Chapter 4
Evelyn Mercer arrived forty-seven minutes later wearing jeans, mud-splattered boots and a camel-colored coat buttoned crookedly over a sweatshirt.
She was fifty-six.
Claire remembered blond hair.
It was mostly gray now.
She remembered lipstick, perfume and bracelets that jingled whenever Evelyn hugged her.
The woman entering the warehouse wore no makeup.
There was a thin white scar across her chin.
Claire stood when she saw her.
Neither woman moved closer.
“Hi, Button,” Evelyn whispered.
Claire’s face collapsed.
Only one person had ever called her Button.
When Claire was little, she had collected loose buttons in a glass jar because she believed no button should be thrown away just because it had fallen off something.
Evelyn used to bring her unusual ones from thrift shops.
Green glass.
Mother-of-pearl.
Wooden toggles.
One shaped like a strawberry.
Richard had thrown the jar away after Evelyn disappeared.
“You’re alive.”
Evelyn’s mouth trembled.
“Yes.”
“Dad said you moved overseas.”
“I moved to Wisconsin.”
Claire almost laughed.
The absurdity was unbearable.
Twelve years believing somebody had vanished to Europe.
Wisconsin.
She turned toward her father.
“You told us she stole eighty thousand dollars.”
Evelyn looked at Richard.
“He stole three hundred and twelve thousand.”
Richard said nothing.
“From Grandma’s estate,” Evelyn continued. “Our mother left the company equally to both of us. Richard forged documents transferring my shares to himself.”
Claire felt dizzy.
“I found out.”
Evelyn touched the scar on her chin.
“I confronted him.”
Claire did not ask where the scar came from.
She already knew.
“My mother knew?”
That question hurt more.
Evelyn hesitated.
Claire saw the answer.
“Oh God.”
“She knew part of it.”
“What part?”
“That Richard had taken my shares.”
“And?”
“She asked me not to go to court.”
Claire backed away.
“No.”
“She thought public scandal would destroy the company. She said Richard had children.”
“I was one of those children.”
“I know.”
“She chose him?”
Evelyn’s eyes filled.
“She chose what she thought kept the family intact.”
Claire gave a broken laugh.
“Look how well that worked.”
Richard finally spoke.
“Your mother was trying to protect you.”
Claire rounded on him.
“Stop using her.”
“Claire—”
“She’s dead.”
“I know.”
“You don’t get to hide behind a dead woman every time the truth becomes inconvenient.”
Richard’s mouth closed.
Gabriel stood near the loading door, deliberately distant.
That surprised Claire.
A man powerful enough to command the room had chosen not to occupy its center.
This was hers.
Evelyn took another step.
“I should have come back.”
Claire looked at her.
“Yes.”
The answer landed hard.
Evelyn nodded.
“I know.”
“You knew what he was.”
“I did.”
“You knew Mom was sick.”
“Yes.”
“You knew I worked there.”
“I knew.”
“And you stayed away.”
“Yes.”
No excuse.
Claire almost hated her more for making the truth easy.
“Why?”
Evelyn looked toward Richard.
“Because I was afraid.”
Richard snorted.
Evelyn ignored him.
“I had lost my marriage. I was broke. I had spent two years fighting your father and every time I pushed, another attorney quit, another witness suddenly forgot something, another bank document disappeared.”
Claire glanced at Gabriel.
He understood the implication.
Evelyn continued.
“One morning my car brakes failed.”
Gabriel’s expression changed.
Richard barked, “That had nothing to do with me.”
“I never said it did.”
“You’re implying—”
“You always heard accusations inside facts, Richard.”
He fell silent.
Evelyn looked at Claire again.
“I got scared. So I left.”
Her voice cracked.
“And I told myself your mother would protect you.”
Claire’s eyes burned.
“She died.”
“I know.”
“And you still didn’t come.”
“I know.”
“I needed you.”
Evelyn nodded.
“I know.”
That was when Claire slapped her.
The sound cracked across the warehouse.
Nobody moved.
Evelyn’s head turned with the impact.
Claire’s hand immediately flew to her mouth.
“Oh God.”
Evelyn slowly faced her again.
Tears ran down both women’s faces.
“I deserved that,” Evelyn whispered.
“No.”
Claire was horrified.
“I shouldn’t have—”
“You were fifteen.”
Evelyn’s voice broke.
“And I left you with him.”
Claire shook her head.
“I don’t want another person telling me what violence I’m allowed to do because I’m hurt.”
The sentence startled even Gabriel.
Claire lowered her hand.
“I’m sorry.”
Evelyn nodded.
“I accept.”
Not forgive.
Accept.
There was a difference.
Gabriel’s phone vibrated.
He looked at Marcus, who had returned with two laptops and a locked document case.
“We have copies of Mercer Freight’s internal backups.”
Claire wiped her face.
“How far back?”
“Eight years.”
She inhaled.
“Give me a computer.”
Gabriel glanced at the clock.
“It’s almost three in the morning.”
“I’ve been lied to for twenty-seven years.”
May you like
Claire pulled a chair toward the folding table.
“I can stay awake one more night.”
