Chapter 7 - The WidowHelena Voss had attended Claire's fourth birthday party.
Claire refused to stay.
The argument lasted four minutes.
Then Claire looked at her father and said:
"My husband stole my children, my marriage was built on surveillance, someone may have murdered my mother, and the only reason we have answers is because I refused to stay in bed when everyone told me to. I'm going."
Arthur stopped arguing.
A physician replaced Claire's bandages and made her promise to remain seated as much as possible.
The twins would stay under armed guard with Nora and a pediatric team.
Leaving them felt like ripping out part of Claire's body.
She kissed Emily first.
Then Noah.
"I'll be back."
Nora touched Claire's hand.
"They won't leave this floor."
Marcus assigned six agents.
Nathan stayed behind.
Arthur didn't trust him.
Neither did Claire.
Forty minutes later, Claire sat in the rear seat of an armored SUV heading toward the cottage.
Rain had begun falling.
The sky darkened over the lake.
Claire watched trees blur past and remembered summers with her mother.
Elizabeth Bennett had been brilliant, funny, impatient, and terrible at baking.
Claire had spent years remembering only her death.
Now the good memories returned with painful clarity.
Her mother singing while making pancakes.
Her mother teaching her chess.
Her mother hiding handwritten notes around the cottage.
Claire whispered:
"She knew she was in danger."
Arthur sat beside her.
"Yes."
"And you let me believe she simply got sick."
"I thought ignorance protected you."
"Did it?"
"No."
Claire looked out the window again.
Arthur spoke quietly.
"I don't expect forgiveness."
"Good."
"But I am sorry."
Claire didn't answer.
The convoy reached the cottage shortly before sunset.
Front door open.
One window broken.
Marcus raised his hand.
Agents moved first.
Claire remained in the SUV until the house was cleared.
"Empty," Marcus said.
They entered.
The cottage smelled exactly as Claire remembered.
Cedar.
Old books.
Lake water.
Except drawers had been emptied.
Furniture overturned.
Photographs pulled from walls.
Someone had searched aggressively.
Claire went directly to the drawing room.
The old piano stood against the far wall.
Its bench had been opened.
Sheet music littered the floor.
Claire approached.
"Did they search it?"
Marcus examined the piano.
"Looks like it."
Claire sat.
Her mother had called it the quietest song.
Claire pressed middle C.
Nothing.
The piano had not been tuned in years.
She lifted the fallboard.
Then remembered something else.
When she was six, Elizabeth had told her that every piano had eighty-eight keys, but their piano had "one key nobody could hear."
Claire ran her fingers along the wood beneath the keyboard.
One panel shifted.
Arthur inhaled.
Claire pushed.
A narrow compartment opened.
Inside lay a single brass key.
Marcus photographed it before Claire touched it.
"What does it open?"
Claire shook her head.
"I don't know."
Arthur studied the key.
"Safe-deposit box."
"No bank number."
"Elizabeth wouldn't use a normal bank."
Claire looked at the piano rolls.
Most had been thrown onto the floor.
One remained inside the player mechanism.
The broken one.
She removed it.
Nothing appeared unusual.
Then she held it toward the window.
Tiny holes formed music notes.
But some holes were rectangular.
Others round.
Arthur leaned closer.
"That's not standard."
Claire suddenly smiled despite herself.
"Mom taught me Morse code."
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"At what age?"
"Seven."
Arthur murmured, "Of course she did."
Claire traced the holes.
Short.
Long.
Short.
She began reading.
"L-A-K-E..."
The message continued.
LAKE UNION TRUST. BOX 417.
Marcus frowned.
"Lake Union Trust closed twenty years ago."
Arthur turned.
"The building still exists."
"What is it now?"
"Private records storage."
Claire looked at the brass key.
"Then we go."
A phone rang.
Marcus answered.
As he listened, his expression darkened.
"What happened?"
He ended the call.
"Vivian's car was found three miles north."
"Empty?"
"Yes."
"Blood?"
"No."
"Where is she?"
"Unknown."
Claire looked toward the lake.
Something moved between the trees.
"Marcus."
Agents immediately reacted.
A figure appeared outside.
Female.
Barefoot.
Running.
Claire's heart stopped.
Vivian.
Her cream blouse was torn.
Mud covered her legs.
She stumbled toward the porch.
"Don't shoot!"
Agents surrounded her.
Vivian collapsed to her knees.
Claire stepped outside despite Marcus's protest.
Vivian looked up.
Her face was bruised.
"Claire."
Claire felt no sympathy.
"Where is Daniel?"
Vivian shook her head.
"I don't know."
"Liar."
"I swear."
"You helped steal my children."
Tears filled Vivian's eyes.
"I helped move them."
Claire stepped closer.
"That's stealing."
"I thought Daniel was transferring them for testing."
"You told him it was handled."
Vivian closed her eyes.
"I know."
"Then you stood beside my bed and let me believe they were dead."
Vivian began crying.
"I didn't know he told you that."
Claire laughed.
"What did you think I believed?"
"I thought they told you there had been a temporary neonatal complication."
"Stop."
Vivian flinched.
Claire's voice turned cold.
"Who do you work for?"
Vivian looked at Arthur.
Then Marcus.
"If I tell you, I'm dead."
Marcus answered.
"If you don't, you're under arrest."
Vivian laughed bitterly.
"Jail would be safer."
"Who?"
Vivian looked back at Claire.
"Daniel isn't the one running Helixor."
"We know."
"He isn't even close."
"Then who is?"
Vivian hesitated.
A laser point appeared on her chest.
Marcus saw it.
"Down!"
He tackled Claire behind the stone wall.
A suppressed shot cracked from the trees.
Vivian jerked backward.
Agents returned fire.
Claire screamed.
Vivian had been hit high in the shoulder.
Blood spread across her blouse.
Still alive.
Marcus dragged her behind cover.
"Sniper northeast!"
Agents moved into the trees.
Arthur crouched beside Vivian and pressed fabric against the wound.
Vivian gasped.
"Don't let them..."
Claire leaned close.
"Who?"
Vivian looked at her.
"The twins..."
"Who wants them?"
Vivian's lips trembled.
Then she whispered a name.
"Dr. Vale."
Claire froze.
Her obstetrician.
Marcus stared.
"Vale runs Helixor?"
Vivian shook her head weakly.
"No."
"Then who?"
Vivian coughed.
"They call her..."
Her eyes rolled.
Claire grabbed her hand.
"Stay with me."
Vivian forced the words out.
"The Widow."
Then she lost consciousness.
Paramedics rushed forward.
Claire stood slowly.
"The Widow."
Arthur looked disturbed.
Marcus said, "Means nothing to me."
But Arthur's expression said otherwise.
Claire faced him.
"You know."
Arthur whispered:
"I hoped she was dead."
"Who?"
Arthur looked toward the dark trees.
"Dr. Helena Voss."
"Who is she?"
"The founder of Helixor."
Claire's pulse stopped.
"I thought Helixor was your partnership."
"It was."
May you like
Arthur swallowed.
"And Helena Voss was your mother's closest friend."
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