Chapter 8 - The Man Claire Feared
His name was Grant Holloway.
I had heard it once before.
Claire had worked as an accountant for a regional development company.
Grant had been its chief financial officer.
Six months before Claire died, she discovered irregular transfers.
Shell contractors.
False invoices.
Properties purchased through relatives.
One surname appeared repeatedly.
Mercer.
My family.
My father’s construction business had been receiving money through companies Claire believed were fraudulent.
She confronted Richard.
He told her she misunderstood.
She kept investigating.
Then she died.
Officially, Claire’s death had been caused by complications from an aggressive infection.
There had been nothing obviously criminal about it.
Melissa never claimed otherwise.
But Claire had been terrified of Grant shortly before her death.
“Did Grant kill Claire?”
“I don’t know.”
That distinction mattered.
We weren’t going to invent certainty because we were frightened.
Melissa only knew Claire had told her:
“If something happens to me, don’t trust Grant.”
Outside, Grant approached the cabin.
I killed the lights.
Noah squeezed my hand.
Then Grant called:
“Daniel!”
He knew we were inside.
“I’m not here to hurt you.”
Melissa whispered:
“Don't believe him.”
Grant continued:
“Your father lied to you.”
Then:
“He abandoned you because he thinks you have Claire’s evidence.”
I shouted through the door:
“I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING!”
Silence.
Then Grant answered:
“Yes, Daniel.”
“You do.”
I looked at Melissa.
She looked equally confused.
Grant said:
“Claire hid it with Noah.”
My son froze.
“With me?”
Then I remembered.
Claire’s final birthday gift to Noah.
May you like
A blue hiking backpack.
The same backpack he had been carrying for six days.
