Chapter 3 - Claire’s First Lie
Claire denied trying to kill either Ethan or Rachel.
But she stopped denying the powder.
“I put it in both drinks.”
Ethan stared at her across the interview room.
For three years Claire had been Rachel’s closest friend.
After Rachel died, Claire remained close to family.
She helped with Sophie.
Organized foundation events.
Over time Ethan trusted her.
He had even begun wondering whether friendship between them might become something more.
Now he could barely look at her.
“You drugged my wife.”
“Yes.”
“And me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Claire’s hands shook.
“It was never supposed to hurt anyone.”
“That’s what people say when they know they did something terrible.”
Claire began crying.
The medication belonged to her.
At Rachel’s lake-house dinner, Claire crushed half a tablet into sparkling water.
At mansion dinner, she crushed another half into Ethan’s tea.
Same dose.
Why?
“I was told it would only make you tired.”
“By who?”
Claire said nothing.
Ethan slammed his palm against table.
“Who?”
Still nothing.
Detective intervened.
Claire finally said:
“If I tell you now, it sounds like I’m trying to save myself.”
“You are trying to save yourself.”
“Yes.”
That honesty unsettled him.
Claire said Rachel’s death had terrified her.
She knew she had added sedative.
When Rachel later collapsed, Claire assumed it was her fault.
But Eleanor convinced her autopsy proved heart condition caused death.
Claire accepted explanation because she desperately wanted it to be true.
“Then why do it again?”
Claire lowered her eyes.
“Because someone found out what I did to Rachel.”
“Who?”
No answer.
“They threatened you?”
“Yes.”
“With what?”
“Rachel.”
Someone had proof Claire drugged Rachel.
They told Claire unless she cooperated again, evidence would go to police and Sophie would grow up believing Claire murdered mother.
Ethan’s anger shifted.
Not disappeared.
Claire still chose to put drug in his tea.
But another person was directing her.
“What were you supposed to accomplish?”
“Make you miss tonight’s vote.”
“What vote?”
Ethan went still.
That afternoon’s mansion dinner was not simply social gathering.
After dessert, Carter Family Foundation trustees were scheduled to vote on emergency governance amendment.
Ethan had proposed removing temporary signing authority from his mother Eleanor after discovering unexplained transfers.
If Ethan became impaired or left early, vote could be postponed.
Or defeated.
Claire whispered:
“That was all I was told.”
Ethan thought of Sophie pointing behind him.
Claire looking toward someone else.
Then detective placed dining-room seating chart on table.
Behind Ethan had been three people.
Adrian Cole, family attorney.
Eleanor Carter, Ethan’s mother.
And longtime foundation treasurer Martin Shaw.
Sophie had pointed toward one of them.
May you like
But when shown photographs separately—
she refused to say which one.
