Chapter 4 - CLAIRE’S EMPTY BEDROOM
Claire Bennett was gone.
By the time Dominic reached the second floor, her bedroom had been stripped of anything important.
Passport.
Laptop.
Jewelry case.
Travel bag.
Gone.
Her wedding dress remained hanging near the window.
That somehow made Dominic angrier.
Daniel checked the security feed.
“Her car left at 5:42 this morning.”
“Who opened the gate?”
Daniel typed.
Then stopped.
“Electronic override.”
“From where?”
“The security office.”
Dominic already knew.
“Nathan.”
Daniel nodded.
Dominic checked the clock.
Claire had left twenty minutes before Dominic arrived.
Someone had warned her.
“Find her.”
Daniel made three calls.
Dominic entered Claire’s dressing room.
Expensive perfume still floated in the air.
Six weeks from now, hundreds of guests were supposed to watch him marry her.
Instead, he began opening drawers.
Nothing.
Nothing.
Nothing.
Then Harper appeared behind him.
She was wearing socks now.
Marcus stood several feet behind her.
“I told her to stay with her mom,” Marcus said.
Harper looked at Dominic.
“Miss Claire has another phone.”
Dominic crouched.
“Where?”
Harper pointed beneath the vanity.
“She hides it.”
Dominic looked.
Nothing.
Harper walked over and pushed the carpet aside.
There was a tiny floor vent.
Dominic removed the cover.
Inside sat a black prepaid phone.
Marcus exhaled.
“Smart kid.”
Harper looked sad.
“I saw her talking on it.”
Dominic turned the phone on.
No passcode.
Claire had deleted almost everything.
Almost.
One voicemail remained.
Dominic pressed play.
Nathan’s voice filled the room.
“The maid saw the room. We have a problem.”
Claire answered on the recording.
“What did she see?”
“Enough.”
“Then handle her.”
“What about the child?”
Dominic’s grip tightened.
There was a pause.
Claire’s voice became colder.
“Children forget.”
Harper stared at the phone.
Dominic stopped the recording.
Too late.
Harper understood enough.
“Miss Claire knew?”
Dominic’s anger softened.
“Yes.”
“Did she hurt Mommy?”
Dominic did not lie.
“Yes.”
Harper looked down.
“I don’t like her anymore.”
Dominic almost smiled.
“Neither do I.”
Marcus entered.
“We have Claire’s vehicle.”
“Where?”
“Abandoned near Poughkeepsie.”
Dominic stood.
“Any body?”
“No.”
“Cameras?”
“We’re pulling traffic feeds.”
Marcus hesitated.
“There’s something else.”
“Say it.”
“The doctor checked Mia.”
Dominic’s stomach tightened.
“She’s severely dehydrated, bruised, two cracked ribs.”
Dominic clenched his jaw.
“But she’ll live.”
Dominic exhaled.
“However…”
Marcus handed him a small evidence bag.
Inside was a folded piece of paper.
“Mia had this hidden inside her shoe.”
Dominic opened it.
A handwritten list of names.
His captains.
Business partners.
Political contacts.
Some had check marks beside them.
Some had dates.
At the bottom was one line:
VALE TRANSITION - FINAL DATE: OCTOBER 18.
Dominic stared.
October 18.
His wedding day.
Then Daniel called.
“We found Claire.”
“Where?”
“Not Claire exactly.”
Daniel’s voice hardened.
“We found the man she met after leaving your estate.”
“Who?”
May you like
Daniel paused.
“Your younger brother.”
