evidence to be wrong.
Finally he asked, "What exactly happened?"
Claire described everything.
The pointing.
Marcus approaching after the glass shattered.
Lily recoiling.
The whisper.
The drawing.
She did not exaggerate.
That seemed to disturb Adrian more.
When she finished, he unfolded the paper again.
His eyes fixed on the unfinished words.
HE CHANGED MOM'S.
Claire asked, "Where is Lily's mother?"
Adrian became completely still.
"Dead."
Claire regretted the question instantly.
"I'm sorry."
"Her name was Elena."
"When?"
"Eleven months ago."
The same length of time Lily had been silent.
Claire understood.
"Was Lily there?"
Adrian's expression told her enough.
Before he could answer, the restaurant door opened.
One of Adrian's guards appeared.
"Sir."
"What?"
"Miss Lily is asking for you."
Adrian turned.
"Asking?"
The guard looked stunned.
"She said your name."
Adrian was through the door before Claire could move.
She followed instinctively.
Nobody stopped her.
Inside, Lily stood beside the table.
Marcus was nowhere near her now.
"Daddy."
Adrian dropped to his knees.
The entire restaurant seemed to disappear for him.
"I'm here."
Lily touched his face.
"Daddy."
His eyes closed.
Claire saw the man everyone feared struggling not to cry.
Then Lily looked past him.
At Claire.
"Claire."
Adrian turned.
Three words.
After eleven months of silence.
Lily walked toward Claire.
Claire crouched.
"You don't have to tell me anything."
Lily nodded.
Then she touched Claire's apron pocket.
"The picture?"
Lily nodded again.
Adrian showed it to her.
"Sweetheart, what did Marcus change?"
Lily's face emptied.
Her breathing accelerated.
Adrian stopped immediately.
"Okay. No more."
Marcus appeared from the corridor.
"What's happening?"
Lily hid behind Claire.
This time Adrian saw everything.
Marcus stopped.
His eyes moved to the drawing.
Only for a fraction of a second.
But Adrian caught it.
"You knew about this?" Adrian asked.
"About what?"
"The drawing."
"No."
Too fast.
Claire heard it.
So did Adrian.
Marcus approached carefully.
"Adrian, Lily is overwhelmed."
"Don't come closer."
Marcus stopped.
The room became silent again.
"You've been my friend for seventeen years," Adrian said.
"Which is why I'm telling you not to let a waitress turn a child's trauma into an accusation."
Claire said nothing.
She didn't need to.
Lily's hand was clutching hers.
Adrian noticed.
"Claire isn't fired."
Peter nearly choked.
Marcus stared.
Adrian continued, "She's coming with us."
Claire finally spoke.
"I'm what?"
"My daughter trusts you."
"That doesn't mean I'm getting into a car with you."
For the first time, Adrian almost smiled.
Almost.
"Fair."
Lily tugged Claire's hand.
"Please."
One word.
Claire looked down.
That decided it.
Twenty minutes later, Claire sat in the rear of Adrian's armored SUV beside Lily.
Adrian sat opposite.
Marcus traveled in another vehicle.
Claire noticed Adrian had arranged that without comment.
During the drive, Lily drew.
House.
Tree.
Her father.
Claire.
Then three black lines.
Always three.
Claire pointed.
"What are those?"
Lily stopped drawing.
Adrian leaned forward.
She closed the notebook.
He backed away immediately.
"Sorry."
Claire changed the subject.
"Do you like pancakes?"
Lily nodded.
"Chocolate chips?"
Another nod.
Adrian said, "She hates chocolate."
Lily looked at him.
"Not anymore."
Adrian stared at her.
Claire smiled despite herself.
For several minutes, they talked about pancakes.
Nothing dangerous.
Nothing frightening.
By the time the SUV reached Adrian's home, Lily's shoulders had relaxed.
Claire expected a fortress.
Instead, she noticed something more important.
Security cameras.
Everywhere.
At the entrance.
Hallways.
Driveway.
Adrian followed her gaze.
"What?"
"Was this system here when Elena died?"
"Yes."
"Then there should be footage."
His expression changed.
"The cameras malfunctioned that night."
"All of them?"
"Most."
"Who handled security?"
Adrian didn't answer.
He didn't have to.
Marcus.
Inside, Adrian took Claire to a study while Lily stayed with her longtime nanny, Rosa.
He locked the door.
Then opened a safe.
From it he removed a thin folder.
"Elena died in a car accident."
Claire waited.
"Police said she lost control on a mountain road. Lily was in the back seat."
Claire's stomach tightened.
"She survived."
"Physically."
Adrian sat down.
"Elena called me twenty-three minutes before the crash. I didn't answer. I was in a meeting."
"What did she say?"
"Nothing. She didn't leave a message."
Claire looked at the drawing.
HE CHANGED MOM'S.
"Did anyone inspect the car?"
"Yes."
"Who arranged it?"
Adrian's eyes darkened.
"Marcus."
The answer hung between them.
A knock came.
Rosa entered without waiting.
She was pale.
"Mr. Vale."
"What happened?"
"It's Lily."
Adrian stood.
Rosa held out a small wooden box.
"She made me bring this to Claire."
Claire opened it.
Inside was a bracelet.
A woman's bracelet.
And a tiny brass key.
Adrian picked up the bracelet.
His face changed.
"Elena was wearing this the night she died."
Claire looked at the key.
"What's it for?"
Adrian shook his head.
Rosa whispered, "There's something else."
She handed him an envelope.
Elena's handwriting was across the front.
ADRIAN — IF LILY EVER STARTS TALKING AGAIN.
Adrian stared at it.
"Where did you get this?"
Rosa swallowed.
"Lily showed me where it was hidden."
"Where?"
"In her mother's room."
Adrian tore the envelope open.
There was no letter inside.
Only a photograph.
Marcus Dane stood beside Elena's car.
The hood was open.
The date stamp was from the night she died.
And written across the bottom in Elena's handwriting were five words:
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS, FIND CLAIRE MONROE.
Claire's blood turned cold.
She had never met Elena Vale.
But Elena had known her name.
