Chapter 5 - Claire’s Bracelet
Victor had buried Claire wearing that bracelet.
White gold.
Three tiny sapphires.
A gift from him on her eighteenth birthday.
If woman at dinner wore it, possibilities were unbearable.
Claire was alive.
Someone robbed her grave.
Or someone wanted Victor to believe she was alive.
Security enhanced footage.
Only wrist and hand visible.
No face.
Eleanor stared at bracelet.
“That isn't Claire’s.”
Victor turned.
“How can you know?”
“The center sapphire.”
Claire’s bracelet had center stone replaced after Sophie’s birth.
Original dark-blue sapphire became pale-blue stone matching Sophie’s birthstone.
Footage showed dark center stone.
An older version.
A duplicate?
No.
Eleanor revealed Claire had two nearly identical bracelets.
The first belonged to Claire’s mother, Victoria.
After Victoria died, Victor commissioned a matching bracelet for Claire.
Victor had forgotten original remained in family vault.
“Who has Victoria’s?”
Eleanor looked uncomfortable.
“I did.”
“Did?”
“It disappeared after Claire’s funeral.”
Again Eleanor sat one step from every secret.
Victor’s patience evaporated.
“Why didn't you report it?”
“Because I thought Claire took it.”
“Claire was dead.”
“I wasn't sure anymore.”
There.
First admission.
Eleanor had doubted Claire’s death.
Weeks after funeral, she received postcard.
No message.
Only photograph of Victoria’s bracelet.
Postmarked Montreal.
Eleanor hired private investigator.
He traced nothing.
Then monthly photographs arrived.
Sophie sleeping.
Victor entering office.
Eleanor at charity events.
Someone watched family.
Eleanor believed Claire or Michael might be alive.
“Why not tell me?”
“Because final postcard said if you learned Claire survived, Sophie would be taken.”
Victor stared.
“By whom?”
“No name.
“What exactly did it say?”
Eleanor retrieved old card from safe.
IF VICTOR KNOWS C-14 SURVIVED, THE CHILD ENTERS PHASE TWO.
Victor felt chill.
Phase Two.
Medical program?
Blackmail?
Then he noticed handwriting.
Not Claire’s.
Not Michael’s.
Professional block letters.
The dinner woman might be watcher.
Not Claire.
Sophie’s “Mommy?” could be toddler recognition of resemblance, bracelet or familiar figure.
Then security identified mysterious guest invitation.
Name:
Anna Vale.
No photograph.
Invitation had been added manually by Eleanor’s assistant.
Assistant denied doing it.
System credential used at 2:13 a.m. previous night.
Remote login.
Victor asked investigators to locate Anna Vale.
No current person matched.
But an old St. Adrian staff directory did.
ANNA VALE — RESPIRATORY RESEARCH NURSE.
May you like
Employment ended October 15.
The morning after Claire supposedly died.
